Manifesto Score Case Study: JFK’s Moon Landing Speech

Our third Case Study using the Manifesto Score…

Manifesto: Man on the Moon Speech – Original speech to a join session of Congress, May 25, 1961.
Created by: US President John F Kennedy
Source: https://geoffmcdonald.com/jfk-land-man-on-moon-speech-2/

Manifesto Score

YES Manifestos are primal: JFK’s speech was a manifesto declaring a new future.
YES Manifestos terminate the past: JFK’s speech declared an end to tyranny.
YES Manifestos create new worlds: Landing a man on the moon focussed an entire nation on a single goal.
YES Manifestos trigger communities: Whilst NASA existed prior to Kennedy’s declaration it was given a significant boost in funding, resources and personnel as a result.
YES Manifestos define us: As President he was speaking on behalf of and directly rallying the citizens of the United States of America.
YES Manifestos antagonise others: Communism and the Soviet Union in particular were JFK’s declared enemy – remember this was at the height of the Cold War.
YES Manifestos inspire being: His speech centred on ‘freedom’: “Our strength as well as our convictions have imposed upon this nation the role of leader in freedom’s cause.”
YES Manifestos provoke action: The immediate purpose of JFK’s speech was to source funding from Congress which he achieved.
YES Manifestos crave presence: Armstrong and Aldrin stepping onto the moon was the result of thousands of people’s action and the culmination of the Moon Landing campaign.

Score: 9 out of 9

Suggestions

Not much to suggest here. They covered all nine principles and best of all, they got the job done – footprints on the moon.

What do you think?

Is that score about right? Whilst it helps to be President of your country to make things happen, having all 9 manifesto principles covered played a part too.