Stealing thunder
"Ask not what your country can do for you etc. ..." Thank you for highlighting (front page headline 14 April) David Cameron's attempt to wrap himself in the flag of the Kennedys by first paraphrasing, and then quoting JFK during the launch of the Conservative manifesto. Having already stolen Obama's successful mantras of "change" and "together we can do it", one wonders if we are going to have Tory promises of "a New Deal" before the election campa
Before Kennedy, variations on the same sentiment (often with very similar words) had been used as domestic spin by both fascist and communist totalitarian dictatorships, and what the politicians actually mean of course, is "Ask not what I can do for you, but what you can do for me"... and I, for one, will not fall for it again. It is worth pointing out, however, that JFK used the phrase in his inauguration speech, so the Tory leader is being a mite previous – maybe he should wait until after the votes are counted, before stealing a dead man's thunder.
DAVID FIDDIMORE
Calton Road