Journalism 200: Introduction to Mass Media
             The Impact of Broadcast Presidential Debates:
             The televised presidential debates of our time have changed the way we look at the up-and-coming leader of the free world. It has given the American people a way of looking right into the heart of each candidate on his way to the White House. It allows us to see them in an unscripted way, answering real questions and giving real answers. We see them up close, noticing every movement, every action, and every reaction of that person behind the podium. We see the mistakes, the errors, and the failures to respond. But we also see the confidence, the leadership, and perhaps more of the truth. Televised presidential debates continue to be the best source of information about the coming election, and have been what voters count on to decide who they vote for in November.
             Before the broadcast era, there was little demand or interest in presidential debates. It took the invention of both television and radio to take politics to a step above its original standing with American voters. On September 26, 1960 in Chicago, the first of four nationally-televised Presidential debates took place, between Republican Vice President Richard Nixon and Democratic Senator John Kennedy. It was going to be the first time ever; 77 million Americans got both candidates, face to face, challenged with public eye watching to see the emotion in the face of the future President.
             The participation of Richard Nixon in the four debates in 1960, qualify as one the greatest political miscalculations in campaign history. The memorable first debate presented Nixon in a very bad light. Nixon did not wear make-up, was recovering from the flu, was suffering from a knee injury, and started to perspire on camera. Kennedy had been prepped on how to sit, look at Nixon when not speaking, and wore make-up on his already tan skin. The debate made Nixon look weak,...