JFK: The Most Popular President?
American History Hit
History Hit
4.3 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 16 November 2023
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Who was JFK? How popular was he in his lifetime? And how did his untimely death impact the world's memory of him?
In this first of two episodes to mark 60 years since President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, we are exploring his personality and popularity.
Don is joined by Fredrick Logevall, Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. Fredrick's most recent book is 'JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century'.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Joseph Knight. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, James Holland, Mary Beard and more.
Don’t miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORYHIT1 sign up now for your 14-day free trial https://historyhit/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | November 22nd, 1963. The morning skies have lifted over this part of North Texas |
| 0:10.0 | as the smiling 46 year old President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie |
| 0:14.8 | greets the teeming throngs lining the route through downtown Dallas, |
| 0:18.7 | waving from within their limousine. |
| 0:22.0 | It is estimated some 150,000 people have turned out this Friday to welcome the presidential |
| 0:27.7 | couple. |
| 0:28.7 | Kennedy has specified to the Secret Service that during this early campaign tour he wishes the bubble top to be removed |
| 0:35.7 | from his vehicle. He wants to be available to the people, these Texan voters, especially in a city he lost in the election three years prior. |
| 0:45.0 | First Lady Jackie sits to the President's left. |
| 0:48.0 | Ahead in the middle seats, Texas Governor John Connolly and his wife smile and wave as well. |
| 0:53.4 | At 12.29 p.m. the Secret Service agent driving |
| 0:57.7 | one of two agents seated in front |
| 0:59.9 | steers the limo left down Elm Street into what is called Deely Plaza. |
| 1:05.0 | The car moves slowly around 11 miles per hour. |
| 1:09.0 | As the president looks to his right, he waves to the crowd assembled along the curb in front of the Texas Book Depository Building, and on the grassy rise beyond it. |
| 1:20.0 | An agent in the motorcade ahead radios that they are five minutes out from the President's scheduled luncheon stop outside of town. |
| 1:28.0 | At 12.30 PM, over the rumbling of car engines, buzzing radios, and cheering and applauding crowds, |
| 1:35.0 | shots are fired. |
| 1:37.0 | The President stiffens, putting his hands to his neck. |
| 1:42.0 | Governor Connolly feels a hard blow to his back, |
| 1:45.0 | as a bullet passes downward and forward through his wrist and thigh. |
| 1:50.0 | He is pulled onto his wife's lap. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.