Story Highlights
- historical event: Nixon refused makeup, insisted on busy campaigning until just before the debate (which made him tired), and in addition he was not yet fully recovered from a recent stay in hospital.
On this day John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon at the U.S. presidential elections with an advantage of only 0.1% votes. One of the crucial things for Kennedy’s victory was his success in a televised confrontation. It was the first debate of the presidential candidates on television in U.S. history. Kennedy rested before the debate and was well prepared, so that he appeared tanned, confident and relaxed.
Nixon refused makeup, insisted on busy campaigning until just before the debate (which made him tired), and in addition, he was not yet fully recovered from a recent hospital stay. Consequently, on television he looked pale, sickly and tired. Nixon’s advantage in the polls after the debate turned into a deficit. However, although Nixon lost that election, he won the ones in 1968 and 1972, long after Kennedy’s death.
