JFK GOES TO BED WITH OUTCOME IN DOUBT
Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On November 8, 1960, voters in the United States went to the polls to cast their vote for POTUS and by midnight Eastern time the outcome was still in doubt. It would turn out to be one of the closest presidential contests in American history.
The Election of 1960* was between Republican Vice-President of the United States Richard M. Nixon of California and Democrat Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Mr. Nixon watched returns from his suite at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles while Senator Kennedy was at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
JFK built an early lead with returns coming from urban centers, but RMN came from behind as later returns came in from rural areas and the West. Although Mr. Nixon spoke to his supporters at 3 a.m., he did not concede the election at that time.
Senator Kennedy went to bed after Nixon's appearance without knowing the final result. When close friend and aide Dave Powers asked him how he could do that, JFK said..."Because it's too late to change any votes."**
*KENNEDY-JOHNSON received 34,220,984 or 49.72% of the popular vote while NIXON-LODGE won 34,108,157 or 49.55%. JFK's margin in the Electoral College was 303 to 219. BYRD-THURMOND won 15 electoral votes.
**According to Scott Bomboy The NY TIMES called JFK the winner before midnight Eastern time Nov 8 but NBC News waited until 7 a.m. Nov 9.
SOURCE
"The drama behind President Kennedy's 1960 election win", by Scott Bomboy, November 7, 2017, Constitution Daily, www.constitutioncenter.org/
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