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If it's one thing I do credit Kennedy for, it's his ability to give a speech.
At it's best, a carefully delivered speech can be more effective than a bullet. While a lot of the things presidents say are carefully chosen and vetted, weighing the potential consequences of any message delivered by the nation's highest office, the line "Ich bin ein Berliner" was written by Kennedy himself, knowing the need for an effective anchor against balanced language during tricky times. He was far from the only president to do this, but it does highlight the need for a president to be the final curator for his message - just as Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Franklin Roosevelt, and yes, Richard Nixon, were.
The claim that Kennedy had inadvertently called himself a jelly doughnut will live on.
