WI: Joseph Kennedy is crippled instead of killed

Out of the four Kennedy brothers, it's a known fact that Joseph, the oldest, was the one that was originally being groomed by their father to run for president one day - a plan that ended when Joe was killed in action in World War II.

But what if he wasn't? What if he survived, but was injured badly enough that he needed a wheelchair for the rest of his life? Would Papa Kennedy's plan still be able to go forward, given that FDR also had mobility issues yet managed to run for four terms, or would the increasing prevalence of cameras and television in the late 1950s/early 1960s allow Joe's political opponents to paint him as too weak to hold office?
 
From what I know of Joe Sr., I don't think he'd just give up his plans as long as Joe Jr. was still alive. He probably would have played up the "veteran living with his war injuries with pride" angle.
 
From what I know of Joe Sr., I don't think he'd just give up his plans as long as Joe Jr. was still alive. He probably would have played up the "veteran living with his war injuries with pride" angle.

Even with increasing media exposure, he'd more than likely play up the sympathy angle. Maybe something like "his legs may not work but his mind, heart and spirit are perfectly fine."
 
Thing with Joe was he seemed to be more conservative then his brothers and less caring for the little people.
 
. . . allow Joe's political opponents to paint him as too weak to hold office?
It's an unfortunate stereotype, but it's definitely out there.

I've read that in 1980, Reagan had a heavy campaign schedule in New Hampshire in part to rebut the idea that he was too old for the presidency. And also to come from behind after unexpectedly losing the Iowa caucus to Bush!
 
See my post at https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...nt-die-no-the-other-one.406260/#post-13870501 where I note William Carleton's doubts that Joe, Jr. could ever have become president.

I agree 100% with the observation Carleton made. Joe Jr. may have been Sr.'s preferred choice, but Jack was the best chance for the Kennedys to latch onto the Oval Office. Unless you have Jack playing a campaign strategist role and later Chief of Staff, it's highly unlikely that Joe Jr's characteristics will enable him to win the states that Jack won OTL.
 
I agree 100% with the observation Carleton made. Joe Jr. may have been Sr.'s preferred choice, but Jack was the best chance for the Kennedys to latch onto the Oval Office. Unless you have Jack playing a campaign strategist role and later Chief of Staff, it's highly unlikely that Joe Jr's characteristics will enable him to win the states that Jack won OTL.

Would he even get that far?

If the "wounded war hero" angle gave him a boost, might he have been Stevenson's running-mate in 1956, and as a defeated VP candidate, been less likely to get the 1960 nomination?
 
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