Kennedy’s Ascendancy
In the 1960 presidential elections in the United States, two special candidates faced each other, each with unique qualities. One of them had to be seen in visual media to outshine the competitor and reach the White House.
John F. Kennedy was very fortunate as the 1960 presidential debates in America were held for the first time, broadcasted through both visual and auditory media.
The 1960 election debate was unique because the perception of those who saw it through visual media was slightly different from those who listened to it on the radio.
John F. Kennedy’s charismatic and unique personality captured the hearts of the American people, while Richard Nixon was in a weakened state due to illness, with his tired and yellowish appearance making him appear weaker compared to Kennedy.
Interestingly, while TV viewers believed Kennedy won the debate decisively, radio listeners tended to lean towards Nixon’s superiority to some extent.
Election debates are very effective tools for understanding the programs, characters, and personalities of presidential candidates, although in recent years, fewer questions have been asked about their main agendas.
The candidates’ understanding of the people, internal issues, and their views on foreign policy is well demonstrated in the debates, allowing undecided voters to reach the necessary conclusion for their final choice by watching the debates.
If the charismatic and eloquent character Ronald Reagan could outshine Jimmy Carter once, the energetic and articulate young personality Bill Clinton could lead George Herbert Walker Bush to defeat.
Debates do not necessarily result in the victory or defeat of presidential candidates in America, but they can have an impact on the candidates’ popularity.
Following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the re-election candidacy, which was largely due to weaknesses in the pre-selection debates and the opinions of Democratic Party elites about the results of these debates, Kamala Harris now found the opportunity on September 10th to move from the position of vice presidency towards the presidency.
Contrary to the expectations of many viewers, the Harris and Trump debate began with attacks from Harris towards Trump. If Trump had a strong opponent, his supporters would have accepted his words better, but in the first election debate, less enthusiasm was seen from his rival.
If Kamala Harris wanted to introduce herself more to the American people, she didn’t need to do so in front of Trump, as her personality and domestic and foreign policies were already clear to the American people during her presidency.
Therefore, Kamala Harris’ motivation in the September 10 debate was more than Donald Trump. Harris was ready to prove to the Democratic Party and its supporters that she was not chosen in vain as a substitute for the elderly Joe Biden.
That’s why she constantly tried to provoke Donald Trump with her words, and she succeeded to some extent in making America angry.
Even the Republican newspapers did not label Harris as the loser of the September 10 debate and tried to criticize the questions asked of her, even on networks that lean more towards Democrats. But none of them spoke definitively about Trump’s victory or Harris’ defeat.
The most important message of the September 10 debate was that Kamala Harris can make it to the White House, although both she and her election campaign still need to make more efforts.
Finally, it must be said that if Harris can become president, he should not forget that his journey to the White House started from Philadelphia, the populous city in the key state of Pennsylvania, which can be one of the determining states in winning the White House through electoral votes.
