The presidential election of 1960 made history with the second catholic that run for president, and first to actually attained victory. The election was so close in results, and fought vigorously by both candidates; John F. Kennedy versus the well experienced Vice President Richard M. Nixon. At this election, the use of televised debates was a premier and new thing in the election at that time, which had a huge impact on the voter's decision. John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29, 1917. He graduated from Harvard in 1940; soon after, he joined the United States Navy as a skipper for PT-109. After the end of World War II, Kennedy became a Democratic Congressman and later as a Senator in 1953. His father wealth and connection
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Kennedy‘s popularity and charm increased during the televised four debates that both candidates took part of it between September 26 and October 21; it was a revolutionary broadcast to the seventy-five million viewers in thirty million American homes. Kennedy looked charismatic and dominated the event, smiling and stating facts, Kennedy viewed that America is not living up to its full potential as a country, and it is time to do something about it by putting it out there. Kennedy showed his audience that he was as experienced in government as his counterpart Nixon and that he was qualified to lead the nation to a better future. On the other hand, Nixon came out defensive, awkward, and refused to wear makeup which made him look pale and almost ghostlike. Nixon could not answer questions about his claim of superior policy handling skills and struggled to make a good impression. Unlike Kennedy, Nixon disagrees that the United States was not living to its full potential stating President Eisenhower's growth record, but agreed that we must move forward to a better frontier. Nixon made up for his shortcoming on the first debate when he rebound back well on the last three, yet his first impression seemed to stick with the American people mind during the campaign as he could not recover from
Kennedy‘s popularity and charm increased during the televised four debates that both candidates took part of it between September 26 and October 21; it was a revolutionary broadcast to the seventy-five million viewers in thirty million American homes. Kennedy looked charismatic and dominated the event, smiling and stating facts, Kennedy viewed that America is not living up to its full potential as a country, and it is time to do something about it by putting it out there. Kennedy showed his audience that he was as experienced in government as his counterpart Nixon and that he was qualified to lead the nation to a better future. On the other hand, Nixon came out defensive, awkward, and refused to wear makeup which made him look pale and almost ghostlike. Nixon could not answer questions about his claim of superior policy handling skills and struggled to make a good impression. Unlike Kennedy, Nixon disagrees that the United States was not living to its full potential stating President Eisenhower's growth record, but agreed that we must move forward to a better frontier. Nixon made up for his shortcoming on the first debate when he rebound back well on the last three, yet his first impression seemed to stick with the American people mind during the campaign as he could not recover from