The Election Of 1960

The election of 1960 was one of the most dramatic elections in American history. until the halted recount in the election of 2000, it was the closest  Presidential election in our lifetimes.  This riveting  multimedia presentation features amazing anecdotes, entry insights, and numerous fascinating film clips to help put this most momentous campaign into perspective.

Richard Nixon was coming off of eight years as vice president to one of the most popular presidents of all time. He had experience in domestic and foreign-policy and was a veteran many tough campaigns. hitill very young, he offered a new face for the Republican Party’s future. He became the first sitting vice president to earn his party’s nomination since John C Breckenridge exactly 100 years earlier!

John F. Kennedy was only a few years younger than Nixon and considered him a friend. JFK was seen as a lightweight in the Senate, proposing no major legislation and often missing long stretches of time due to surgeries and hospitalizations. However he was a war hero, handsome, charismatic and a best-selling author. He had to defeat a number of older and better known Democrats to earn the nomination.

And then came the campaign for president! Nixon’s national reputation vs. Kennedy’s cool and charisma. With polls showing just a slight Nixon believed throughout the summer, the two men agreed to something that had never happened before: a series of presidential debates. Those debates turned the course of the election and changed politics, They demonstrated the importance of television in future campaigns. Throw into the mix the rest of Martin Luther King Jr., Nixon’s phlebitis, Kennedy’s mafia connections, mystery votes in Illinois and odd campaign choices by Nixon and you have the makings of a fascinating campaign!

PLEASE NOTE: This presentation is being offered by the Patty Turner Center and registration is required.