FIRST DEBATE IN 1960 ON THIS DAY

Debate took place in Chicago 

Comments

[Jann JM]

Lovely photo, lets investigate the status of their nostrils!

[curojo]

And television coverage of politics was changed forever. "How do I look under the lights? How's my makeup? Too much? Too little? Just right?"

[Joel]

Kennedy, like a certain current occupant of the Offal Office, had the better understanding of how TV worked. And, like the current jerkoff, Kennedy used deceit to win.

Both Kennedy and Nixon refused the services of CBS makeup artists, but Kennedy, on the sly, had his own makeup crew apply the cosmetics. Nixon was also afflicted with the flu and had just ended a hospital stay caused by an accident on the campaign trail.

Kennedy also understood the one on one nature of TV and addressed all of his answers into the camera while Nixon made eye contact with the reporters assembled just out of camera range.

People listening to the debate on the radio gave the win to Nixon, but the larger TV audience went overwhelmingly with Kennedy. History was quite possibly changed by makeup and a TV tube.