3. Background……
• Richard Nixon • John Kennedy
– Born 1913 in Yorba – Born in Brookline,
Linda, California Massachusetts in 1917
– Whittier College and – Harvard
Duke Law School – Lt. in US Navy; Pt109
– Lt. Commander in US Commander
Navy during WW II. – Elected to House in
– Elected to House in 1946, 1946, Senate 1952
Senate 1950. – Published Profiles in
– Vice-President under Ike Courage 1957 – wins
for 8 years Pulitzer Prize
4. The race for the office…
• Both men were young,
military veterans,
lawyers, had political
experience and similar
views.
• However, many
historians believe
there were (2)
important factors that
decided the race…..
5. Televised Debates
• First televised debates in
history.
• 70 million viewers tuned
in, more on radio.
• The first debate, the
telegenic Kennedy won
the image battle over
Nixon who, recovering
from the flu, appeared
pale and refused make-
up.
6. JFK and MLK…
• When Reverend
Martin Luther King
was arrested in
Atlanta, Kennedy
called to offer his
sympathy.
• This garnered
Kennedy substantial
African-American
support in the 1960
election.
