JFK Case Study
In November 1963, 57% of Americans approved of President Kennedy. What drove that number — and what could have changed it? Five tools let you explore the data yourself.
Five Ways to Explore the Data
Each tool asks a different question about the November 1963 Harris–Newsweek survey.
All-or-Nothing Simulator
What if every respondent felt the same way about an issue? Move one variable to an extreme and see how much it would have shifted Kennedy’s approval.
Try itFine-Tuning Simulator
Instead of extremes, shift the mix gradually — fewer people rating Vietnam as “Poor,” more rating the economy as “Excellent.” Watch how small distributional changes move the approval needle.
Try itNon-Response Test
Not everyone answers a survey. Could the people who didn’t respond have changed the headline result? Set how many non-respondents to assume and what they would have said.
Try itSurvey Explorer
Browse the raw responses. See how Americans answered each question, which questions moved together, and how one group compared to another.
Try itModel Builder
Pick survey questions, build a logistic regression model, and see which variables actually predicted approval. Test whether the published model holds up — or whether a different set of questions fits better.
Try itHistorical Context: November 1963
Key Events Timeline
November 1
South Vietnamese coup against Diem
November 18
JFK's final public speech in Tampa
November 22
Assassination in Dallas
Civil Rights
Civil Rights Act stalled in Congress
Vietnam
16,000 U.S. military advisors deployed
Cold War
Cuban Missile Crisis aftermath
Economy
5.5% unemployment, 4.4% GDP growth
The Original Survey
Louis Harris & Associates surveyed a nationally representative sample of likely voters for Newsweek just before JFK's assassination.
Survey Topics Covered:
Ready to uncover insights?
Explore how JFK's approval rating and other key outcomes might have changed.