“Not all Senators would agree—but few would deny that the desire to be re-elected exercises a strong brake on independent courage.”
John F. Kennedy
Profiles in Courage (Primary source)
Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning volume that examines the political bravery of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to uphold their principles. Published while Kennedy was a senator, the book reflects his belief in the importance of moral integrity in public service, even in the face of intense opposition or electoral consequences.
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“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“The idea that Britain loses every battle except the last has proved correct so many times in the past that the average Englishman is unwilling to make great personal sacrifices until the danger is overwhelmingly apparent.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary sourceMore quotes by John F. Kennedy →
“When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself.”
— Benjamin Franklin Primary source“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
— Winston Churchill Disputed“’'Tis easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it.”
— Benjamin Franklin Primary source“We talk of choosing our friends, but friends are self-elected.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson Primary sourcePolitics Independence Courage Election