Kerry to speak at the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address at noon

[karynnj]

Caroline Kennedy and other Senate and House members (unnamed) will speak.

Read more: http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110120/NEWS/110129986/1116#ixzz1Ban3WuAr

CPAN.org will be covering it (but apparently none of the TV CSPANs) - here's the CSPAN link - http://www.c-span.org/Events/50th-Anniversary-of-JFKs-Inauguration/10737419025/

[karynnj]

1. Harry Reid is speaking first

Reid came to DC as a law student that year - mentioned seeing Caroline's pony at the White House. He mentioned that Boehner, Pelosi and Chu will speak. Reid formed the young Democrats' club at the University of Utah to work for JFK. He got a letter from JFK.

[Democrafty]

2. Just saw

his head towering over everybody else's :)

[karynnj]

3. He's speaking now (John Lewis just gave a great speech.)

Kerry said his first speech was as a 17 year old at morning assembly endorsing Kennedy - and Nixon won by a landslide at his Republican by birthright campus, where there was no need for a recount. Now speaking of the inaugural address that called people to service.

Fantastic speech. I wish this were President Kerry.

Now - "This land is Your land" is being sung.

Pelosi speaks of being there along with her brother and her father, mayor of Baltimore. She was a young student at Trinity and excited that there would be a Catholic President.

I don't know who is speaking now, but she is very good.

Harry Reid now speaking of the space program - Buzz Aldrin is there.

Boehner is speaking - thankfully short.

Now VP Biden. He spoke of Shriver and more subdued than I've ever heard him. He speaks of being an Irish Catholic kid who never met JFK - huge amount of pride.

[karynnj]

4. Caroline Kennedy now

She said that Lewis and Kerry came up with the idea of doing this. She first spoke of Shriver. Then thanked others in the family.

[Democrafty]

5. I noticed that!

I hope we can find out more about the planning of the event. It was all really lovely. (But I have to admit, I started cracking up when they played "Stars and Stripes Forever.")

[karynnj]

6. You were not the only one to react that way to Stars and Stripes forever

I think I may never hear it again without seeing a very tall "conductor" having a completely wonderful time. (The main photo on Johnkerry.com ! ) This was an inspiring event and an interesting one - even Boehner was not annoying (just kind of boring, but I give him credit for being there.)

John Lewis' speech was wonderful. I loved the image of Pelosi being at the inaugural as a college student daughter of a mayor and of Kerry watching it on a small black and white tv. Pelosi spoke of Dingell being there as he was a member of Congress, but questioning if anyone else was. (Though JFK's surviving sister would definitely have been one.)

[karynnj]

7. A MA paper has the text of Kerry's speech

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x1254720376/Kerry-speaks-on-50th-anniversary-of-President-Kennedy-s-inaugural-address

Nice to have and nice it was covered.