I would hope that by now, the question of looks has become rather repetitive. Historians often call upon the election of 1960 to show how it was defined by Nixon's appearance in the first debate. But, of course, there was not one single factor to explain the election of 1960.
Wrapping up the Veiwer-Listener Debate
The original source of this storyline of the so-called “viewer-listener” discrepancy was from Theodore White, who claimed: “Those who heard the debates on radio, according to sample surveys, believed that the two candidates came off almost equal.” (1) But as many scholars after White, such as David Greenberg, have pointed out “White didn’t specify the ‘sample surveys’ he mentioned and provided no footnoting or other sourcing for others to track them down”. (2) Joseph Campbell, another scholar, agrees with Greenberg by describing that “White’s characterization helped embed and solidify the notion of viewer-listener disagreement, even though he failed to cite the survey data to which he had referred.” (3) More significantly, however, it is precisely what Campbell identifies here as “White’s characterization” that makes the “mythology” surrounding Nixon's appearance and the “viewer-listener” debate so dangerously misleading for historians. Nixon’s appearance has become an indelible part of contemporary conversations and taken prominence over the other factors that made Kennedy successful in the debates.
Over time, many of the contemporary players that were at the debate have both reinforced the “looks” story as part of the broader “Camelot” mythology, but others have countered it. In an op-ed written in 2010 for the New York Times, Ted Sorensen said that “there was far more substance and nuance in that first debate than in what now passes for political debate.” (4) The appearances of the candidates dominated much of the conversation regarding which candidate performed better, when in fact, Kennedy might have done better in the debate due to his “tactical and rhetorical superiority.” (5)
Over time, many of the contemporary players that were at the debate have both reinforced the “looks” story as part of the broader “Camelot” mythology, but others have countered it. In an op-ed written in 2010 for the New York Times, Ted Sorensen said that “there was far more substance and nuance in that first debate than in what now passes for political debate.” (4) The appearances of the candidates dominated much of the conversation regarding which candidate performed better, when in fact, Kennedy might have done better in the debate due to his “tactical and rhetorical superiority.” (5)
In what other ways might Kennedy have outperformed Nixon?
The debate enabled Kennedy to portray himself as a leader of the people - something far more impactful than the way one looked. At the end of his opening statement, Kennedy, staring directly into the camera stated: “I think it’s time America started moving again.” (6) This statement in particular helped Kennedy reinforce his argument that “Eisenhower had been devoid of new ideas” and that “the administration had done little more than maintain the status quo.” (7) But more significantly, people began to recognize Kennedy as an agent of change, affiliating Nixon with Eisenhower’s policies. Nixon, within the first sentences of his own opening statement, and many more statements that followed, could not help but agree with Kennedy saying, “the things that Senator Kennedy has said many of us can agree with.” (8) Too often, Nixon found himself agreeing with Kennedy. What later became recognized as Nixon’s “Me-too” strategy, was detrimental to Nixon’s support and made “republicans cringe”. (9) Republicans had not only “cringed” at Nixon’s appearance on that night, but also at his inability to articulate the case for why voters should support him.
Footnotes:
(1) White, The Making, 290, excerpted in W. Joseph Campbell, "TV Viewers, Radio Listeners, and the Myth of the First Kennedy-Nixon Debate," in Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, 2nd ed. (n.p.: University of California Press, 2017), 72, http://www.jstor.org.envoy.dickinson.edu:2048/stable/10.1525/j.ctv1wxrt2.10. [JSTOR]
(2) David Greenberg, "Rewinding the Kennedy-Nixon Debates," Slate, last modified September 24, 2010, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/09/did-jfk-really-win-because-he-looked-better-on-television.html, excerpted in Campbell, "TV Viewers," 72. [JSTOR]
(3) W. Joseph Campbell, "TV Viewers, Radio Listeners, and the Myth of the First Kennedy-Nixon Debate," in Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, 2nd ed. (n.p.: University of California Press, 2017), 72, http://www.jstor.org.envoy.dickinson.edu:2048/stable/10.1525/j.ctv1wxrt2.10.
(4) Ted Sorensen, "When Kennedy Met Nixon: The Real Story," The New York Times, September 25, 2010, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/opinion/26sorensen.html.
(5) Campbell, "TV Viewers," 69.
(6) First Kennedy-Nixon, 8:06.
(7) Gary A. Donaldson, The First, 95.
(8) First Kennedy-Nixon.
(9) Campbell, "TV Viewers," 77-78.
(1) White, The Making, 290, excerpted in W. Joseph Campbell, "TV Viewers, Radio Listeners, and the Myth of the First Kennedy-Nixon Debate," in Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, 2nd ed. (n.p.: University of California Press, 2017), 72, http://www.jstor.org.envoy.dickinson.edu:2048/stable/10.1525/j.ctv1wxrt2.10. [JSTOR]
(2) David Greenberg, "Rewinding the Kennedy-Nixon Debates," Slate, last modified September 24, 2010, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/09/did-jfk-really-win-because-he-looked-better-on-television.html, excerpted in Campbell, "TV Viewers," 72. [JSTOR]
(3) W. Joseph Campbell, "TV Viewers, Radio Listeners, and the Myth of the First Kennedy-Nixon Debate," in Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, 2nd ed. (n.p.: University of California Press, 2017), 72, http://www.jstor.org.envoy.dickinson.edu:2048/stable/10.1525/j.ctv1wxrt2.10.
(4) Ted Sorensen, "When Kennedy Met Nixon: The Real Story," The New York Times, September 25, 2010, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/opinion/26sorensen.html.
(5) Campbell, "TV Viewers," 69.
(6) First Kennedy-Nixon, 8:06.
(7) Gary A. Donaldson, The First, 95.
(8) First Kennedy-Nixon.
(9) Campbell, "TV Viewers," 77-78.