In the entire history of the United States of America, as one of the most powerful and sturdiest democratic countries in the globe, the existence and role of political and/or national government leaders are regarded as a vital factor in shaping and maintaining such an influential country and democracy.
Throughout the years and decades that have passed, the country of United States has already been through various political leaders that have done so much work to strengthen and deliver the American Dream among its people. Two of these significant leaders in the national government of United States of America, who have done their fair share of superb service for the country, are Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy.
During the span of their tenure in the national government service as the president of the United States of America, both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy have done a superb public service for the country and attended to the best of their abilities in serving the office of president. Both have drawn great legacies and recognition across their name as one of the most significant leaders who have served the country and the people towards building a sturdy future of the United States.
As an outstanding national leader and an inspirational political icon for the entire American Society, both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy have numerous similarities and differences as individuals and as political figures who have served the United States during the crucial moments in history. In this regard, this essay would primarily concentrate on the subject of doing a compare and contrast between Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy. This essay holds on to the task of drawing a clear statement about the probable similarities and disparities of the said political leaders.
The following will be discussed:
Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy
Early Life and Career
Political Beginnings
Political Standpoint and Presidential Narrative
Towards the end of the paper, this essay primarily intends to draw the apparent and distinct illustrations about Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, which clearly evaluate and differentiate the particular political leaders.
Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy
Ronald Wilson Reagan, born to an Irish father and a Scots-English mother in the 1911 on the sixth day of February, is the 40th President of the United States of America. He has served in the office of the President for eight years from 1981 up to 1989. Also, prior to his takeover of the highest office in the United States Federal Government, he served as the 33rd Governor of the State of California, which has served in the Governor’s office from the year 1967 up to 1975 (“Ronald Reagan 1981 – 1989,” n.d.).
Just like President John F. Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan is a product of an upright and reputable American family and lived with his parents in the early years of his life. Thus, while growing up, Ronald Reagan is well guided by the wisdom and supervision of his parents, which have made him the man that he is. In most of his childhood days, President Ronald Reagan has lived in a space above a local store in Tampico, Illinois called the H.C. Pitney Variety Store. Living a life and growing up as a man, Ronald Reagan had a tough time establishing and reaching for his American dream of becoming the highest government official in the Government and serving the American people, as the president of United States of America.
Different from the narrative of John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan has lived a relatively colorful and diverse life that is filled with different twists and turns. Prior to becoming a well loved political icon and a broadly supported president, Ronald Reagan has been through various job positions and established a sturdy career in other fields (“Facts about Ronald Reagan,” n.d.).
John F. Kennedy, on the other hand, was born in the year 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts in a prominent family who is well known in the society. Unlike President Ronald Reagan, the life of President John F. Kennedy, as a child is more stable and fruitful, as he is born to a prominent family that is popularly known to be included in the league of Boston political clan as his grandfather John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald served in Boston as a city mayor and has been a member of the Congress for three terms (“John F. Kennedy 1961-1963,” n.d.).
As Ronald Reagan started with a humble beginning in living with his parents and family, John F. Kennedy had an abundant lifestyle and financially fruitful living with his family while growing up as a child and as an adult. Unlike President Ronald Reagan, President John F. Kennedy has lived in different glamorous mansions during his younger days as a part of a relatively prominent political family.
Before serving in the highest office of the president, John F. Kennedy has also served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the Massachusetts’ 11th Congressional District from the year 1947 up to 1953 as a dedicated and loyal Democrat. In addition to this, prior to his bid in the 1960 United States Presidential election, John F. Kennedy has first served in the United States Senate for seven years from the 1953 up to the year 1960 (“John F. Kennedy, The 35th President of the United States,” n.d.).
As a product of a prominent and wealthy political family, John F. Kennedy has received various luxuries and privileges in life that President Ronald Reagan did not have in his life while growing up. Just like any other prominent and well-loved presidents of the United States, John F. Kennedy has studied in Harvard University, a well-known educational institution in producing outstanding politicians and national leaders in the United States. In addition to this, President John F. Kennedy has also studied in some of the most expensive and outstanding institutions in the country that have helped him shape to serve as a probable president for the United States (“John Fitzgerald Kennedy 1917 – 1963,” n.d.).
Dissimilar from President Ronald Reagan and as a normal individual, President John F. Kennedy has numerous health issues and problems, which have threatened his life in several instances and conditions. In his life, Kennedy has been through critical moments that have tested his physical toughness with him being through different life frightening illnesses and medical operations.
