Wednesday, November 22, 2006

That Was The President

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." --John F. Kennedy



43 years ago today, The President of the United States was assasinated.

That Was the President, that Was the Man
(Phil Ochs)

The bullets of the false revenge have struck us once again,
As the angry seas have struck upon the sand,
And it seems as though a friendless world has lost itself a friend,
That was the president, and that was the man.

I still can see him smiling there and waving to the crowd,
As he drove through the music of the band,
And never even knowing no more time would be allowed,
Not for the president, and not for the man.

Here's a memory to share, here's a memory to save,
Of the sudden early ending of command,
Yet a part of you, a part of me is buried in his grave,
That was the president, and that was the man.

Everything he might've done and all he could've been,
Was proven by the troubled traitor's hand,
For what other death could wound the hearts of so many men,
That was the president, and that was the man.

The glory that was Lincoln's never died when he was slain,
It's been carried over time and time again,
And to the list of honor you may list another name,
That was the president, and that was the man.

6 comments:

The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth said...

Thank you Mark for a very fitting tribute.

Lone Ranger said...

The ironic thing is, if Kennedy were a young politician today, the Democrats would spurn him. He was the last reasonably competent Democrat to occupy the White House.

Poison Pero said...

Very nice tribute, Mark.

One thing, though. Next to that JFK quote ("Ask not") you should put the original author's name as well: Marcus Tullius Cicero (Roman, 106-43 BC).

Erudite Redneck said...

This is a joke!

"He was the last reasonably competent Democrat to occupy the White House."

Bubba was a ho'dog. But he was, and is, brilliant. I dare say his intellect, and his empathy for the underdog and the middledog, combined best every other president. Even the king: FDR.

Lone Ranger said...

He would not have been in Dallas if his presidency weren't in trouble. He got into office with the dead vote in Chicago and the black vote. And then he proceeded to ignore every promise he'd made to blacks. Not a single piece of civil rights legislation was passed during his adminstration.

Erudite Redneck said...

Yes, well, LR. And Reagan was a happy airhead. Whattaya gonna do?