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Boston, Massachusetts February 13, 2024
In advance of his 107th birthday celebration, former President John F. Kennedy's office released a statement from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Spokesperson Bernice M. Fleming read the following:
The Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum announce an early end to nominations for the 2024 PROFILE IN COURAGE AWARD® to the living American for an outstanding act of political courage.
In Profiles in Courage, President Kennedy told the stories of eight United States senators who risked their careers by standing up for particular ideals or principles, even when constituents or powerful interest groups pressured them to bend.
Today, elected officials too often appear reluctant to act in the broader public interest when it means taking unpopular courses of action or offending powerful groups. The Profile in Courage Award® honors modern-day elected officials who govern for the greater good, even when it is not in their own interest to do so. The award celebrates individuals who choose the public interest over partisanship – who value principles over political gain.
This year Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi will join the original eight senators singled out by President Kennedy as well as previous winners of this recognition. Senator Wicker is ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Alone among Republican Senators facing re-election in the 2024 general election, he voted with a bipartisan supermajority to fund military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, Israel and other allies over the opposition of the majority of his caucus and his party's leading presidential candidate.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is not the actual announcement of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The spokesperson quoted died in 1996. And Senator Wicker does not appear to be at risk from his primary challengers. Also, he endorsed the candidacy of Agent Orange in December. And passed up the opportunity to convict twice. So, there's that. And he was joined by Romney, who is not re-upping this year, and 15 other Republicans Without a Party (at least on foreign policy)
- Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
- Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
- Susan Collins of Maine
- John Cornyn of Texas
- Joni Ernst of Iowa
- Charles E. Grassley of Iowa
- John Kennedy of Louisiana
- Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
- Jerry Moran of Kansas
- Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
- Mitt Romney of Utah
- Mike Rounds of South Dakota
- Dan Sullivan of Alaska
- John Thune of South Dakota
- Thom Tillis of North Carolina
- Roger Wicker of Mississippi
- Todd Young of Indiana
They are not enough to salvage the wreck of the Republican party—the brand is trashed beyond rehab and the party apparatus is gone forever from their grasp. The role of moderate, mainstream, Main Street, Wall Street, Country Club, Chamber of Commerce stuck-in-the-mud but conceivably well meaning conservatism is going to be unfilled indefinitely. Assuming that political parties have any role at all in the future.
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