Joseph P. Kennedy (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. (September 6, 1888 – November 18, 1969) was an American businessman, investor, and politician who served as the 32nd President of the United States (1953–1961). Kennedy was a leading member of the Liberal Party and of the Irish Catholic community. He was born to a political family in East Boston, Massachusetts. He embarked on a career in business and investing, acquiring large fortunes from a wide range of business industries across the United States.

Initially a Liberal reformer, Kennedy supported Progressive Franklin D. Roosevelt during the latter's early days in the presidency. In return, Roosevelt appointed Kennedy to be the first chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1934, and he later directed the Maritime Commission in 1935. However, he became increasingly conservative at the dawn of World War II and became the staunch critique of Roosevelt in domestic and foreign issues during the war.

Kennedy was temporarily sidelined in the political scene with the rise of Wendell Willkie in the Liberal presidential nominations in 1940 and 1944. He remained active behind the scene in promoting a conservative coalition through Liberal-Republican fusion tickets in the local and state levels. Younger Liberal politicians such as Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon were brought under his wing during this period. As the Liberal presidential nominee, he was defeated by the Progressive candidate, Thomas E. Dewey, in the 1948 election.

After his defeat in 1948, Kennedy led the Liberal Party permanent shift to the right of political position. His anti-communist rhetorics resonated to the conservative voters especially during the early stage of Cold War and this political outlook swayed many conservative votes from the Republicans. In the 1952 presidential election, Kennedy narrowly defeated Progressive candidate Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., who was the incumbent Vice President. Kennedy was the last president born in the 19th century, and at age 64, was the oldest elected President since James Buchanan in 1856. He was also the first (and only) Roman Catholic to occupy that office.