WI: President Kennedy Goes Blind

What if President Kennedy went blind during his presidency because of Addison's disease? How does it effect his time in office?
 
Can Addison's disease even get person as blind? But if Kennedy becomes blind he probably resigns.
 
I wonder wether, even if it is possible, it would force him to resign (knowing Kennedy, the news probably wouldn't get out before then) before his visit to Dallas? I can't see much butterfly potential for that with this POD, unless he resigns first.
 
just as an approximate general rule, if there is less than two years left in his presidency, people react favorably. Going blind gives President Kennedy a type of gravitas.

More than two years, people start to wonder if he can get the job done.

For example, if he's re-elected and starts going seriously blind early in 1967, even with all that's going on in the world, people react generally favorably.
 
Last time I checked, Addison's only leads to blindness in dogs.:confused:

We'll, as we do know, JFK was a dog.:p

Seriously, though, I think you are right. In humans, Addison's may cause temporary blindness, but nowhere can I find a reference to it causing people go permanently blind.
 
When does it happen? After the election but before January 20, 1961 when he was*inaugurated as President of the United States, after the inauguration or before his*trip to Texas in November, 1963.

I personally think that he would hold the office for as long as possible with Robert Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson helping him through.
 
just as an approximate general rule, if there is less than two years left in his presidency, people react favorably.

Yes, but once the public finds out that he hid the fact that he had Addison's disease and hid it they will wonder what else he might be hiding. At the very least there will be a strong push for all future presidential candidates to be open about their medical records probably to the same degree that they are open about their financial records in OTL.
 

CaptainRex

Banned
When does it happen? After the election but before January 20, 1961 when he was*inaugurated as President of the United States, after the inauguration or before his*trip to Texas in November, 1963.

I personally think that he would hold the office for as long as possible with Robert Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson helping him through.

What? Robert Kennedy and Johnson hated each other like the devil. It got to to the point where they refused to meet with each other unless John was there. It was like a civil war in the White House for John's attention.

Johnson might leak this to the press
 
What? Robert Kennedy and Johnson hated each other like the devil. It got to to the point where they refused to meet with each other unless John was there. It was like a civil war in the White House for John's attention.

Johnson might leak this to the press

Would they not put their fued to one side, to deal with the situation.

Would Johnson, really sell out his elected running mate? Would the American public see this as back stabbing?
 
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