Controversial American talk show host Chris Matthews has just published a shocking fact about President JFK’s heartfelt, famous inaugural address --- he stole it.
According to Matthews’ book, “Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero,” the speech, which was the 4th shortest in history at just 14 minutes, was taken from his headmaster George St John at the Choate School in Connecticut, which he attended as a boy in the 1930s.
The speech has long been credited to Kennedy’s official speechwriter, Theodore C Sorensen. This was the most famous of all of Sorensen’s speeches, yet Sorsensen would never take sole credit for the work; he always claimed that the speeches were a joint effort between him and the president, according to the Daily Mail. While writing his speeches, Sorensen has said (he died last year) that he “drew inspiration for the speech from the Bible, from Abraham Lincoln - and from the rousing wartime speeches of British prime minister Winston Churchill.”
_____________
READ MORE:
In JFK's ancestral Irish home the memories still linger as Coca Cola's Don Keough retraces his ancestor's path
Did JFK predict his son John Kennedy’s death - crashing into the Atlantic
Tapes reveal Jackie and John F Kennedy’s mutual love for each other – AUDIO
_____________
Matthews himself has a great deal of experience in the speech-writing field, as he was a speechwriter for Jimmy Carter and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill.
Yet in his text, Matthews presents an impressive argument as to why he believes Kennedy’s speech was stolen from his headmaster. He presents two pieces of evidence to support his hypothesis: the headmaster’s typed speech notes, and questionnaires completed by JFK’s schoolmates at the time.
In St. John’s notes, Matthews discovered that he had quoted an old Harvard Dean as saying, 'As has often been said, the youth who loves his Alma Mater will always ask, not "What can she do for me?" but "What can I do for her?", drawing an obvious connection to the most famous part of Kennedy’s speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Likewise, in a questionnaire completed by one of Kennedy’s schoolmates, the ex-student wrote, “I boil every time I read or hear the "Ask not.... etc" exhortation as being original with Jack. Time and time again we all heard the headmaster say that to the whole Choate family.”
The controversial book also reveals how Kennedy’s team demanded that neither Kennedy nor Nixon wear makeup during a debate; Kennedy, however, did wear makeup, and many viewers at home were disgusted with Nixon’s profuse sweating, a reason that is said to have contributed to less people voting for him.
President John F Kennedy's famous inauguration speech:
30 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.pattbaa | Feb 13, 2012, 05:22 PM EST
What would be risible if it were not so perverse was Theodore Sorenson being one of Kennedy's closest confidants during the Bay of Pigs ,the real possiblity of war over Berlin and Cuba ,and the "start" of a war in Viet Nam , all ocurring during the Kennedy Presidency. President Carter selected Sorenson to be CIA Director but that soon proved to be a very absurd and embarrasing choice; Sorenson was very much a self-proclaimed pacifist who believed war was "evil" ; during WW2, a war fought by millions of Americans, Sorenson registered with the Selective Service as a Conscientious Objector , a refusal , based on moral grounds , to bear arms or serve in the military. Thus Sorenson was exempt from such service. And this is the man who composed Kennedy's bellicose speechs. Lackey Sorenson reached a new low composing Edward Kennedy's Chappaquidick "explanation" which engendered howls of derision and outrage.
kaydog1 | Nov 03, 2011, 07:22 PM EDT
Chris Matthews is most famous for saying (as an "impartial" MSNBC 'reporter') that he "felt this thrill going up my leg" when he saw candidate Barack Obama speak. I guess he gets no similar thrill re: Jack Kennedy, probably because Democrats then weren't the same as today's crop of USA-hating Progressive Democrats. Kennedy actually risked his life for his country in battle. As the article above makes clear, however, Kennedy shared speechwriting credit with official speechwriter Theodore Sorensen, who in turn credited inspiration from the Bible, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill. Matthews, though, (who, in an interview with Jeff Bercovici referenced himself as "some lightweight, glib bullshit artist who has somebody do his work for him") has a book to sell, and I gather sales are going poorly, to say the least. Maybe he could get Obama to order the State Dept to purchase copies of his book the way they purchased $70,000 dollars worth of Obama's books - THAT'S how you stay a "popular author."
littleredhuddin | Nov 03, 2011, 05:18 PM EDT
I liked the speech - no matter who wrote it..it was delivered with great feeling and heart and the listeners appeared to like it and enjoy it also-
JOLIEJO | Nov 03, 2011, 04:56 PM EDT
Aren’t all political speeches recycled? In fact, about everything there is to say has been said by someone at one time or other. We were taught in college that it isn’t plagiarism it you reword it and put it in your own words so I’m sure that Cesar didn’t mind him presenting the same idea. In other words who cares.
