ictions at the Houston Ministerial Association, and apparent triumph over candidate Richard Nixon in the great Kennedy-Nixon Debates exhibited Kennedy as a crisp, good looking, self-confident, and authoritative opponent with a smooth fact-filled delivery that made him seem knowledgeable (Parmet, 45). Though only winning by a narrow margin of the popular vote, he embarked on a mission to restore patriotism in the hearts of the people and to give America a new hope to move forward. Kennedy's inaugural address has been praised as one of the best public speeches ever. What is most notable about this speech is the fact that it was essentially Kennedy's own creation. His skilled use of language and establishment of logos, ethos and pathos was especially effective in acquiring an enthused reaction from the public (pbs.org). While beginning preparations some four weeks before the speech, Kennedy had explicit instructions in mind: keep it short, focused on foreign affairs, and set the tone for a new era. He also wanted to avoid making partisan or pessimistic statements and attacks on previous administrations (Fairlie, 98). A list of Biblical quotes from Billy Graham was compiled for Kennedy, and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was studied for secrets of its success. Sorensen concluded that Lincoln achieved the prosaic rhythm of his speech by the quick repetition of one-syllable words. As a result, 71 percent of Kennedy's discussion was composed of monosyllabic words (pbs.org). The climax of the speech and its most famous "Ask Not" phrase was supposedly derived from a similar statement made by his former headmaster at Choate and expressed in various ways throughout his prior campaign speeches (pbs.org).Throughout his administration, John F. Kennedy compelled the United States with his vigor, appearance, use of language and style. Though he did not author his manuscripts completely, Kennedy was adept in the language and controlled their con...
