Analysis: Televised Interview with President Kennedy
The televised interview with President John F. Kennedy, conducted by prominent NBC news anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley in September 1963, serves as a significant moment in American political communication. This interview occurred at a time when television had established itself as a crucial medium for political discourse, allowing Kennedy, who had already utilized the platform effectively during his presidency, to connect directly with the American public. During the interview, Kennedy addressed pressing issues, with a significant focus on the situation in Vietnam, reflecting both ongoing U.S. involvement and emerging concerns regarding the South Vietnamese government led by President Ngo Dinh Diem.
Kennedy expressed a duality in his approach: while he voiced support for anti-communist efforts, he also acknowledged the domestic issues facing Vietnam, particularly the Buddhist protests against Diem's regime. This balancing act highlighted the complexities of U.S. foreign policy as the administration grappled with the realities of supporting a government it had reservations about. Importantly, Kennedy's responses hinted at deeper tensions and foreshadowed future developments in Vietnam, as he suggested the need for a nuanced approach to American influence in the region.
The interview not only showcased Kennedy's commitment to maintaining public support but also indicated the shifting dynamics in Vietnam that would soon escalate into a more central national concern. Overall, the exchange captured a pivotal moment in the interplay between media, politics, and public sentiment, with implications that resonated far beyond the immediate context of the interview.
Analysis: Televised Interview with President Kennedy
Date: September 9, 1963
Author(s): John F. Kennedy, Chet Huntley, and David Brinkley
Genre: interview; transcript
Summary Overview
There are times when it is hard to pin down presidents as to what their thoughts are regarding certain issues or situations. A news conference, or televised interview, is one way to get the president on record. The TV co-anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley wanted the president to address the issues of the day on their news program. At the same time, Kennedy wanted to present an image of a president who was in control of major events and in tune with what the American people desired.
While the interview covered more than just the events in Vietnam, what was happening in that country formed a significant portion of the dialogue. Although Kennedy stated that the anti-communist operations were proving successful, he acknowledged that there were other South Vietnamese domestic concerns that were also concerns for the United States. In retrospect, what Kennedy had to say about these issues foreshadowed what came to pass within a few months.
Defining Moment
Television had helped Kennedy win the presidency, and he used it to communicate his thoughts not only to American, but also to foreign leaders. Thus, in September 1963, he allowed the anchors of evening news broadcasts to interview him. Having conducted one with CBS, this second one was with NBC news co-anchors, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. At that time, the two hosted the top-rated evening news program, which meant that any interview they conducted was guaranteed to have a large audience.
Having been in office for more than two and a half years, Kennedy had been dealing with Vietnam since day one. The increase in military advisors and economic aid had been a consistent part of his foreign policy. For over a year, there had been some in the administration who had questioned American policy, especially as it related to supporting the South Vietnamese government headed by President Ngo Dinh Diem. In private conversations earlier in the year, Kennedy himself had expressed such concerns. Only a month earlier, Kennedy had replaced the American ambassador to South Vietnam, Frederick Nolting, a strong supporter of Diem, with Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., a skeptic regarding Diem's government. In addition, rumors were circulating of the CIA pushing some South Vietnamese generals to undertake a coup, adding uncertainty to the situation.
With those events in the background, President Kennedy sat down with Huntley and Brinkley to answer questions regarding current programs and proposals of his administration. His obvious hope was to strengthen support for his administration from the American populace and from members of Congress. As regards the questions related to South Vietnam, Kennedy made it clear that he had concerns about the South Vietnamese government, without overtly withdrawing his support for it. The fact, however, that he mentions some of these concerns makes it clear that they were more serious than he wanted to let on. His refusal to answer a question about the CIA should have been expected, although that was the question that probably needed answering the most.
