John F. Kennedy Quotes

Whether I serve one or two terms in the Presidency, I will find myself at the end of that period at what might be called the awkward age-too old to begin a new career and too young to write my memoirs.

Above all, we are coming to understand that the arts incarnate the creativity of a free people.

A rising tide (in the economy) lifts all boats.

I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, human liberty as the source of national action, the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas

It is with great satisfaction that I have signed into law the Social Security Amendments of 1961. They represent an additional step toward eliminating many of the hardships resulting from old age, disability, or the death of the family wage-earner. A nation's strength lies in the well-being of its people. The Social Security program plays an important part in providing for families, children, and older persons in time of stress, but it cannot remain static. Changes in our population, in our working habits, and in our standard of living require constant revision.

Our goal is not victory of might but the vindication of right - not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere and, we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved.

In America there must be only citizens, not divided by grade, first and second, but citizens, east, west, north, and south.

My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on.

I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it.

This country cannot afford to be materially rich and spiritually poor.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Fail miserably, achieve greatly!

We shall pay any price, bear any burden, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

The Greeks understood that mind and body must develop in harmounious proportions to produce a creative intelligence.

For plague and pestilence, plunder and pollution, the hazards of nature and the hunger of children are the foes of every nation. The earth, the sea and the air are the concern of every nation.

To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all.

History will never accept difficulties as an excuse.

We are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence — on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day

There is no city in the United States in which I can get a warmer welcome and fewer votes than Columbia, Ohio.

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it.

To exclude from positions of trust and command all those below the age of 44 would have kept Jefferson from writing the Declaration of Independence, Washington from commanding the Continental Army, Madison from fathering the Constitution, Hamilton from serving as secretary of the treasury, Clay from being elected speaker of the House and Christopher Columbus from discovering America.

This nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened ... It ought to to be possible, in short, for every American to enjoy the privileges of being American without regard to his race or his color.

Anyone who is honestly seeking a job and can't find it, deserves the attention of the United States government, and the people.

Our children and grandchildren are not merely statistics towards which we can be indifferent.

I know there is a God - I see the storm coming and I see his hand in it - if he has a place then I am ready - we see the hand.

If men and women are in chains anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere.

Just as I went into politics because Joe died, if anything happened to me tomorrow, my brother Bobby would run for my seat in the Senate. And if Bobby died, Teddy would take over for him.

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace.

If by a "Liberal," they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties - someone who believes that we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say that I'm a "Liberal."

Nearly forty years ago, a distinguished Prime Minister of this country ... said, 'They may not be angels but they are at least our friends.'* I must say that I do not think that we probably demonstrated in that forty years that we are angels yet, but I hope we have demonstrated that we are at least friends.

There's an old saying. Never send a boy to do a man's job, send a lady.

Philanthropy, charity, giving voluntarily and freely... call it what you like, but it is truly a jewel of an American tradition.

Someone always needs rescuing, yet there's only one person who ever seems to understand you. It's a lot like being Lassie.

I do not say that all men are equal in their ability, character and motivation. I do say that every American should be given a fair chance to develop all the talents they may have.

We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.

Our responsibility is one of decision, for to govern is to choose.

There is nothing, I think, more unfortunate than to have soft, chubby, fat-looking children who go to watch their school play basketball every Saturday and regard that as their weeks exercise.

Courage--judgment--integrity--dedication--these are the historic qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay State....And these are the qualities which, with God's help, this son of Massachusetts hopes will characterize our government's conduct in the four stormy years that lie ahead.

A nation can be no stronger abroad than she is at home. Only an America which practices what it preaches about equal rights and social justice will be respected by those whose choice affects our future.

I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.

The weapons of war must be abolished before they abolish us.

At the start of 2005 the idea of downloading a song to a mobile phone was an idea, by the end of the year it was a reality.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.

The rising tide lifts all the boats.

The great revolution in the history of man, past, present and future, is the revolution of those determined to be free.

A boy spends his time finding a girl to sleep with. A real man spends his time looking for the one worth waking up to.

Those [presidents] who were strongest intellectually were also strongest spiritually.

What church I go to on Sunday, what dogma of the Catholic Church I believe in, is my business; and whatever faith any other American has is his business.