Remembering Nov. 22, 1963

[Woody]

Quote:

On a side note. That was the day C.S. Lewis died. The author of the Chronicles of Narnia. Not many news agencies reported that fact that day.

Strange isn't it. Like was mentioned ... Kennedy was not all that popular. I am willing to wager that C.S.Lewis was more popular than Kennedy.

[Kevin H]

It was a few months before my 5th Birthday, I was on my first trip to Califoria at my Aunt Judith's house (she sadly died last month). It turns out my Grandmother and cousin Linda had heard about the shooting, but did not tell me, probably thinking I was too young to understand.

I had remembered watching President Kennedy give speaches and understood who he was.

This day I was watching on morning TV a rerun of Pete and Gladis. As I recall they where having chiminy trouble and they were on the roof and Pete's arm was in the chimny and Gladis was reading the instructions. She said "If you twist your arm..." Pete grunts as he twists his arm, "It will get stuck so be careful not to do it..." durring the laughter it was "This is a news bulletin from CBS News, Pressident Kennedy is dead..." and I remember Grandma running from the kitchen to hear the anouncement. When Aunt Judith came home for lunch she was told the news and brought it back to her school.

While I understood who President Kennedy was and the sadness of his death, I was so young that by Sunday I was bored with how it had stopped all other tv shows and I loved paraides and did not know the difference between a funeral and parade and started marching around the living room to the music and enjoy the parade until my cousin told me it was not a parade but a funeral. I also remember the church service (which I have never seen re-broadcasted, althought it was played over and over again those days) that the priest just kept saying "Me me me me me me " and my Aunt and Grandma also talking about how the priest was just repeating "Me Me Me Me" I'd like to hear it again so see what gave me that impression.

[John317]

I was not in my teens yet. My first thoughts were, "this is going to be interesting, just a few days ago, he ranked lowest in popularity of all presidents in the 20th century, I wonder if people will remember that next week or in years to come".

It's true that Kennedy was very unpopular in some sections of the US-- mostly in the South-- but throughout his administration, he averaged about 70% in the popularity ratings, and according to the news reports, he never did go below 50% over all. Ironically, he was just beginning to lose some of his popularity shortly before the assassination, which was the whole reason behind his trip to Texas. Some people on the political right considered him a traitor to the US. At first it was thought maybe these were responsible for his death.

For a long time after his death, he was considered one of our greatest presidents, but most now realize he wasn't. U.S. historians rate him as #6, 8 or 10 & lower. I don't know about now but there was a time when JFK was much more popular abroad than at home.