Courage
Conviction
Confidence
Composure
Conscience
Command
Character
Class
In 1960 presidential candidate John F. Kennedy addressed the Greater Houston Ministerial Association. His message was simple, but his delivery was phenomenal. It’s astounding how relevant this speech is today, the mark of a truly extraordinary individual. How often these days we absorb the hyperbolic praise applied to those who scarcely deserve it.
Watch how JFK handles a room full of Protestant ministers in Texas.
I’ve split the video into 4 sections, the entire series is 46 min. long.
THE INTRO – Welcome, prayer, introduction of JFK
[flashvideo filename=vids/JFK_Ministers_Intro.flv /]
THE SPEECH – JFK’s moving and amazingly pertinent speech.
[flashvideo filename=vids/JFK_Ministers_Speech.flv /]
Q & A PART 1 – JFK takes questions from the audience, this is where it gets interesting.
[flashvideo filename=vids/JFK_Ministers_QA_01.flv /]
Q & A PART 2 – JFK shows what made him truly great.
[flashvideo filename=vids/JFK_Ministers_QA_02.flv /]
It’s important to note that this event took place while JFK was in the midst of his presidential campaign against heavily favored Richard Nixon, who had just spent 8 years as vice president in the white house with a very popular Dwight D. Eisenhower. The room was filled with suspicious and in some cases slightly hostile protestant ministers. To call the command he exhibited in this gathering impressive is a gross understatement. He set the tone for a generation and inspired the world.