CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As an editor and publisher from Fayette County, I had the opportunity to meet and interview John F. Kennedy when he was running for president, three times on TV and in meetings held before the elections.

Jack Kennedy cultivated a stylish, charismatic persona that moved people to a very brawny scrutiny of him in Charleston and Oak Hill.

Kennedy was tanned and coatless when he spoke at the outside the Capitol in subfreezing weather. Everyone was predicting he would get things stirring. When I talked to him both privately and publicly, he seemed very robust, although he did have several ailments, and his eyes were red from the rigors of work.

Later he established the Peace Corps with an emphasis on the Third World. There was the New Deal with Roosevelt, Truman's Fair Deal and JFK's New Frontier.

JFK had scarcely 1,000 days in office before he was cut down by a killer in Dallas.

Unfortunately, the scattered accomplishments were thin, and his civil rights record was not too impressive because of the short time in his tenure.

Actually, liberals became slow to move during his time in office. Many saw him as a hero, and others did not trust him. If he had lived, he probably would have been one of our great Presidents.

Between the two of us, we talked the most about foreign policy and our local financial system. The coalition of Republicans and southern Democrats hurt education.

Here are a few quotes from Kennedy from those interviews:

* " ... I'd want to have this cheering section at Los Angles, to see and hear this (Collins High) and see your reaction; it makes me think that the high noon has yet to come to West Virginia, but coming in the future ... The gold reserve may not be in the ground anymore, but the schools, colleges and universities will cause an economic revival. ...

* "The secret of success and productivity in attracting new industries lies in education ... having good students ... good teachers.

* "I come here today as a candidate because the office of President is important. I understand the office is enormous and I know it is a great deal, not for country but all over the world. We are going to have some changes when we are getting energy from the sun and the atom. If we fall, freedom falls. If we succeed, freedom will have success all over the world.

* "We passed a bill in the Senate; hope it will pass the House and be signed by the President of the United States. I favor the development of the resources of this country and public works programs. In the future better roads, hospitals and schools are considered necessary. Government could do better jobs than what it is doing.

* "As I pointed out earlier, West Virginia should have more defense contracts. The state had less contracts than other states. Also I want a Redevelopment bill that was vetoed by the President. It has passed again by the Senate but is waiting for action by the House.

* "Someone asks if I'd like to have a debate with [Hubert] Humphrey, and I said yes, and I am sure Sen. Humphrey wants a debate and to look at problems statewide and  give answers. People could make up their minds and see who they thought would make the better president.

(The debate came off, and it was in a sense a dress rehearsal to the famous Nixon-Kennedy debates.)

* "Do not  think the federal aid programs are socialism. Abraham Lincoln thought a hundred years ago that it is the responsibility of government to do for the people what it cannot do for itself. Government has to help new businesses coming into the area and provide employment. Socialism is defined as ownership of the means of production. No American should be at a certain level in the richest country in the world.

* "I was asked yesterday if I would  take orders from higher ups. I said I would not take orders from the pope, bishop or priest ... We are founded on the principles of religious freedom."

He praised coal mining and wanted additional economic development for the state. He reflected he knew this state. He made his position on religious freedom known. He told about campaigning with Franklin Roosevelt, Jr. He was pleased with a poll taken among adults that showed his victory in the state and was carried in The New York Times and throughout the nation. It was the first poll that exhibited on the front page he would carry West Virginia, and this was a second poll screening his victory that predicted the favorable results.

Holliday, of Fayetteville, is a former editor, publisher and state senator from Fayette County.