Wondering Canuck

It depends. A big part of the Kennedy mystique revolves around what could have been. He was president for less than 3 years, not really enough time to gauge how he could do long term. Yes, he had some major issues to contend with, but most presidents spend their first term "cleaning up" what the previous guy did. He could have turned out to be utter *beep* in term 2. He was a war hero, rich, beautiful man, with a beautiful wife and 2 beautiful children, of course he was popular. If JFK had lived would he and Jackie have stayed together? Who knows. Would John John have become the beloved tabloid figure he did had he not been followed as a link to his father? Perhaps not.

The odds were low that he would have won reelection and also so-so on if he would have even lived many more years. He was a weak President as history has shown, and the biggest change if he hadn't had been assassinated is what would have happened in the lives of his brothers and family.

While I was very young during JFK's presidency, I do remember how many homes had his picture hanging up in the hallway or living room. My parents, who were British immigrants (my father born in Dublin, mother in Yorkshire) did like him, though as I grew up I remember they supported Republicans. So just from limited personal experience, I think he would have won an election to a second term. The Texas trip was actually the beginning of his campaign for re-election and, save for the horrible outcome, he was well received everywhere he went.