CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Clip of televised 1960 Nixon/Kennedy debate. U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon speaking to the camera. Pan from Nixon to U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA) across the stage; adult Caucasian male moderator in the middle. Kennedy speaking.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Don Hewitt, who directed this first televised debate for CBS News, sits outside, and talks about U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy's savvy regarding the televised debate. Vice-President Richard Nixon saw it as only another campaign event, and did not arrive looking his best.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Ted Rogers talks about U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon hurting his already infected knee by getting out of his car and banging it on the door before the televised debate.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Pre-debate, U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA) walks across the stage, eventually meets and greets U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon on stage; adult Caucasian males around Kennedy and Nixon, setting-up the debate, or taking photographs.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Ted Rogers talks about the importance of lighting and make-up when it comes to television appearances, and that he requested both of those things for U.S. Vice-President Richard Nixon prior to the debate, and his advisors turned down both requests.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Don Hewitt says he asked U.S. Vice-President Richard Nixon if he wanted make-up, which Nixon refused. He didn't want it known that he had make-up, but U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy did not, though Nixon needed it. Hewitt goes on to say that Nixon had some make-up applied to him that hid his stubble, but it did not look good. Hewitt called on Frank Stanton, then President of CBS, and made him aware of the issue. Stanton then went and asked if Ted Rogers was okay with the way Nixon looked, and he was.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA) speaking casually with one another on stage; adult Caucasian men in FG, one holding camera.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Ted Rogers talking about U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon at the debate; seeing Nixon at his worst, by appearance.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Both U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA) on stage together; adult Caucasian men in FG. Close-up of Kennedy.
CAMPAIGN 88: PRIME TIME PRESIDENT
Bill Wilson, former media advisor to U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (D-MA), says that their strategy was to stay out of the set until fifteen seconds to air time so that he could look fresher coming up on set while U.S. Vice-President Richard Nixon had already been standing on set in the studio for a few minutes.