A SHORT HISTORY OF RIGHT WING DESTRUCTION PART 14

 John F. Kennedy was a vice-presidential candidate in 1956, but lost out to Estes Kefauver.  It may have been one of the biggest breaks of Kennedy's career. Had he run with Adlai Stevenson in that election, he may have been blamed for the massive loss Stevenson suffered to Dwight Eisenhower.  Kennedy's Catholicism was considered a major negative.

Despite his Catholicism, Kennedy won the 1960 Democratic nomination.  In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention Kennedy proclaimed the start of a "New Frontier" and "New Frontier" was  the name attached to the years of the Kennedy administration.

Kennedy was matched up against the experienced and better-known Richard M. Nixon.  Nixon had served for eight years as Dwight Eisenhower's vice president.  Nixon had strong anti-communist credentials after his pursuit of Alger Hiss and his "kitchen debate" with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.    Kennedy had to overcome the idea that he was too young and too inexperienced to take on the tough and wily Soviet Premier.

Kennedy and Nixon had a series of presidential debates that proved Kennedy could stand toe to toe with the Republican nominee.  Nixon's television image did not serve him well.  He appeared haggard and looked shifty and dishonest.

The election was one of the closest in United States history and Kennedy squeaked out a victory.  It was the harbinger to come of the tumultuous 1960's.

More to come