Josh.Rosen | Nov 03, 2011, 11:43 AM EDT
Most people know that the "Ask Not" portion of President Kennedy's inaugural speech was "recycled". Variations expressing the same exact thought go all the way back to Cicero, and have been borrowed by Kahlil Gibran and Warren Harding, among others. Ted Sorenson wrote the exact variation in President Kennedy's speech, but he has always deflected praise and insisted that President Kennedy worked on the speech, too. (Class act, Sorenson.) A lot of people want to give President Kennedy credit for the entire thing, just out of respect for a fallen President. But just about everybody...who doesn't have an ax to grind...knows that the thought was not original. And that's certainly not "plagiarism", I don't think. Politicians have always borrowed ideas and rephrased them slightly.
jb66ss396 | Nov 03, 2011, 10:00 AM EDT
Many years ago I used to watch Chris Mathews but he turned too far to the left on MSNBC and I don't trust him anymore. Like someone previously said, he's got a book to sell.
warlocks | Nov 03, 2011, 01:31 AM EDT
Well let the truth be known. Julius Caesar Made the Origional Speech Before the Roman Senate in 44 BCE He said . Friends Romans & country Men lend my your ears ! ASK Not what Rome can do for you. But what you are expected do for Rome . Two Months after that speech he was Murdered in March 15th on the floor of the Roman Senate. I read that cicero copied that origional speech . He took it in part from a Greek by the name of Plato.
Billyp79 | Nov 03, 2011, 01:22 AM EDT
I always thought he stole it from me. At the National Council of Catholic Youth convention in 1957, I stated in my farewell speech as President, "don't ask what the Catholic Church can do for you, ask what you can do for the Catholic Church". Easy enough to rephrase.
Billyp79 | Nov 03, 2011, 01:19 AM EDT
Forgot the year, it was 1957
Billyp79 | Nov 03, 2011, 01:17 AM EDT
I have always thought he stole it from me. At the convention of the National Council of Catholic Youth I stated in my farewell speech as President "don't ask what the Catholic Church can do for you, ask what you can do for the Catholic Church". Easy enough to rephrase.
Murph46 | Nov 02, 2011, 09:36 PM EDT
And his brother killed Mary Jo
joanxis | Nov 02, 2011, 07:03 PM EDT
I heard about the origins of the Ask not speech long before Chris Matthews put it in his book. So what if he did remember the statement from his teacher. He obviously liked the quote and used it to promote a pretty good idea. I can't wait to read Chris Matthew's book.
jamthecat | Nov 02, 2011, 06:26 PM EDT
Who cares where the speech came from? Unless it's solely to denigrate the Kennedys. As for Chris Matthews, he lost all credibility years ago, so why pay attention to him?
Slainte50 | Nov 02, 2011, 02:18 PM EDT
I'm no lover of the Kennedy clan and the fact that it is often overlooked by the love bestowed upon them, that it was their criminal enterprises that made them America's monarch, but I will give credit where credit is due. JFK was a very intelligent and young, fresh face that was inspirational to a nation in need of just that. But I find it odd that now, only 51 years later, those students who attended the CHOATE school can come forward admitting that they seethe at the thought of Kennedy making that famous speech. Sounds fugazzi to me...
dermotfastnet | Nov 02, 2011, 01:29 PM EDT
"Hear Hear" Pittsburghkid well said in response to previous drivel
LeahTxUSA | Nov 02, 2011, 01:24 PM EDT
Mathews is a liberal hack incapable of original thought. Kennedy's quote was most probably from the poet Kahlil Gibran who used similar words when speaking about his homeland of Lebanon. Mathew's & his follower are kool-aid drinkers.
