Imagine a president like this:
- He is the richest man ever to serve as US President. He didn’t earn this wealth; he was born into privilege and inherited his wealth from his father, who earned his wealth by breaking the law.
- After a last minute nomination in his own party’s convention, he was elected president in an extremely narrow and unexpected victory over his rival, a member of the former president’s cabinet.
- His campaign success seemed unlikely because of his unusual age and lack of experience in foreign affairs.
- He employed a novel form of media to disrupt the normal politics.
- After the election, evidence emerged of interference and election rigging that likely affected the very narrow margin of victory.
- His unpopular party had, just three years before, led the opposition to an important and major piece of civil rights legislation being pushed by the opposing party.
- He was elected despite his track record of womanizing and alcohol abuse. Though married, he was known to have had numerous affairs and sexual liaisons.
- While President, the affairs continued. He used the secret service to provide cover for his numerous affairs, including one with a Playboy bunny and an ongoing affair with his wife’s 21 year old secretary whom he hired based on looks.
- His poor understanding of foreign policy and misuse of government intelligence brought the US to the brink of nuclear war with the regime of a crazy dictator.
- He ordered his Attorney General to use the FBI to spy on those conducting large scale protests during his presidency.
- Early in his presidency, he supported a controversial project that destroyed Native American land and forced the displacement of 600 Indians from their homesteads.
- He ordered his staff and physician to hide significant medical illnesses from the public and lie about his health.
Despite all of this, he continued to be loved by his adoring fans and his wife, whom he once had committed to a mental hospital for electroshock therapy after she found out about an affair, also played her part, standing by her man.
Yes, of course, I am talking about President John F. Kennedy. Who else?
