John Fitzgerald Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a Democrat, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the US from 1961 to 1963, and he was the youngest man to be elected in such a high office. He succeeded Dwight D. Eisenhower and became the first Roman Catholic President. Kennedy won the hearts of many people during televised debates against Richard M. Nixon, whom he also defeated by a narrow margin in the general election of 1961. JFK was assassinated before reaching a thousand days in office and became the youngest president to be killed in America [Source].
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a Democrat, was an American politician and attorney who then served as the 32nd president of the US from 1933 up to 1945. He succeeded Herbert Hoover and assumed the presidential office during the intense period of the Great Depression. He was first elected in 1932 before re-election in 1936 where he won by a wide margin. Roosevelt is remembered for his experimental techniques on trying to revive businesses and the agriculture sector [Source].
Biggest JFK scandal
JFK’s scandals were mainly centered on infidelity and he was described by other media houses as a “serial cheater”. After his assassination, narrations popped out which were exposing Kennedy’s scandalous sexual behavior and marital issues [Source]. It is noted that “it was in that web of myths and legends that the truth behind Kennedy’s scandalous sexual behavior, marital issues and the nature of his assassination was hidden”. In 1956, he left his pregnant wife and went on a vacation yachting in Europe with Senator George Smathers, and this nearly destroyed his marriage.
The sex scandal that attracted a lot of attention was his connection with Marilyn Monroe, who was described as “the ultimate American sex symbol”. She was linked with the Kennedys for a very long time and it was said that she dated both Joe and John Kennedy. Tensions arose when Monroe was found dead in her apartment on 5 August 1962. Controversial theories were tossed around as her death was deemed to be representing a typical suicide scene. Some suggested that her relationship with Kennedy led to her death.
Biggest FDR scandal
FDR is known for his failure in the “court-packing” attempt on 5 February 1937. In his defense, Roosevelt wanted to make the US Supreme Court efficient by adding more judges to the bench and he wanted an addition of six justices and he was willing to carry out that expansion [Source]. Critics suggest that such an expansion in the Supreme was done to aid FDR’s New Deal in response to the effects of the Great Depression.
He had laid down plans to revive the economy and help those who were suffering because of economic breakdown. “Mr. Roosevelt’s real objective is to make the Supreme Court amenable to his will, either by forcing form that tribunal some of those who have disagreed with him, or by permitting him to offset their votes with men of his own choosing,” as argued by Washington Post columnist Franklyn Waltman [Source]. Roosevelt witnessed intense backlash from government officials and had to sweat it out while his political integrity deteriorated because of this move.
The greatest accomplishment for JFK
Kennedy’s accomplishments started when he was still serving in the US Navy where he received medals. But as a president, he is applauded for averting a nuclear war through his negotiations with Soviet Leader Khrushchev [Source]. The Cuban Missile Crisis started on 16 October 1962 during Kennedy’s reign and it was bound to become a full-blown nuclear war.
It took a lot of negotiating which was triggered by a message from Khrushchev to JFK on October 26, and finally, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended on 28 October 1962 with the Soviet Union agreeing to “dismantle its weapons in Cuba and bring them back while the United States agreed that they would not invade Cuba without provocation”.
The greatest accomplishment for FDR
FDR was very active in pushing the country to victory during World War II. His efforts are visible when it comes to reviving the economy as it was going through the Great Depression. Roosevelt “formed the New Deal, a program for recovery, relief, and reform to counteract the depression” [Source]. Through his New Deal, he was able to expand the government and implement many reform programs and tackle the economic crisis.
JFK inaugural speech vs FDR’s
FDR’s inauguration was on 4 March 1933 at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. He uttered the popular statement which states “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance” [Source].
JFK’s inauguration was on 20 January 1961 at the same place. Kennedy delivered his famous statement “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” [Source].
Roosevelt’s speech was targeting the behavior of people who were faced with an economic crisis that was affecting a lot of citizens. He blamed business moguls for failing the economy by being stubborn and because of their incompetence and despised money changers who were flourishing on the hardships of people. On other hand, Kennedy came into power while the country was going through tensions of the Cold War. In his speech, JFK was emphasizing maintaining peaceful international relations and trying to depict the US as a powerhouse on the global scale.
Kennedy was worried about the nuclear power which was escalating in countries of interest and how nations were in pursuit to arm themselves. He urged people to focus on fixing relations and improving the lives of impoverished masses rather than amass military hardware in a bid to start a war. For Roosevelt, he had to talk about the financial crisis facing the nation, and that is why he was prompted to implement reforms to improve the economy.
Who was a better president, JFK or FDR?
A fair comparison between the two would seem unfair considering the period these presidents spent in the office. JFK only spent 3 years in the presidential office while FDR spent 13 years at the helm of the American government.
It is reported that FDR was faced with a crippled economy where a lot of people were suffering [Source], and JFK was elected while the country had a viable economy. In terms of war, Kennedy experienced the Vietnam war when it was still brewing but Roosevelt felt the full impact of the war and had to implement some war strategies.
After weighing accomplishments in terms of serving the country, FDR would rank higher than JFK.