Pittsburghkid | Nov 02, 2011, 12:26 PM EDT
This is lame. Although, Kennedy may not even remember the teachers speach at the time. You have to remember that this was a high school teacher. Kennedy may not have remember the exact words, or who said them, but instead the concept stuck in his mind. From this concept, Kennedy formed his great "ask not what...". Nothing is orginal, we all copy and modify from the past.
SeamusMor | Nov 02, 2011, 11:31 AM EDT
President Kennedy did not use the same words, so saying he stole them is bullshit. The principal expressed on behalf of Harvard applied equally to the nation as a whole, hence it was entirely appropriate to state it as he did.
cillowen | Nov 02, 2011, 11:28 AM EDT
matthews wants to sell his book - basic stuff - the maggots that feed on the carcass know no political stripe. The president whom places a plenty were named/renamed in his honor - not too shabby, I'd say.
Brolaur | Nov 02, 2011, 11:13 AM EDT
I agree with "Etighe". It just proves he was a diligent and thinking student. Every word spoken today has been spoken before. It was his ability to recall and to use so well. God bless you "Jack". We wish you were around today. "Ask not what your Country can do ETC". Wow!
maryo137 | Nov 02, 2011, 10:39 AM EDT
I wouldn't read anything by Chris Matthews. Jackie Kennedy and her children are the only Kennedy's I admire. I don't see why this should even be a headline; Who cares?.
brennanirish | Nov 02, 2011, 10:37 AM EDT
The "irishman speaks'...half truths. Typical of the irish in general. The irish really do hate their own more than anyone else, its true. "Irishman" Google the armed forces withdrawal order President Kennedy signed shortly before his 1963 death. Christmas 1964 the remaining advisors were to be pulled out. 100 deaths occurred during Kennedys foray into Vietnam that began under Truman....out of 58k deaths. Another phony irish hater on this website...If your presience extends to the stock market, how about sharing some sure bets?
etighe1130 | Nov 02, 2011, 10:19 AM EDT
I don't think it's stealing...he just borrowed a good line. If the entire speech was stolen that would be another thing...
Blackthorn62 | Nov 02, 2011, 10:05 AM EDT
I'm not surprized. His whole life was subterfuge. His portrait never hung in our home.
IrishmanSpeaks | Nov 02, 2011, 10:03 AM EDT
Not news. Matthews and others have previously made that fairly tenuous connection to St. John and other sources for his "Ask Not" phrase. But that's not surprising. Politicians and speech writers regurgitate all the time. FDR's "nothing to fear but fear itself," was not a new concept. Kennedy's bigger "steal" was probably Profiles in Courage, much of which was almost certainly penned by his loyal aide Ted Sorenson. A good argument can be made that Kennedy was a great president for his short time in office. However, had he not been assassinated, he almost certainly would have intervened in Vietnam just as Johnson did, suffered rampant inflation and his philandering would almost certainly have been exposed by a media that was beginning to find its teeth. The man's legacy would have been totally different.
colkelley | Nov 02, 2011, 09:47 AM EDT
Everyone here if forgetting that although JFK plagiarized his most famous speech that is automatically forgiven because he was a Democrat. Any wrongdoing by any Democrat is automatically given a "pass" - Mary Jo Kopechne killed by Teddy Kennedy; and Bill Clinton's enjoying a good cigar and oral sex from someone young enough to be his daughter. Dems can do no wrong.
donal1951 | Nov 02, 2011, 09:40 AM EDT
Joe Biden allegedly stole almost an entire speech from a leader of the British Labour Party back when Biden was running against Mike Dukakis for the Democratic nomination. They always get caught.
Jimsteer | Nov 02, 2011, 09:38 AM EDT
What a load of small-minded, begrudging crap
torbreezy | Nov 02, 2011, 09:30 AM EDT
Check some of the quotes from George Bernard Shaw, why don't you?
DLW12183 | Nov 02, 2011, 09:15 AM EDT
He was a politician from a very influential political family-does this really surprise you?