Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.

This article is about the politician, Joseph Kennedy, Sr.; For the baseball player, see Joe Kennedy.

Public service

Joseph's first active involvement in a national political campaign occurred during Franklin D. Roosevelt's bid for the Presidency. He donated, loaned, and raised a substantial amount of money for FDR's presidential campaign. President Roosevelt rewarded him, with an appointment as the inaugural Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Some attribute a quote to the then President that he had "set a thief to catch a thief."

Related Topics:
Franklin D. Roosevelt - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

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Even Joseph's critics acknowledge the reforming work he performed as SEC Chairman. His knowledge of the financial markets equipped him to identify areas requiring the attention of regulators. One of the crucial reforms was the requirement for companies to regularly lodge financial statements with the SEC which broke what some saw as an information monopoly maintained by the Morgan banking family. After serving in this post for several years, he resigned in 1935. President Roosevelt then asked him to chair the Maritime Commission.

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During the Spanish Civil War Kennedy's helped persuade President Roosevelt to stay out of the conflict arguing that the American Catholic community sympathized with the forces of Francisco Franco. Kennedy's opponents claim he circulated fabricated charges of atrocities against the Church in Spain on the part of the Spanish loyalists.

Related Topics:
Spanish Civil War - Francisco Franco

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Appeasement

In 1938, he was appointed as the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James's (United Kingdom). Kennedy, of Irish descent, had little concern for the British, sympathized somewhat with the America Firsters led by Colonel Charles Lindbergh and others who wanted no war with Hitler, supported a policy of United States isolationism, and had no problem with Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement. He resigned from office in 1940 as he disagreed with Roosevelt's determination to involve the USA in the Second World War.

Related Topics:
1938 - United States Ambassador - Court of St. James's - United Kingdom - Irish - America First - Charles Lindbergh - United States isolationism - Neville Chamberlain - Appeasement - 1940 - Second World War

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Joe Jr., newly appointed ambassador Joseph Kennedy, and future president John F. Kennedy in 1937, on their way to Great Britain ()

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While his own ambitions for the White House seemed impossible to realize, due in part to Roosevelt's great success and Kennedy's frequent unpopular positions in international policy, he held out great hope for his eldest son Joseph Jr. to gain the presidency. However, Joe Jr. was killed whilst on active service in the United States Army Air Corps during a highly risky bombing raid over Germany. Joseph then turned his attention to grooming his next-eldest son, John F. Kennedy for the presidency, which he ultimately won in the 1960 elections.

Related Topics:
Joseph Jr. - John F. Kennedy - Presidency - 1960 elections

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Kennedy - by then a somewhat controversial figure - stayed in the background of his son's Presidential bid, although he and his staff are believed to have played a vital role in the Democratic primaries, particularly in West Virginia, where some allege Kennedy money helped sway the result away from Hubert Humphrey.

Related Topics:
West Virginia - Hubert Humphrey

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