JFK Elected President

Setting the scene

John F. Kennedy was elected president on November 8, 1960, defeating Vice President Richard Nixon by one of the closest margins in U.S. history—112,827 votes out of 68.8 million cast, 0.17%. Kennedy won 303 electoral votes to Nixon's 219. The election was the first to feature televised debates, which Kennedy won by appearing calm and youthful while Nixon looked pale and sweaty.

What happened

Kennedy, a 43-year-old Massachusetts senator, was the first Catholic elected president, overcoming anti-Catholic prejudice. His campaign emphasized the 'New Frontier' and claimed a missile gap with the USSR (which did not exist). Allegations of fraud in Illinois and Texas, where Kennedy won narrowly with help from Chicago Mayor Daley and LBJ's Texas machine, persist, but Nixon chose not to contest the result.

Why it still matters

Kennedy's election represented generational change—he was the first president born in the 20th century—and the rise of television politics. His victory led to the Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, and early Vietnam escalation before his assassination in 1963. November 8, 1960, marked the beginning of the 1960s and the triumph of image in American politics.

Background

Televised debates helped his image.