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Contents
Context
Profiles in Courage looks at eight United States senators that author John F. Kennedy, a senator himself when he wrote the book, singled out for their courageous acts and displays of integrity while in the US Senate. These senators often broke with their party platform and voted their conscience because they felt it was the right thing to do, even if, for many of them, it meant sabotaging their political careers.
Kennedy wanted to address the growing discontent and criticism aimed at senators in particular, but really all politicians. He hoped to re-educate the public about the pressures each senator faces when they take office and how compromise is not a dirty word, but a necessary means to enacting legislation beneficial for the largest number of Americans possible.
Although the book was written in the 1950s, its themes still ring true today as politicians continue to grapple with the dilemma of how to best represent their constituents without compromising their principles and caving to special interests. Even today, the public continues to view all politicians, especially those in the US Senate, with contempt, which illustrates to what extent voters are still either unwilling to comprehend or simply unaware of the demands facing their elected officials.
Overview
John F. Kennedy, at the time a US Senator, wrote Profiles in Courage to recognize eight fellow senators who, he believed, acted as true representatives of the public interest should, by refusing to go along with the wishes of their party, speaking out against injustices, and voting against legislation they believed would promote harmful causes.
The men Kennedy profiles in this bookJohn Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benson, Sam Houston, Edmund G. Ross, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, George Norris, and Robert A. Tafteach took huge risks by taking unpopular stances and making fateful decisions. These men never received widespread acclaim and respect for what they did; instead many saw their political careers come crashing down.
Kennedy also pays tribute to other senators who displayed courage in voting against the popular sentiments of their times and suffered crippling, if not fatal, blows to their political lives, including Albert Beveridge, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Johnson, Humphrey Marshall, John Tyler, and Oscar W. Underwood. The senators profiled in this book came from different walks of life and served at different points in American history, but they all proved they were unafraid to step out of their comfort zones and stand up for what was right.
Some of these senators were able to later resurrect their political careers and are now looked upon more kindly in the eyes of history because of other accomplishments, but still not for the choices they made on the floor of the US Senate, where they showed their greatest courage. But each of these men held true to their convictions in the face of fierce opposition both from their colleagues and their constituents. They could truly say they were at peace with themselves because they did not betray their consciences.
Summary
Introduction by Caroline Kennedy
Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedys daughter, describes how her fathers famous statement in his presidential inauguration speech, Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country, is an apt description of his own political career and life, and also serves as a calling for Americans to display similar levels of commitment.
She recaps her fathers military service in World War II as a PT-boat commander, and how he saved a fellow sailors life after the Japanese destroyed their boat, swimming three miles using his teeth to grasp his badly wounded comrades life jacket. He earned several military honors for his heroic efforts, but also suffered a spinal injury that confined him to a hospital for several months in 1954 and 1955.
While in the hospital, he conducted his research for Profiles in Courage , setting out on a quest to discover what makes a great senator. Caroline Kennedy feels that her father displayed the same courageous attributes while serving as president, including speaking out in favor of civil rights, which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that was passed after his assassination in 1963.
The Kennedy family established the Profile in Courage Award in 1989 to honor elected officials who reflect the core ideals of the nation, despite the risk to themselves and their careers.
Foreword by Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy, Johns brother, discusses how Profiles in Courage perfectly fit his beliefs and personality, standing on principle and not bowing to public pressure.
He recalls how John was often in severe physical pain during his lifefrom scarlet fever as a child to a spinal injury incurred in World War II, but he never complained about his ailments, a true testament to his conviction and courage.
Robert says Americans need to embrace his brothers greatest characteristics and use their talents to meet the continuing challenges this country faces. His brother used what Robert termed human wisdom to keep the Cuban missile crisis from devolving into a devastating nuclear war. He writes that that same wisdom will be needed to avert other crises that will arise. For that reason, the stories of the men his brother captures in this book cannot be forgotten.
Preface
John F. Kennedy writes of how John Quincy Adamss battle with his own Federalist party piqued his interest in how politicians show courage, and his lengthy hospital stay in 1954 following a spinal operation allowed him to do the required research for this book.
I. Courage and Politics
Each of the senators Kennedy profiles in his book have acted with grace while under fire for staying true to unpopular beliefs, even though their careers suffered a major hit due to their actions. By paying tribute to these men, JFK hopes people would remember their courage and demand the same of present and future leaders.
