John F. Kennedy photo

Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy Outside of Coliseum, New York, NY

November 05, 1960

Senator KENNEDY. Thank you. Senator Johnson, Mrs. Johnson - I want you to meet Senator Johnson's daughters who came up here tonight. First, Lynda Johnson, his oldest daughter, and this is Lucy Johnson [applause] and this is Mrs. Johnson. [Applause.] And my name is Kennedy, and I come here tonight and ask your help in this campaign. [Applause.] The fact of the matter is the Republicans are home in bed and we are standing out here in the rain. But the sun is going to shine on us next Tuesday. [Applause.]

I am proud that Lyndon Johnson has come across the States from Texas, to be here tonight, and he is going to leave here tonight and go back to Texas and tell them that New York is going to go Democratic. [Applause.]

And I am going to leave here tonight and speak at 1 in the morning, in Waterbury, Conn., and tell them the same thing. [Applause.] I am going to tell them that New York City, New York State, and the United States are going Democratic on Tuesday. [Applause.] And it is a source of pride to both of us that we are able to come into New York without escort. [Applause.]

I understand that Tom Dewey has just joined Dick Nixon out on the coast to give him some last minute strategy on how to win this election. [Response from the audience.]

You have seen these elephants in the circus. [Laughter.] They have their heads of ivory, thick skins, no vision, long memory, and when they moved around that ring in the circus, they grab the tail of the elephant in front of them. [Applause] Well, Dick grabbed that tail in 1952 and 1956, but in 1960 he is running, not the President - he is running, and I believe on Tuesday, November 8, and it is nice that it is coming to an end, I believe that on Tuesday, November 8, New York State will go Democratic and so will the country, and we come here today and ask your help. [Applause.]

I stand tonight where Woodrow Wilson stood and Franklin Roosevelt stood and Harry Truman stood. [Applause.] Dick Nixon stands where McKinley stood and Taft - listen to these candidates - Harding [response from the audience], Coolidge [response from the audience], Landon [response from the audience], Dewey [response from the audience]. Where do they get those candidates? [Laughter.]

The fact of the matter is the Republican Party has opposed progress since they drove Theodore Roosevelt out of the party, and I believe on November 8, 1960, the people of the United States will make a careful judgment of what this country needs, and will pick progress and the Democratic ticket. Thank you. [Applause.]

John F. Kennedy, Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy Outside of Coliseum, New York, NY Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/274450

Simple Search of Our Archives