JFK’s father Joseph Kennedy made much of his fortune through insider trading. FDR later made him chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. When asked why he appointed a crook, FDR replied, “set a thief to catch a thief.” Kennedy proceeded to outlaw the practices that made him rich.
JFK
During WWII JFK was stranded in the…
During WWII JFK was stranded in the Solomon islands, and ended up carving a message into a coconut, that a native delivered to the nearest US base and saved his life.
JFK was a superb golfer, but kept his golfing a secret…
JFK was a superb golfer, but kept his golfing a secret because he didn’t want to seem out of touch with average Americans. JFK reacted with terror when he nearly hit a hole-in-one while running for President.
When news of JFK’s assassination was announced in Alabama…
When news of JFK’s assassination was announced in Alabama public schools (which JFK had forced to desegregate 6 months earlier), many white students cheered.
John F. Kennedy’s last words were, “No, you certainly can’t” in response…
John F. Kennedy’s last words were, “No, you certainly can’t” in response to the Governor of Texas’s wife, Nellie Connally saying, “you certainly can’t say that the people of Dallas haven’t given you a nice welcome.” Moments later he was assassinated.
The Soviet Union and the United States were originally in talks to go to the moon together…
The Soviet Union and the United States were originally in talks to go to the moon together during the Cold War. Nikita Khruschev was poised to accept the plan but then President Kennedy was assassinated. The Soviets did not trust Vice President Johnson, so Khruschev rejected the plan.
It snowed 8 inches on the eve of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. To clear Pennsylvania…
It snowed 8 inches on the eve of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. To clear Pennsylvania Avenue, an army of men worked all night, using flame-throwers.
In 1961 a little girl wrote to President Kennedy concerned about the safety…
In 1961 a little girl wrote to President Kennedy concerned about the safety of Santa Claus amid Soviet nuclear testing at the North Pole. Kennedy wrote back that he had spoken to Santa and that he was fine.
After JFK was assassinated, there was a brief scuffle between local and federal…
After JFK was assassinated, there was a brief scuffle between local and federal authorities when the President’s security detail wasn’t allowed to remove his body from the hospital. It ended when the Secret Service agents put the local officials against the wall at gunpoint.
When John F. Kennedy met Joseph Luns, the former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs…
When John F. Kennedy met Joseph Luns, the former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kennedy asked for his hobbies and he answered: “I fok horses”, Kennedy, struck with surprise responded: “Pardon?”, Luns replied: “Yes, paarden!”. ‘Fokken’ means ‘to breed’, and ‘horses’ means ‘paarden’ in Dutch.