And im your host, bill kurtis. This is through the decades. John fitzgerald kennedy. The thirty fifth president of the United States. The youngest man to hold the office and a tower figure in American History. His life, his death and the almost mythological shadow he left behind hold a unique place in our collective fascination. In the next hour, we are looking back at the moments, the celebrity and his lasting impact. But we begin with the arena of politics. History tends to cling most fervently to moments of change and despite the divisive politics in this country, its hard to dismiss john f. Kennedy as the faceof change in 1960s america. He was young, charismatic and intoxicatingly charming. All of which bled through on a new Campaign Tool known as television. Let me say first that i accept the nomination of the Democratic Party. Cheers in 1960, the American People had two very different choices for their next president of the United States. Either richard nixon, president eisenhowers Vice President for the last eight years, a mark of 1950s conservatism. We are proud to offer the best eightyear record of any administration in the history of this country. Or there was john f. Kennedy, 43, the youngest person ever nominated for thpresidency. A political greenhorn. But by the time kennedy took the podium inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on july 15, 1960 and accepted the Democratic Partys nomination, it was clear this was a new era. All over the world, particularly in the newer nations, young men are coming to power. Men who are not bound by the traditions of the past. Men who are not blinded by the old fears and hates and rivalries. Young men who can cast off the old slogans and delusions. Those words spoke to change that in 1960 americans could now see. Kennedys presence that night flickered across television screens. He flaunted a veteran command of the cameras that stood before him which broadcast his confidence and his poise. Here at home, the future is equally revolutionary. The new deal and the fair deal were bold measures for their generations but now this is a new generation. For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand at this frontier at a turningpoint of history. That turning point was the dawn of the modern age of mass communication, of space exploration, rock and roll and for the first time, a campaign wasnt bound by the limits of distance. It could stretch into every corner of america. A capacity that kennedy embraced like no one before him. It has been a long road from that first snowy day in New Hampshire to this crowded convention city. Now begins another long journey, taking me into your cities and homes across the United States. Give me your help and your hand and your voice. The American People wouldgive john f. Kennedy all three of those and most importantly they gave him their vote. Four months after accepting the Democratic Partys nomination for president of the United States, kennedy won the election but he didnt just win as a politician. Between those four months of accepting the nomination and winning the election, kennedy transcended the perceptions of a political leader. He became a celebrity. I run against a candidate who reminds me of the symbol of his party, the circus elephant. His head full of ivory. A long memory and no vision and you have seen elephants being led around the circus ring, they grab the tail of the elephant in front of them crowd cheers kennedy yielded a sort of glamour once only associated with movie stars and it wasnt so much that he played to the cameras as it was a simple understanding of televisions potential to extend his name to familiarize america with his face to appeal to the culture of the time. I want to make it very clear, harry, that on this question of equality of opportunity for all americans, whether its in the field of civil rights, better minimum wages, better housing, better working conditions, jobs i stand for these things. Vote for john f. Kennedy for president. Music and singing kennedy, kennedy, kennedy, kennedy, kennedy, kennedy. Kennedy, for me. Kennedy, kennedy, kennedy. Kennedy. Today our concern must be with that future. For the world is changing. The old era is ending. The old ways will not do. When our look at John F Kennedy continues. Well turn our attention to the queen of kennedys camelot as well as the speeches that ring through the years. Even the tribute to jfks legacy that he never got to see. Even the tribute to jfks legacy that he never got to see. We head back to september 2, 1963 when Television History as made with Walter Cronkite anchoring the first ever half hour news program. The first story an interview with president kennedy. Mr. President , the only hot war weve got running at the moment is of course, the one in vietnam and weve got our difficulties there quite obviously. The headline and the story in the New York Times yesterday was rather an interesting one. It said that the administration will try diplomacy in vietnam which id assume we had been trying all along. What can we do in this situation which seems to parallel other famous debacles of dealing with unpopular governments in the past . Well, in the first place, we ought to realize that vietnam has been at war for 25 years and the japanese i remember a good many people who said that two years ago that it wouldnt last six months. A good many newspapers said that. A good many local correspondents said it well the war is still going. In many ways, its going better. That doesnt mean however that the events of the last two months are very onimous. I dont think that unless a greater effort