02/18/2026
This is how it should be.
Have you ever wondered what happens when political rivals become something more? On May 8, 1965, more than a year after Kennedy's death, Dwight D. Eisenhower did something that revealed just how deeply the loss still weighed on him. Despite his own failing health and doctors' warnings—he was 74 and recovering from his third heart attack—Eisenhower traveled to the Kennedy Library groundbreaking ceremony in Boston.
Why would a man risk his life to honor a president from the opposing party? Standing beside Jacqueline Kennedy, he told the assembled crowd something that made even hardened reporters weep: "President Kennedy possessed the greatest campaign weapon any man could have—he had Jacqueline Kennedy by his side, but more than that, he possessed a quality I grew to admire deeply in our many conversations—the courage to admit when he didn't know something and the wisdom to seek counsel."
But that wasn't all he had to say. What made the moment even more powerful was Eisenhower's revelation that he had kept every letter Kennedy had ever written him, bound carefully in a private collection he called "Letters from a Young Lion." That day, he donated them to the future Kennedy Library, saying he wanted history to know their friendship had been real—that politics hadn't divided them where it mattered most.
What happened next brought everyone to tears. Jackie Kennedy squeezed Eisenhower's hand and whispered something those nearby heard: "He called you his North Star, General. He never stopped seeking your guidance." Eisenhower's voice broke as he replied, "And I never stopped believing in him."
Think about what this moment represents. Here were two people from different worlds—the widowed First Lady and the retired Republican general—united in grief and mutual respect. They showed us that the bonds forged in service to country transcend everything else.
This is the America worth fighting for—the one where we see each other's humanity first. When was the last time you saw leaders put country over party like this? Share this story if you believe we need more of this spirit today.
---
