Hitchens on JFK.
Christopher Hitchens flattens the Camelot myth, saying it conceals the self-promotion, the spinning, and the irresponsibility of the real President Kennedy. (*)
Nevertheless, the language of a president is not merely style to fill in gaps of substance or logic. Language has intrinsic value. The best of our presidents, including Jefferson and Lincoln, were noted for their excellent language and rhetorical skill. Kennedy’s speeches were triumphs.
It is not enough to know what is right. It is required that those who have the sense of right have also the ability with which to communicate it.