Profiles in Courage,
by John F. Kennedy


(Click for Amazon book review)

OnTheIssues.org BOOK REVIEW:

This book was written by John F. Kennedy while he was a Senator, and published in 1955. Most Americans today are aware of this book by its title and are aware that Kennedy wrote it, but almost none have read it. And that's a shame, because it's a very readable book, and still has relevance today.

The book has a straightforward structure: Eight chapters about eight members of the US Senate, telling the story of how each one made a courageous decision. "Courage" is carefully defined in this context to mean "taking an action on principle, knowing that it will likely cost re-election." Generally, the action in question went against the Senator's party, or against the Senator's constituency, or both. In some cases, the Senator recovered from the negative consequences of the decision; in some they never recovered (such as the ones in the list below whom you've never heard of!).

This book is more of a history book than a political book. But it is a very accessible history book -- so much so that history teachers should require reading it for understanding the segments of US history that it covers. The historical aspects provide the context for the courageous decision: JFK explains the context prior to the key decision; the political consequences of the decision; and the later career results of the decision. The list of Senators and topics follow; included are the state and party that the Senator had the courage to oppose, and the year of the courageous decision:

JFK doesn't say that each act of courage was successful, nor even that each act of courage was right. For example, on the most recent one above, I thought, "Why should Taft apply US law to an international tribunal? Nuremberg wasn't run under the US Constitution at all." JFK agreed in his summary: "Taft, it is argued, was motivated more by blind isolationism than Constitutional principles." (p. 240). And JFK doesn't say at all that those profiled are saints because of their courageous act: on the contrary, he calls Adams "an irritating upstart;" and Webster "the businessmen's beneficiary," for example. What JFK does say is that all citizens can exhibit courage of conscience in daily life, like these Senators did in national life (p. 245).

This book inspired books relevant to three ongoing political careers: Profiles In Character, by Gov. Jeb Bush, and Profiles In Courage for Our Time, by Caroline Kennedy (JFK's daughter), and Why Courage Matters and Hard Call, by Sen. John McCain. The timing of this book's publication (1955, when JFK was in the early planning stages of presidential aspirations) set the stage for the 1960 election: JFK would run on a theme that, as president, he would make courageous decisions that benefited America even if they bucked the Democratic Party (while Richard Nixon, who was Vice President in 1955, would run on a theme of willingness to fight against Communism). Jeb Bush's corresponding book title indicates that, as president, he would make decisions based on character, rather than courage, as the underlying theme -- we'll see come 2016!

-- Jesse Gordon, editor-in-chief, OnTheIssues.org, May 2013

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Civil Rights     Courage to apply equal rights to minorities.     We should not counsel patience and delay on equal rights.

Environment     We all inhabit a small planet & breathe the same air.

Free Trade     Every industry wants higher tariffs on competitors.

Government Reform     Courage motivated by national interest over political gain.

Principles & Values     Politics obscures courage; but there is political courage.     Compromise is essential for functioning government.     Senators must balance conscience with constituents' views.     Senator's loyalties split among party, state, & nation.     We all face tests of courage, with unions, friends, etc.     Profile in Courage award to honor those with courage.

Click for quotations from other sources by: John F. Kennedy