Early Life and Career
Unlike any other politicians that have served as a president of United States, more especially John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan has established and had a splendid career in the entertainment business. After graduating from College at Eureka, he moved to Iowa where he started a brilliant profession in both of the entertainment and broadcasting industry. Still in Iowa, Ronald Reagan has become a radio announcer and broadcaster in local radio station, which he specializes in making play-by-play review of baseball games.
After he moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930’s, Ronald Reagan has his first work as an actor. Thus, before he becomes a public servant in California as the State Governor, Ronald Reagan first served in the highest office Screen Actors Guild or SAG, as the president of the organization. In addition to this, he also had a position in an American private company called the General Electrics or better known as GE, as a spokesperson for external affairs of the corporation.
During his time in the General Electronics, Ronald Reagan has established his career in the politics, wherein he is originally a member of Democratic and later on transferred to the other side and became a part of the Republican Party in the 1962. In this regard, it is observable that Ronald Reagan differs from John F., Kennedy in such a way that Reagan has drawn his own narrative in journeying towards the highest office in the United States of America, which is that of being the president of the land.
John F. Kennedy, on the other hand, has as well established a strong career background apart from his impressive resume in the political scene in the United States and serving in some of the most prominent position in the government, more especially in being the President of the land. Just like President Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy has also established a career and profession in the military service. Due to their unlikely physical condition, both John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan has been deprived of having a definite position in the military and is only given a minimal task or mission in the service (“Military Service of Ronald Reagan,” n.d.). However, unlike Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy has received later approval for higher position in the United States Navy where he is given the rank of Lieutenant and assigned to command a patrol torpedo boat.
If Ronald Reagan becomes popular as an actor-turned-President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, on the other hand, has become a political icon that is known for his profound talent in writing. Thus, he is broadly regarded as the only President of the United States that has received a Pulitzer Prize and Recognition because of his excellent writing skills. As he regard himself an unlikely politician, John F. Kennedy has also establish plans of becoming a Journalist prior to his decision to run for public service.
Political Beginnings
Becoming a president and elected to serve in the highest office in United States’ Federal Government has not been so easy for Ronald Reagan. Instead, Ronald Reagan, similar to the story of John F, Kennedy as a political icon, has been through different triumphs and failures before he has been elected as the 40th President of the United States of America. As a successful politician, President Ronald Reagan has started his career in politics after he delivered a speech that clearly states his support to the Presidential Candidacy of Barry Goldwater’s in the 1964 Presidential Election. This event had established a broad positive recognition of him that later convinced him to run for Governorship in California. In his bid for presidency, Ronald Reagan has been defeated twice in Republican presidential nominations in the 1968 and 1976. Finally, in the year 1980, he garnered the majority of Republican vote for Presidency that has resulted in him winning both the presidential election and nomination of that year.
Just like President Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy shared the same story of obstacles and hard-work in running and becoming the President United States. Though he is regarded as a well-known and broadly popular candidate in the 1960 United States presidential election, President John F. Kennedy still went through different tests and challenges before gathering the majority of vote from Democrat Party in persuading his candidacy.
As observably identical to the events in the 1980 presidential election, where President Ronald has won over his opponent with only minimal percent of the popular vote, the triumph of President John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election has also decided in close decision against his opposition, which is regarded as one of the closest battle in the history of United States presidential election in the twentieth century.
Political Standpoint and Presidential Narrative
In a sense, it can be said that the political standpoint of President John F. Kennedy and President Ronald is observable to have similarities in such thought that these two political icons and inspirational American leaders have superb faith to the capabilities and participation of the entire American people in further strengthening the stability of American Society. Both President Kennedy and Reagan believe that every American and the Federal Government have an equal opportunity and role in building a sturdy future for the country of the United States of America. In addition to this, these two political leaders also advocate peace and support the campaign for equal civil rights across the United States.
Lastly, unlike President Ronald Reagan, who has completed his term as the President of the land, the Story of John F. Kennedy, as a President differs in such a way that his narrative has a tragic ending. Not as lucky and blessed like President Ronald Reagan, who has survived his assassination plot, President John F. Kennedy has left the office of the President after he has been fatally shot and killed in a shooting incident that have stunned the entire American Society.
References
Facts about Ronald Reagan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.facts-about.org.uk/american-president-ronald-reagan.htm
John F. Kennedy 1961-1963. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/JohnFKennedy/
John Fitzgerald Kennedy 1917 – 1963. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/kennedy
John F. Kennedy, The 35th President of the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Biographies+and+Profiles/Biographies/John+F.+Kennedy+The+35th+President+of+the+United+States.htm
Pre-Presidential Biographical Sketch of Ronald W. Reagan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/prepresbio.html
Ronald Reagan 1981 – 1989. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan/
Military Service of Ronald Reagan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2009, from http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/military.html
