# Would Joseph Kennedy have been a good President? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243 "2012-09-29T18:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/1 "2012-09-29T18:00:22Z")
It’s always been my understanding that Joseph Kennedy was the one “meant” by his father to be President, but his death forced JFK to step up. Do we know enough about the older Kennedy to guess what kind of President he would have been, or if he’d even be any good at it? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/2 "2012-09-29T21:12:40Z")
Joseph Kennedy would have been a terrible president. Joseph Kennedy _Jr._, on the other hand, who can say? He died young (in WWII) without really giving any public (or polictical) impression. This also should probably be posed in either Great Debates or IMHO. I’ll report it for you. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/3 "2012-09-29T21:21:06Z")
Moved from GQ to IMHO. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/4 "2012-09-29T23:02:50Z")
Hard to say-JK was definitely an isolationist-he also believed that Germany would defeat GB (that was one reason that Roosevelt relieved him as ambassador to GB). As far as his ability to lead, JK was not a leader as such-more of a “wire puller”. He had a bad reputation (as a stock manipulator and “bust out” operator), and had made a lot of enemies (in high places). So I would say…no. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/5 "2012-09-29T23:30:01Z")
As noted, Joseph Kennedy Jr died at 29. It’s hard to say what his personality and abilities might have been in another couple of decades. That said, there were worrisome aspects. The Kennedys were a very high-pressure family and Joe had grown up as the favored son. From what I’ve heard, he could be arrogant and bullying. The younger sons, John, Robert, and Teddy, may have acquired a little needed humility from growing up in Joe’s shadow. Joe, on the other hand, simply expected to always be the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-joseph-kennedy-have-been-a-good-president/636243/6 "2012-09-30T03:24:52Z")
Yes, it didn’t occur to me that it should have been Joseph Kennedy Jr. Could a mod change the title for more clarity if needed?