Kenneth Keating

Kenneth Keating
United States Ambassador to Israel
In office
August 28, 1973 – May 5, 1975
Preceded by Walworth Barbour
Succeeded by Malcolm Toon
United States Ambassador to India
In office
1969–1972
Preceded by Chester Bowles
Succeeded by Daniel Patrick Moynihan
United States Senator
from New York
In office
January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1965
Preceded by Irving Ives
Succeeded by Robert F. Kennedy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 38th district
In office
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by John Taber
Succeeded by Jessica M. Weis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 40th district
In office
January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by George F. Rogers
Succeeded by William E. Miller
Personal details
Born Kenneth Barnard Keating
(1900-05-18)May 18, 1900
Lima, New York
Died May 5, 1975(1975-05-05) (aged 74)
New York City, New York
Resting place Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia
Political party Republican
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Army
Years of service 1915-1917
Battles/wars World War I

Kenneth Barnard Keating (May 18, 1900 – May 5, 1975), was a Republican United States Representative and a U.S. Senator from New York and later an appellate judge and a diplomat representing the United States as ambassador to India and later to Israel.

Life and career

Keating was born in Lima, New York, the son of Louise (Barnard), a schoolteacher, and Thomas Mosgrove Keating, a businessman.[1] He attended public school and graduated from Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in 1915. When the United States entered World War I, he joined the United States Army and served as a sergeant. He attended the University of Rochester, graduating in 1919, and while there he joined the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. He then attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1923. He was admitted to the bar in 1923 and commenced practice in Rochester. During World War II, he again joined the US Army and served overseas as an officer. On returning to the United States, he briefly resumed his law practice before running for Congress in 1946. Keating was promoted to brigadier general in 1948.

Keating was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican to the 80th, 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th and 85th United States Congresses, representing Rochester-area districts, and served from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1959. In 1958, he defeated New York County District Attorney Frank Hogan for the U.S. Senate seat of the retiring Irving Ives, and served from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1965. Before the Cuban Missile Crisis, Keating accused the Soviets and Cuba of building IRBMs in Cuba and urged President John F. Kennedy to take action.

Keating was a moderate, like many prominent New York Republicans of his era.[2] While running for reelection in 1964 Keating refused to endorse his party's presidential nominee, the conservative Senator Barry Goldwater, who was highly unpopular in New York for being too extreme.[3] Keating did a lot better than Goldwater in New York but was still defeated for reelection by Democrat Robert F. Kennedy, after a campaign in which Keating called Kennedy, who had spent only part of his childhood in New York, a "carpetbagger." William Safire wrote: "Since both candidates were liberals, there was little ideological argument; Keating, to overcome Kennedy's fame and name, played on his opponent's reputation for ruthlessness."[4]

In 1965, Keating was elected to the New York Court of Appeals but he resigned in 1969 to become United States Ambassador to India, which he remained until 1972. Keating then served as Ambassador to Israel from August 1973 until his death in 1975.

In Rochester, New York the federal building is named after him.[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0700449
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Safire, William (1978). Safire's Political Dictionary. Random House. p. 558. ISBN 0-394-50261-2.
  5. ↑ http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589954530
  • United States Congress. "Kenneth Keating (id: K000036)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • U.S. State Department Archives (People)
  • A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Kenneth B. Keating" is available at the Internet Archive
  • A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Rep. Kenneth B. Keating (June 20, 1952)" is available at the Internet Archive
  • Kenneth Barnard Keating at Find a Grave
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
George F. Rogers		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 40th congressional district
1947–1953		 Succeeded by
William E. Miller
Preceded by
John Taber		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 38th congressional district
1953–1959		 Succeeded by
Jessica M. Weis
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Irving Ives		 U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
1959–1965
Served alongside: Jacob K. Javits		 Succeeded by
Robert F. Kennedy
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Chester Bowles		 United States Ambassador to India
1969–1972		 Succeeded by
Daniel P. Moynihan
Preceded by
Walworth Barbour		 United States Ambassador to Israel
1973–1975		 Succeeded by
Malcolm Toon
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