Monday Memories - Elections

Written by Mom

Who is the first president that you have memories of?
The first president I have memories of was John F. Kennedy. I think it was 1st grade, but I'm not sure. The teacher had a big picture of him on the bulletin board with some kind of red white and blue decorations. She was very excited because he was going to be our "new" president. I thought he was very handsome and she made him sound so wonderful and very important.

What is the first election that you have memories of?
When Barry Goldwater was running for president, your grandfather really wanted him to win. It was the first presidential election I remember him watching the news and following the campaign.

How old were you when you registered to vote and what made you register?
I registered the first year I was old enough to vote. I was very excited at the time because Richard Nixon was president and there were quite a few things he did that led me to believe he was doing a great job as president. Ending the Vietnam war and visiting China stands out the most. I was excited about being able to vote. Most of the people I knew were for Nixon. I was very disillusioned when I found out about Watergate and his involvement.

Did you have a political party affiliation or did you vote like your parents?
I did not have a political affiliation. I did not feel that parties were a deciding factor in who would make a good candidate. It was more important what the individual candidate represented.

What do you remember about your first time voting? Other than what I said about Nixon earlier, I don't remember much about voting the first time.

Do you have any strong memories of voting after that first time?
I have not been very politically active. I vote sometimes but not always. I voted against Jimmy Carter because I did not think he would be a good president, but he turned out to be pretty good after all. He has continued to go great things since leaving office.

I feel some of the great presidents history has given us are of course George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy has been my favorite president and the president I remember the most about during my lifetime He was strong during the Cuban missal crisis, made our space program what it is today and was a strong supporter of Civil Rights and desegregation. I feel these were all important historical events that have shaped our nation. I was very young when Kennedy was assassinated. I remember the funeral procession was on TV for what seemed like all day long because it seemed like Daddy watched it all day. It was a very sad occasion. I feel there was a lot more Kennedy would have done for our country.