On This Day: 1st Debate On TV

On this day, September 26, 1960, the first Presidential debate was televised.

According to the 'Commission On Presidential Debates', it was held on all three major TV networks. Over 66 million people watched Richard M. Nixon face off with John F. Kennedy.

Here is the transcript.

Videos of the 1960 debate:Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4Many of the issues in 1960's debates are similar to those in the current debates.* Nixon criticized Kennedy's lack of experience.
Today's, focus on Obama's lack of experience.

* Kennedy's defense of governmental controls (regulations). This issue was speaking towards farmers income and food surpluses diluting commodity market prices. Nixon favored farm subsidies. Kennedy, "intervention" / "effective production controls".

* National debt. Kennedy did not "advocate' debt reduction for 1961, 1962 or 1963. He advocated for Medicare under Social Security. Also further federal aide to education in an attempt to relieve the burden on local property taxpayers.

Nixon responded saying that because of the programs Kennedy's advocating that of course debt reduction would not be possible. As far as creating a Medicare program and taxing it out separately under a Social Security tax, Nixon said it's still tax increase.

On education Nixon stated he agreed with Kennedy and favored federal education money for construction. But made it clear it should not go towards teacher's salaries. The same as Kennedy's position was at the time.I could go on with a very long list of other similarities.

The point is, from the very first televised debate right up until last week's, most of the political differences have changed little between either party.

And that's how the televised debates have now
become a regular part of our election process.

The last couple of GOP debates attracted less then 6 million viewers