by Chris Lucas
Guest Column
The Keating Files – September 26, 2020
Sixty years ago today, the very first televised U.S. presidential debate was held, between sitting Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy. It still ranks as one of the most watched TV events in American history, and it changed U.S. politics forever.
The debate was at the studios of Chicago’s WBBM TV, a CBS affiliate. Vice President Nixon had years of debate experience, Senator Kennedy not so much. Nixon was considered the more prepared candidate, especially when it came to foreign policy issues.
Unfortunately for Nixon, he underestimated the power of television. Just before the debate, he came down with flu-like symptoms and lost some weight. He was pale, sweaty and sickly. With radio and newspaper debates that was never a problem before, but nothing gets past the cameras.
Senator Kennedy showed up after a trip to California. He was tanned, rested, and ready. His people also asked what color the studio walls would be, so that he could wear a contrasting outfit for the black and white TV cameras. Nixon wore a suit that blended in with the walls. He also refused the services of WBBM’s makeup department, which wanted to help him cover his pallor and his persistent five o’clock shadow.
Two-thirds of all Americans were watching the broadcast that night. Nixon did indeed run circles around Kennedy with his knowledge, but the picture conveyed a different story. Americans forgot about the words and focused on the visuals. The popular conception was that Kennedy looked more youthful and healthy, so he was declared the winner.
The next day, Nixon’s lead in the polls went away and he never regained it. There were three more debates after that. Nixon learned his lesson, prepared for the camera and was considered the winner of the other three by the media. The damage was done, though, and the first debate is what everyone remembered.
Nixon lost the presidential race by a very slim margin, and that debate is pointed to as one of the key reasons. The debate itself has lived on in pop culture, parodied on TV shows and in movies for decades. Woe to the candidate who doesn’t remember the lessons from it.
Since then presidential debates - especially the first one - have been must see events and often set the tone for the next thirty days of the campaigns, no matter what came before.
__________
Chris Lucas is a writer, something of a cultural historian, actor, and the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.
On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!
No comments:
Post a Comment