History shows if you don't want your child assassinated, don't name them after an airport.
Kennedy Cabinet -
- Secretary of State - J. William Fulbright (1961 - 1963)
- Secretary of Treasury - Robert McNamara (1961 - 1963) + C. Douglas Dillon (1963)
- Secretary of Defense - C. Douglas Dillon (1961 - 1963) + Robert McNamara (1963)
- Attorney General - Robert F. Kennedy (1961 - 1963)
- Ambassador to the United Nations - Chester Bowles (1961 - 1961) + Adlai Stevenson (1961 - 1963)
At State and Defense, Kennedy faced an immediate conundrum. Johnson and Rayburn, leaders of the Senate and House were trying to get Fulbright as VP. However, Civil Rights leaders (Fulbright signed the Southern Manifesto for political reasons) and the Pro-Israeli Democrats (Fulbright had made remarks calling for balance in US Foriegn Policy in that area) wanted someone else. But, LBJ and Sam were insistent on getting their old friend (and noted dove) Fulbright at State. At the same time, Vice President Jackson was trying to get a hawk placed at Defense. So Kennedy came with the compromise - Fulbright at State and noted conservative Republican hawk, C. Douglas Dillon, at Defense. At Treasury, he picked Bob McNamara, the leading Whiz Kid who helped rebuild Ford - a man Kennedy respected after a favorable interview and who became his only real friend in the Cabinet (other than Bobby of course). Speaking of which, after being prodded by his dad, JFK made RFK his AG which got heavy pushback (he was confirmed nonetheless). Chester Bowles the liberal pro-civil rights Governor of Connecticut was made UN Ambassador to balance out the Southern and more moderate Fulbright. Stevenson got nothing - which would have infuriated liberals, but Bowles was able to take care of that.
Bowles was forced to resign after offering tentative support for the Bay of Pigs (which he opposed) at the UN and for being humiliated after JFK withheld info on it from him. Stevenson was the obvious replacement for him and served dutifully including an exchange with the Soviets at the UN which would elevate his reputation from partisan quipper to American icon. At Defense, Dillon would lose his influence after JFK went with Mac's plan on the Cuba Crisis instead of Dillon. With Mac gaining influence in the Defense Department and Dillon wanting to go back into finance, they made a swap. McNamara would become SecDef and Dillon would lead Treasury. JFK was all too happy to consent to this.
Supreme Court Appointments -
Entering his Presidency, there was around 5 Liberal Justices v 3 Moderate Justices
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