John F. Kennedy on Lewis Strauss

Opponent of Strauss (strong)

TL;DR

John F. Kennedy, as a U.S. Senator, ultimately voted against Lewis Strauss's cabinet nomination in 1959.

Key Points

The junior Senator from Massachusetts voted against Lewis Strauss's nomination for Secretary of Commerce on June 19, 1959.
He cited the strong evidence presented against Strauss, particularly regarding his attitude toward the Executive and Congress relationship, as a reason for his negative vote.
Kennedy believed that an "intense lobbying effort" on behalf of Strauss alienated several senators and cast doubt on the nominee's freedom of action.

Summary

John F. Kennedy, while serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, took a decisive position against Lewis Strauss's nomination to be Secretary of Commerce in 1959. While Kennedy initially may have been leaning toward supporting the nomination, he ultimately joined the opposition, which rejected Strauss by a vote of 46 to 49 in the early morning hours of June 19, 1959. Kennedy later explained his negative vote in a letter, stating that the evidence presented during the hearings, as well as the attitude Strauss displayed regarding the constitutional relationship between the Executive and Congress, solidified his opposition.

His decision was specifically linked to what he described as an "intense lobbying effort" by Strauss's allies between the committee vote and the final Senate floor vote. Kennedy suggested this intense, contradictory, and implied-promise-laden effort alienated him and other senators, casting doubt on Strauss's future freedom of action. Furthermore, the Senator expressed regret that the President insisted on the confirmation after it was clear Strauss had lost substantial confidence in the Senate and the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did John F. Kennedy vote against Lewis Strauss's cabinet nomination?

Yes, John F. Kennedy, in his capacity as a U.S. Senator for Massachusetts, voted against the nomination of Lewis Strauss to be Secretary of Commerce according to Senate records. This vote took place in the early morning hours of June 19, 1959. The final roll call rejected the nomination 46 to 49, according to the Congressional Almanac for that year.

Why did John F. Kennedy vote against Lewis Strauss in 1959?

John F. Kennedy explained that his vote against Lewis Strauss stemmed from the evidence revealed during the Senate hearings and Strauss's perceived attitude regarding Congressional oversight. Furthermore, Kennedy cited the perceived overreach of an intense lobbying effort on Strauss's behalf, which he felt reflected poorly on the nominee, according to his letter to The Boston Globe.

What was the relationship between JFK and Lewis Strauss after the vote?

While John F. Kennedy opposed the 1959 cabinet nomination, he later played a role in rehabilitating the reputation of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was a political adversary of Strauss. According to historical accounts, President Kennedy invited Oppenheimer to a White House dinner for Nobel laureates and initiated the process for Oppenheimer to receive the Enrico Fermi Award before his assassination.