1. Election of JFK

2. State of the world in 1960
Cuba was in the midst of Revolution and the communist revolutionaries under Fidel Castro seized $700m worth of U.S. owned property
Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Madagascar and Zaire declared their independence
US was the richest country in the world
US was in the midst of the civil rights movement

3. Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev is soviet premier bio: had been a protégé of Stalin supported the Great purge – fulfilled “quotas” initiated by Stalin and the politburo to arrest and either execute or imprison (gulag) “enemies of the state” (anyone who may question Stalin) After Stalin's death, he followed Malenkov as premier restructured farming, housing and pushed space program reduced military spending: decided that they could reduce traditional military arms by developing more advanced weapons Visited the US and met with Nixon

4. Lost in space…. Ussr launches sputnik 1957
First satellite to orbit the earth
Us sees ussr as technologically superior and invests money into math and science education
Nasa formed 1958: launches first us satellite to successfully orbit earth
1959 ussr sends first man to orbit sun (luna 1)
Soviet Luna 2 lands on moon
1960 us launches 1st satellite with a spy camera
1961 Alan shepard is the first American in space

5. U-2 spy plane: cold war escalates
Pilot frances powers flies a plane from turkey over the soviet border
Ussr shoots it down and captures pilot

6. “Powers” struggle U.S. Denies Espionage:
Claim it was a NASA unarmed weather plane
USSR refuses to accept this
USSR stops planned summit in Paris
US admits that it was a spy plane:
Embarrassment for US
Reaffirms distrust between US and USSR
Eisenhower tries to justify by stating that, in order to maintain peace, they need to keep an eye on one another
Powers is convicted of espionage and sentenced to 3 yrs in prison and 7 yrs of hard labor by the Soviet government
1962- Powers is released in an exchange for a Russian spy captured by the US
“Powers” struggle

7. Uphill battle?
Young
Lack of experience – especially with foreign affairs
Catholic
Nixon FACTOR:
VP of Eisenhower: US was experiencing a time of prosperity in private sector
Nixon vowed to continue American economic growth, leadership and military strength
Viewed as more mature and experienced

8. TV Adds 10 lbs? Of charm… By 1960, 88% if American homes had a TV
JFK challenged Nixon to televised debates
Eisenhower administration advised against it, but Nixon felt confident
An estimated 70m Americans watched the 1st debate (2/3rds of the electorate)

9. Debate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QazmVHAO0os

10. First impressions… Kennedy: Nixon: Visited the studio the day before
Scoped out lighting and set
Wore a dark suit
More on-camera experience
Spoke INTO the camera
Public thought he was speaking directly to them
TV viewers thought he won
Image of being young and inexperienced faded
Nixon:
Had just gotten out of the hospital
Wasn’t able to see studio
Wore gray suit
Sweaty
Used traditional debate style and spoke directly to Kennedy, not the camera
Radio listeners thought he won
Nixon was more relaxed in later debates, but the damage was done

11. Kennedy Campaign Urban minorities Labor Catholics Democrat
Aligned with liberal reforms (FDR, Truman)
Targeted:
Urban minorities
Labor
Catholics
Endorsed by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Risky, but JFK called Coretta King when MLK was jailed
Advised against it because may alienate Southern (White) Democrats
Black vote was enough to cause him to win in a number of states

13. JFK: BLUE
303 Electoral Votes
34,220,984 popular votes
Nixon: RED
219 Electoral Votes
34,108,157 popular votes

14. Inauguration: Jan. 20, 1961
35th President of the United States of America is John Fitzgerald Kennedy

15. —John F. Kennedy, inauguration address, January 1961.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
—John F. Kennedy, inauguration address, January 1961.