Author Biography
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963) was born into a wealthy family in Boston. His parents pushed all their children to succeed. He graduated from Harvard, having written his senior thesis—published in 1940—on the topic of why Britain was unprepared for World War II. He served as a naval officer World War II, winning medals for courage. In 1946, he was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1952, he was elected to the US Senate. The following year, he married Jacqueline Bouvier. He was elected president in 1960, the first Catholic to hold that position. His foreign policy was staunchly anti-communist, while domestically, he pushed for equality and an increase in emphasis upon the space program. Kennedy was assassinated on November 21, 1963. Since he was president for a relatively short period, a number of his programs and ideas had not yet been implemented. Nevertheless, his youthful image and enthusiasm inspired many throughout the country.
Chester “Chet” Huntley (1911–1974) was a journalist from Montana who worked his way up on radio and television. His big break came when he co-anchored the 1956 national political convention coverage. In 1956, he became co-anchor, with David Brinkley, of the NBC evening news until his retirement in 1970.
David Brinkley (1920–2003) was born in North Carolina and began his journalism career while still in high school. In 1943, he moved to Washington and became the NBC White House correspondent. Co-anchoring the evening news with Huntley, Brinkley then continued with NBC after Huntley's retirement. In 1981, he moved to ABC and initiated a new Sunday morning news format, staying with that network until his retirement in 1997.
Document Analysis
By the time President Kennedy came into office, television had truly become a national media. He used it extensively, including being the first chief executive to have his press conferences broadcast live. Kennedy held sixty-four press conferences in his thirty-four months in office, with additional interviews, as in the case of this one, also taking place. The relationship between Kennedy and the news media was less adversarial than has been the case for presidents in recent years. The status of events in South Vietnam was of interest to the nation. One item emerging from the interview is how the United States can support a government with which it has major disagreements. The other principal concern is the ongoing struggle with communism. The anti-communist tone of Kennedy's responses is in line with his political orientation throughout his life. Whether or not he was as optimistic as his responses indicate, Kennedy did try to assure the American public that the communist push for expansion was being thwarted. His counsel is for patience, as American interests would ultimately prevail.
In the midst of questions on civil rights, the test ban treaty, the upcoming United Nations session and a tax cut, Huntley and Brinkley raise the issue of Vietnam. The videos available from this interview show a friendly atmosphere, but that does not mean that the newsmen do not want to get the scoop on other reporters. Unlike four years later, when Vietnam became a central issue for all of America, it is still an emerging concern in 1963. When asked by Huntley, Kennedy does acknowledge that the United States sometimes gets “locked into a policy” even when change might be needed. As part of the response to that question, Kennedy raises the issue of the Buddhist protests against the Diem regime. (Diem had focused on the needs of the Catholic Vietnamese rather than the Buddhist majority.) While, to a certain extent, Kennedy tries to reduce the importance of the protests by stating that they were in “the Saigon area,” in reality, this is an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the situation. Anti-government protests normally occurred outside the capital, which was always under tight security. The Buddhist protests had started in Hue in May and, by September, were spreading widely throughout the country. Kennedy's reference to the Saigon demonstrations is an indirect indication that the policy of supporting Diem might be moving toward a conclusion.
Several of the questions deal with what steps might be taken to pressure the Diem government into changing its policy toward South Vietnamese Buddhists. This had moved to the front pages of the American media in 1963 because, in an act of ultimate protest, a Buddhist monk had set himself on fire in Saigon that June. While not directly addressing the specifics of the Buddhist protests or their cause, Kennedy asserts that the United States “should use our influence in as effective a way as we can” regarding these and other issues. He also acknowledges that the United States should not “expect these countries to do everything the way we want.” Related, yet not acknowledged in this interview, is the question about CIA activity. Kennedy refuses to say anything about it, although the question is raised because of rumors that the CIA was trying to instigate a coup. Declassified documents show that the CIA had indeed discussed a coup with some Vietnamese generals, but had not necessarily instigated the conversations.
Bibliography and Additional Reading
Chomsky, Noam. Rethinking Camelot: JFK, the Vietnam War, and US Political Culture. Cambridge: South End Press, 1993. Print.
Freedman, Lawrence. Kennedy's Wars: Berlin, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002. Print.
Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House. 1965. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002. Print.
Sorenson, Theodore C. Kennedy. New York: Harper & Row, 1965. Print.