What makes a great politician?

[AussieMick]

I grew up in UK and recall the massive support there for the charismatic Jack Kennedy.

(IMO) We'll never know whether he would have been a great president. How would the Vietnam issue have been ... He did give some great speeches (as did Robert) and he was (I think) a very astute politician. You dont get to be US Pres without being astute.

He made mistakes (Bay of Pigs) early on but his stance on the Cuba missile crisis was courageous and dealing with Kruschev was something very very important - how many other politicians would have been as good as him at that time? I think that he would have been very decisive over Vietnam ... he was I think a very quick learner and not afraid to make decisions. It may be that there were skeletons in the cupboard which would have caused damage (his lovelife and "debts" owed to people that supported his election ... these may or may not be scuttlebutt).

I think Jack Kennedy was intrinsically a good man with human weaknesses. As a president he saved the world from nuclear destruction over Cuba and faced down the Communist menace. His death was a great loss to the world. In his short time he had an enormous effect that benefited us all.