FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE PRODUCES NO SURPRISE PROPOSALS
Chicago, Illinois (JFK+50) On September 27, 1960, The Evening Star reports that an "unprecedented and fundamental agreement on the need for bigger Federal spending to solve outstanding domestic problems and meet the challenges of Communist expansion" was reflected in last night's televised debate between Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy.
David Broder writes that other than this agreement, the first debate "produced nothing in the way of surprise proposals by either nominee."
While Senator Kennedy expressed the view that he is "not satisfied" with things the way they are, the Vice-President also admitted the United States should "move ahead."
JFK+50 NOTE
The Kennedy-Nixon debates, particularly the first one, are considered a very important factor in JFK's election in November 1960. I find it interesting that The Evening Star, while putting the story on its front page, did not give it a banner headline. In fact, it was positioned below "Back Summit, Nasser Asks U.N."
It has been widely stated that JFK won the debates according to television viewers while NIXON won among radio listeners. This is attributed to the fact that Kennedy appeared "relaxed, confident and well-prepared" while Nixon appeared less so.
JFK's press secretary Pierre Salinger said the results of the first debate sparked the Kennedy campaign. He said, after that it was "GO, GO, GO!"
JFK+50 NOTE SUPPLEMENTAL
A study by Jon Bruschke & Laura Divine concluded that Nixon did NOT win the first debate on substance & may well have lost it on BOTH substance & appearance.
They also found that the argument that Nixon won among radio listeners is based on a poll that included more Republicans than Democrats.
SOURCES
"Debunking Nixon's radio victory in the 1960 election: Re-analyzing the historical record & considering current unexamined polling data," by Jon Bruschke and Laura Divine, Science Direct, www.sciencedirect.com/
"Rivals Gauge Results Of Face-to-Face Debate," by David S. Broder, The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., September 27, 1960, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
