Nixon versus Kennedy: Redux

[PanzerJaeger]

Looking back, I wonder if the glorification of John Kennedy and the vilification of Richard Nixon reflect a desire by those in the media to adhere to a particular narrative rather than to reality.

When comparing their accomplishments in office off the top of my head I get:

Kennedy:
- Bay of Pigs fiasco
-Cuban Missile Crisis (many claim a result of the Bay of Pigs)
-poorly engineered social reforms (affirmative action, etc)
-getting the US into Vietnam

Nixon:
-Opened China
-engineered an honorable end to Vietnam
-successful domestic agenda

Of course, both men lacked a large amount of personal integrity. Kennedy was a far greater philanderer than even Clinton and had no issues stuffing ballot boxes and stealing elections, and everyone knows of Nixon's paranoia. However, if you look at Watergate and the coverup, it really is not much different than the norm for politics of that era.

So has Kennedy's persona and untimely death helped his legacy, while Nixon's personality, and the hostile nature of the press towards his administration, hurt him?