That was the last time the Democrat was more conservative than the Republican.
People have been talking for years about the Nixon sweating thing but in the end it was the Democrat machine getting dead people to vote in Texas and Illinois that won the election for JKK, not TV.
I think of the AmSpec article of last year that posited that Nixon blew it, not on appearances, but that he basically agreed with everything Kennedy was saying, i.e., he played a classic milquetoast Republican. He did not make that mistake in 1968—running on a hard “law and order” platform.
The article also mentioned Dewey/Truman and Willkie/F.D.R. campaigns as other classic examples in which the Republican failed to play the conservative and did the “democrat lite” thing.
With predictable results.
The rest is history.
Those who watched the debate on TV judged Kennedy the winner. Those who listened on Radio judged Nixon the winner.
interesting thread....
50 years ago the city of Chicago stole a presidential election for the democrat, Kennedy.
What also happened is that the media intentionally put Nixon under bright lighting that not only made him look pasty but caused him to sweat and appear shifty - the media was as leftist then as it is now. There is MORE to the story.
President Ford challenged Jimmy Carter to them in 1976. At one meeting, Ford claimed: "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe . . ."
I remember that debate like it was yester ... a very long time ago :-)
But 'series', as I recall it Ford didn't exactly 'claim it', it was more like he blurted it out in frustration. As I recall he was a bit flustered at the time. And in my view he knew he made an oops.
In his defense I can see one point where he may have been coming from and that is the USA never recognized the USSR's takeover of the Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia Estonia.
I know that as the 'official' Lithuanian 'consulate' was in my neighborhood in Chicago, it was a House. And the 'Lithuanian Navy' was docked at Chicago's lake front - it consisted of a couple 26' power boats and one sailboat of approx the same length. And the Held their 'official meetings' at the Tavern-Hall us guys hung out at. Now that sounds funny, but trust me, to the Lugans in my old hood (and surrounding areas), it was NO JOKE. (The First president of the 'new' Lithuania after the USSR collapsed came from the Marquette Park neighborhood in Chicago. It was mostly Lugan at the time)
So maybe Ford was thinking that. Or maybe militarily, with US Military Power that could take out the commies. Too bad he didn't clarify it after the flub.
Note to the PC Police: No offense is meant by me using 'Lugan'. I married one (she's 1/2 anyway) and they call themselves that. So buzz off.
Those were great debates. There was no minute and a half, minute to rebut crap. They’re opening statements were each eight minutes long and both were very articulate. No notes, no teleprompters.
But you can’t have a debate with a Liberal Democrat today. They don’t even know what issues and ideas are. All they know is character assassination.
***70 million watched that debate. Many believed Kennedy won decisively.***
Only on TV! Those who heard the debate on radio said Nixon won hands down! On TV, Nixon LOOKED TERRIBLE and that is what influenced the voters!
***”I had a discussion with my daughter, Amy, the other day, before I came here,...”***
When Carter said this, I knew he had lost it!
Years later it was said Reagan managed to get a copy of Carter’s debate points before the debate. A political cartoon showed the debate with Reagan saying...”I had a discussion with my daughter, Amy...” and Carter saying...”HEY! THAT’S MY LINE!”
This is close to the mark, but it wasn’t an election or a candidate that ruined America, it was, and is, the Media. When the revolution comes, they will have to be the first to go.