How John F. Kennedy Learned Public Speaking

[@leftyspade]

I was a clinically depressed 10-year-old when JFK got elected. I watched many of his clips and press conferences. His voice would completely take me to another world without fear, anxiety and for me, being very mentally challenged. As a Freshman in, Brooklyn NY and traveling the subway, hour, 12-year-old, I was a very good impressionist and made many friends riding the A train to Atlantic Ave. We were left out early the day he got assassinated, the world turned upside down for me and so many. I was seriously set back with it all. Great speaker and communicator. What eventually saved my generation, and it's a fact, The Beatles. Again, voice, music etc that can alter the mood.

[@CarmineGalloTV]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

[@grouchosays]

I think JFK was the first modern-day President who was obsessed with image. Lincoln was as well. Abe posed for more photos than just about anyone in his time. This was despite the fact that everyone considered him to be homely. Including himself. Kennedy knew he was handsome. He was extremely intelligent, sophisticated and urbane etc. I’m sure that he did a lot of the thinking and writing. But I doubt he did nearly as much as Sorensen. What Kennedy’s strong suit was “communication.” He could have read the telephone book and it would be spellbinding. If you listen to his accent or patois, this is something he contrived. His cadence is “Bibbidy BEE, Bibbidy BAH.” He says “deked” instead of decade. There is literally nobody in Massachusetts who spoke like that. Bostonians don’t speak like that. NOBODY ever spoke like that before, during or after Kennedy except for Bobby and Teddy. I would like to hear his older Brother Joe speak. But I have not found any recording of his speech. I have heard Joe Sr and he does not speak like his three sons. Eunice didn’t speak like her brothers. This was image-making at its finest. Kennedy and his brothers were masters of image. So, I maintain that 99% of Kennedy’s image and ultimately his appeal was his manner of speaking, his cadence and, especially, his contrived accent.

[@maureenogorman8740]

I'd like a list of the pages you marked off so I can look them up.

[@mitchellbellardini7360]

When Mr. Fry said JFK was the only one of the nine children who loved poetry, that statement was grossly inaccurate. Robert used poetry in many of his speeches. He was not the spellbinding speaker that John was, but he did well. Actually Teddy was a much more dynamic speaker than either one. His booming and lower registered voice probably helped.

[@theodorevegh6030]

"How To Speak Like JFK" by Theodore Alexander Vegh, B.S.