September 26: John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon Debate on Television (1960)
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who engage in political debates.
History Note
Throughout American history, people have had strong opinions about which ideas are good for our country. When opinions differ, as they often do, people have engaged in debate about the best way to move forward.
People have debated ideas by writing articles in newspapers, as the authors of The Federalist Papers did trying to persuade people to support adoption of the U.S. Constitution. People have debated in person with other people watching, as Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas famously did in 1858. In 1960 John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon expanded the reach of debates in a new way. They debated on live television.
Richard Nixon, the Republican nominee, was serving as vice president under Dwight D. Eisenhower. John F. Kennedy, the Democratic nominee, was a U.S. senator from Massachusetts. The first debate took place on September 26, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois.
Nixon was recovering from an injury and rejected make-up that might have hidden his tired and somewhat stern features. Nixon’s suit blended into the background, and he started sweating under the bright studio lights. Kennedy, on the other hand, was well-rested and appeared much more youthful and vigorous. Most of those who watched the first debate on television believed that Kennedy had won, while most of those who listened to it on radio believed that Nixon had won.
The two candidates had three more televised debates, and they both adapted to the new medium. The election was extremely close. Kennedy received 34.2 million votes, while Nixon received 34.1 million. Kennedy won in the electoral college 303 to 219.
Lyndon Johnson, who became president after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, refused to debate during the 1964 presidential campaign. Richard Nixon refused to debate in both the 1968 and 1972 campaigns. Starting in 1976, televised debates between presidential candidates became a regular part of American life.
This is a TV camera used during the Kennedy-Nixon debates on display at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Photo by Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This video has brief clips from the first 1960 presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
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