is made by the government to win Popular Support that the war can be won out there. In the final analysis, its their war. Theyre the ones that have to win it or lose it. We can help them. We can give them equipment. We can send our men out there as advisors but they have to win it. The people of vietnam against the communists. Were prepared to continue to assist them but i dont think the war can be won unless the people support the effort and in my opinion in the last two months, the government has gotten out of touch with the people. The repressions against the buddhists we felt were very unwise. Now, all we can do is to make it very clear that we dont think this is the way to win. It is my hope that this will become increasingly obvious to the government and that they will take steps to try to bring back Popular Support for this very essential struggle but these people who say that we ought to withdraw from vietnam are wholly wrong because if we withdrew from vietnam, the communists would control vietnam. Pretty soon, thailand, cambodia, laos, malaya would go and all of Southeast Asia would be under the control of the communists and the domination of the chinese. And india, burma would be the next target. So i think we should stay and we should make it clear as ambassador large is now making it clear that while we want to help, we dont see a successful ending to this war unless the people will support it and the people will not support the effort if the government continues to follow the policy of the past two months. I hope thatll be clear to the government. It should be. After all, theyve been conducting this struggle for ten years and i admire what the president has done. Hes been counted out a number of times. Im hopeful that he will come to see that they have to reestablish their relationship. But we ought to remember that theyre the ones that are dying by the thousands and theyre the ones who have to win this war or theyre the ones who will lose it. We cant do either. We can assist them to win it and we can warn them against losing it but the United States is not the. We dont have troops en masse who are dying by the thousands and we do the best we can to make it clear what policy they should follow but they have to decide. When our look at John F Kennedy continues well relive another Television First that gave the American People an extended look at Jackie Kennedy. I think this house will always grow and should. It just seemed to me such a shame when we came here to find hardly anything of the past in the house. Plus, in the moments after president kennedys death, the first ladys decision that would give us a touching and now classic tribute to his memory mrs. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy had seen the eternal flame in france in paris at the arch de triumph, the eternal flame for the unknown soldier. Dear fellow citizen, spending time hunting treasures with my daughter is wonderful. Because before im even ready, shell be off to college. And though ive planned for it, i may need a loan to help her pay her way there. Just like i do for my son. Citizens bank Student Loans call 18669990150 as a leader in student lending, we have student loan options that others dont. Including better alternatives to federal loans. I can show you how to pay for your own childs way to college. In case you dont find that treasure chest. If you have a question about Student Loans, ask me. Sincerely, Michele Wright fellow mom and fellow citizen. Citizens bank Student Loans call 18669990150 to apply now. When 80million americans got a look inside camelot as Jackie Kennedy lead cbs news correspondent Charles Collingwood on the first ever televised tour of the white house. Mrs. Kennedy. I want to thank you for letting us visit your official home. This is obviously the room from which much of your work on it is directed . Yes. Its attic and sellar all in one. Since our work has started, we receive hundreds of letters every day. This is where we evaluate all the finds and see if we want to keep them if they will fit into our budget. Mrs. Kennedy, every first lady and every Administration Since president madisons time has made changes greater or smaller in the white house. Before we look at the changes that youve made, whats your basic plan . Well, i really dont have one because i think this house will always grow and should. It just seemed to me such a shame when we came here to find hardly anything of the past in the house, hardly anything since 1902. I know when we went to columbia, the president ial palace there has all the history of that country in it where simone bolliva was, every piece of furniture in it had some link with the past i thought the white house should be like that. Now, if youll forgive me, this room looks a little bit like an antique dealers dream. Have you made any good finds lately . Oh we have this chest is rather interesting. As you know, the thing we care about most is something that belonged to a past president. This little chest was left by president van buren to his grandson. It has writing inside it which shows all that and this, as we like to have mainly American Furniture and things, is rather like staff but its american pottery which is very rare, early Nineteenth Century with an eeagle and a shield on it. So, those are two rather nice finds. They are indeed. Well now, weve seen some of the ingriedients for some of the new furnishings in the white house. Could we see a completed room . Yes. The diplomatic Reception Room is right here if youd like to see that . What is the diplomatic Reception Room used for besides receiving diplomats . Well, its the room that people see first when they come to the white house. Everyone who comes to a steak dinner here comes through it and leaves buy it so i think it should be a pretty room. Well, its the way i came in and its a beautiful room. The wallpaper is magnificient. Yes, this is wallpaper that was pnted in france about 1834. Its all scenes of america niagra falls, new york harbor. Well, mrs. Kennedy this is the east room pretty much as americans have known it now for 60 years. Obviously, you havent felt that you had to make any great changes in it . No. I think its lovely. I hate to make changes really so when you find a room like this, its wonderful. This piano brings to mind that this is the part of the white house where you have musical affairs. Thats right. This piano was designed by Franklin Roosevelt with the eagle supports and this is the end of the room where pablo passals played for us, where we had the portable stage built when we had the shakespeare plays. Mrs. Kennedy. This administration has shown a particular affinity for artists, musicians, writers, poets is this because you and your husband just feel this way or do you think there is a relationsship between the government and the arts . Thats so complicated. I dont know. I just think that everything in the white house should be the best the entertainment thats given here and if its an American Company that you can help, i like to do that, if its not, just as long as its the best. Isnt that the famous Gilbert Stewart portrait of George Washington . Thats right. Thats the oldest thing in the white house. The only thing that was here since the very beginning. The government set a rather interesting precedent when that picture was painted. They commissioned the finest living artist of the day to paint the president and then they gave it as a gift to the white house. I often wished they followed that because so many pictures of later president s are by really inferior artists. Mr. President. Mr. Collingwood. Mrs. Kennedy has been showing us about the white house and all the changes that shes made therein, what do you think of the changes that shes made . Well, i think the great effort that shes made has been to bring us much more intimately in contact with all the men whove lived here and after all history is people and particularly in great moments of our history, president s. So when we have as we do today grants table, lincolns bed, monroes gold set all these make these men much more alive so i think it makes the white house a stronger panorama really of our great story. Do you mind living in a house that has as many visitors as this one has . Well, last year, we had the largest in history which i think shows that the white house is becoming more and more important to American People. More than one million three hundred thousand people passed through our home. But id like to see that number double this year and what is particularly interesting is that at least two thirds of them were young boys and girls at school. I have always felt that American History is sometimes an adult subject. Theres so much emphasis on dates but i think if they can come here and see alive this building and in a sense touch the people whove been here then theyll go home more interested and i think theyll be better americans. History can be helpful in understanding the present . Yes. History isnt a guide to the present. In the archives building down pennsylvania avenue there is stone or plaque which says, what is passed is prologue. while it doesnt give us a key to the future, i think it does give us a sense of confidence in the future. This country has passed through very difficult days but it has passed through them and it is rather interesting to realize that were rather an old republic, probably the oldest republic in the world and when we were founded there was a king in france, a czar in russia all thats been wiped away and yet, this country continues and it makes us feel that we will continue in the future and that we represent a long a long effort building on the lives of the men and the efforts of the men that were here and the American People of the past so i consider history to be a source. Our history to be a source of strength to us here in the white house and to all the American People and anything which dramatizes the great story of the United States, as i think the white house does, is wohy of the closest attention and respect by americans who li here and who visit here and who are part of our citzenry and thats why im glad that jackie is making the effort that she is making and i know other first ladies have done it and i know that those who come after us will continue to try to make this the center, really in a sense of american historical life. Thank you mr. President and thank you mrs. Kennedy for showing us this wonderful house in which you live and all of the wonderful things which you are bringing to it. When we continue, well look back at some of the unforgetable speeches president kennedy left to history and the tributes to his legacy including one of the arts grandest homes. Even how the outpouring of grief for the slain president made a piece of money the nations hottest collectible. Made a piece of money the nations hottest collectible. As we look at the legacy of president kennedy, we turn the lens of time back on some of his most memorable speeches beginning with his inauguration on january 20. In the long history of the world, only 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. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow americans, ask not what your country can do for you;