The first televised American presidential debate took place on 26 September 1960 between Republican vice-president Richard Nixon, and Democrat John F Kennedy.
Before an ‘invisible, but all-seeeing’ audience of millions, the Guardian’s Alistair Cooke noted that while both candidates detested each other, there was no ‘flicker of this honest rage’ at the first of the four debates.
Radio listeners either judged Nixon the winner or called it a draw. However, those watching on TV declared the seemingly bronzed Kennedy the victor over a vice-president who had a pale complexion and fast growing stubble.
By the time of the next debate, the Guardian noted that Nixon was looking ‘10 years younger and twenty years healthier than the gaunt Savonarola’ of the previous encounter. Nixon and Kennedy met on 7 October in Washington.
The third round was fought with Kennedy in New York and Nixon in Los Angeles, but as Cooke put it, ‘the magic of television showed them no further away than a left jab.’ Kennedy was judged to be the winner of the final debate, held on 21 October. British audiences were able to watch it on the BBC - the day after, as the film had to be flown over from the US.
