President John F. Kennedy believed that not only was it in the national interest of the United States to be superior to other nations, but that the perception of American power was at least as important as the actuality.
pɹˈɛzɪdənt dʒˈɑːn ˈɛf. kˈɛnədi bᵻlˈiːvd ðæt nˌɑːt ˈoʊnli wʌz ɪɾ ɪnðə nˈæʃənəl ˈɪntɹɛst ʌvðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts təbi suːpˈiəɹɪɚ tʊ ˈʌðɚ nˈeɪʃənz, bˌʌt ðætðə pɚsˈɛpʃən ʌv ɐmˈɛɹɪkən pˈaʊɚ wʌz æt lˈiːst æz ɪmpˈoːɹtənt æz ðɪ ˌæktʃuːˈælᵻɾi.