Elena Chang: JFK's Presidential Priorities

Upon listening to recordings of several phone calls between President John F. Kennedy and the Governor of Mississippi, Ross Barnett, President John F. Kennedy's priorities seemed clear.  I have established that his first priority as a President is to ensure that the people of his country are safe even throughout times of scandal and complete disregard for the law.  His first priority of the people became apparent when he called Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett to order that law enforcement use their best abilities to control the riots that resulted from the current controversial civil rights case in the interest of James Meredith, a student that was not admitted into the University of Mississippi because of racial discrimination.  However, John F. Kennedy tended to stress the concern of abiding by the constitution and law while trying to figure out what the best way to control the Mississippi riots and trying to minimize the amount of casualties. In my opinion, John F. Kennedy was an honest leader, most concerned with the needs of his people above all.