| The United States Presidential election of 1960 was unprecedented in that John F. Kennedy was the youngest ever to be elected to the national office and he was also the first practicing Roman Catholic to achieve that position. In addition, the introduction of a new media of televised debates acted in his favor and tipped the election so that Kennedy narrowly won over Nixon because of Nixon's discomfort before the cameras. Although his tenure was brief it definitely left an enduring legacy and the White House, known for its glamour and culture and became known as "Camelot" after a fictitious city inhabited by King Arthur.;This dissertation contains the oral history, recorded in video, of one of those bright, young talented men who shared the Kennedy vision. The intent of this oral history is to preserve the lived experience and memories of Bernard L. Boutin and his role in the history of the United States. Mr. Boutin's role is largely un-documented and this oral history is intended to provide a glimpse at the significant impact his presence within the administration had on the history of the United States.;The oral history presented here draws on the academic fields of leadership, architecture, sociology and history. There are two parts to this dissertation. The fifty-four minute video is a visual representation of what Mr. Boutin considered his most important legacy: the preservation and renovation of Lafayette Square. The video was recorded in digital format and was edited for the purpose of this dissertation. The written component attempts to ground the video within Mr. Boutin's own life history as obtained through his oral history and archival research. Mr. Boutin was a significant figure in his own right who represented the characteristics of transformational leadership within his local community, state and country. |
