High-res kateoplis: Fifty years ago today, a 43 years old John F. Kennedy, was elected the 35th president of the United States. He defeated Richard Nixon in one of the closest national elections ever, winning the popular vote by two-tenths of one percent (49.7% to 49.5%), while taking the Electoral College 303 votes to Nixon’s 219. LIFE: Kennedy’s Catholicism was a major issue in the campaign. It was publicly discussed, debated, analyzed, and — frequently — openly derided. The sticking point for literally millions of Protestants, Baptists, Methodists, and other non-Catholics was that they believed — genuinely believed — that once in office JFK would be taking his marching orders from Rome. In September, 1960, amid increasingly heated and, indeed, hostile rhetoric about his faith, Kennedy accepted an invitation to speak before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association and famously told the largely skeptical gathering: “I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters — and the Church does not speak for me.” Above: from LIFE’s JKF: Unpublished, Never-Seen Photos

kateoplis:

Fifty years ago today, a 43 years old John F. Kennedy, was elected the 35th president of the United States. He defeated Richard Nixon in one of the closest national elections ever, winning the popular vote by two-tenths of one percent (49.7% to 49.5%), while taking the Electoral College 303 votes to Nixon’s 219.

LIFE:

Kennedy’s Catholicism was a major issue in the campaign. It was publicly discussed, debated, analyzed, and — frequently — openly derided. The sticking point for literally millions of Protestants, Baptists, Methodists, and other non-Catholics was that they believed — genuinely believed — that once in office JFK would be taking his marching orders from Rome. In September, 1960, amid increasingly heated and, indeed, hostile rhetoric about his faith, Kennedy accepted an invitation to speak before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association and famously told the largely skeptical gathering: “I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters — and the Church does not speak for me.”

Above: from LIFE’s JKF: Unpublished, Never-Seen Photos

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  18. carmeljam reblogged this from kateoplis and added:
    emphasis. If only Republican candidates thought...way. This two-party “system” blows.
  19. modernarth reblogged this from kateoplis and added:
    50 years later …
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