What Should Nixon Have Done in Order to Win in 1960?

[Bo]

I'm interested in hearing your responses.

[Bo]

I really believe having Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York as his Vice Presidential runningmate could have pushed Nixon over the top.

Rockefeller was not interested in the VP position, however.

Why not? I think being a VP gave you more influence than being NY governor, even back then. Also, do you have any other ideas about what Nixon should have done differently?

[Bo]

I think Nixon shouldn't have made his pledge to campaign in fifty states, since that led to him having to campaign in states he had no chance of winning or states that wouldn't matter.

Welcome to the forum.

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[Bo]

Does anyone think that Nixon should have talked more about Eisenhower's economic record, used Ike more extensively (I know Ike had some heart problems but Nixon could have at least made some commercials with Ike), and attacked JFK more aggresively, especially for being an elitist (Nixon could have said that JFK did not experience the same economic difficulties that he and most Americans experienced, and thus is an out-of-touch elitist)? Also, do you think margaret Chase Smith would have been a good VP pick for Nixon? Sure sexism was much more widespread, but Nixon could have probably gotten an appreciably larger share of the female vote.

[Bo]

I think Nixon shouldn't have made his pledge to campaign in fifty states, since that led to him having to campaign in states he had no chance of winning or states that wouldn't matter.

Agreed.

Also, Nixon should've done a radio-only debate. Those who listened to it on the radio thought Nixon won, but those who watched it on TV thought JFK won.

These two. Also, Eisenhower was still a very popular President in 1960, and Nixon should have gotten him to start campaigning for him a lot sooner, and, of course, not make the "Come Back to me in a week" gaffe.

Eisenhower had heart problems in 1960, so I'm not sure how much more he would have been able to campaign. Still, Nixon should have made many ads starring Ike and also made an ad where Ike said that he was joking about that "Come back to me in a week" comment and then list all of Nixon's accomplishments as Vice President. Ike said that he was joking about that comment later, so Nixon should have made an ad about it.

[Bo]

I think Nixon shouldn't have made his pledge to campaign in fifty states, since that led to him having to campaign in states he had no chance of winning or states that wouldn't matter.

Agreed.

Also, Nixon should've done a radio-only debate. Those who listened to it on the radio thought Nixon won, but those who watched it on TV thought JFK won.

Agreed. If Nixon had to do a TV debate, he should have shaved and worn some makeup. Also, he should have not injured his leg on the campaign trail (or at the very least, he should have taken a break from campaigning right after he came out of the hospital), since this led to him looking uncomfortable and sickly during the debate.

Also, I think that Nixon should have spent more time in swing states like Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and New Jersey, since those were close states within his reach. Had he not made the 50 states pledge he probably would have won them, or at the very least, he would have stood a greater shot. Had he carried all of those states, he would have won (but he would have won with just Illinois and Texas or Illinois, New Jersey, and Missouri).  

I agree that Nixon should have agreed to a radio-only debate and that he should have campaigned more in large swing states. However, Nixon injuring his leg was kinda out of his control, and I read that he didn't wear makeup because he saw how the media criticized Hubert Humphrey (I think) for wearing makeup during one of his debates with JFK (for the Democratic nomination). Also, i think Nixon should have been much more aggressive with Kennedy in the debates, since I think many people (and the media) criticized him for always agreeing with Kennedy while Kennedy criticized Eisenhower.

[Bo]

Yes, but everything has to go just right in several states.

Do you think IL and TX were rigged for JFK?

[Bo]

I think Nixon shouldn't have made his pledge to campaign in fifty states, since that led to him having to campaign in states he had no chance of winning or states that wouldn't matter.

Agreed.

Also, Nixon should've done a radio-only debate. Those who listened to it on the radio thought Nixon won, but those who watched it on TV thought JFK won.

Agreed. If Nixon had to do a TV debate, he should have shaved and worn some makeup. Also, he should have not injured his leg on the campaign trail (or at the very least, he should have taken a break from campaigning right after he came out of the hospital), since this led to him looking uncomfortable and sickly during the debate.

Also, I think that Nixon should have spent more time in swing states like Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and New Jersey, since those were close states within his reach. Had he not made the 50 states pledge he probably would have won them, or at the very least, he would have stood a greater shot. Had he carried all of those states, he would have won (but he would have won with just Illinois and Texas or Illinois, New Jersey, and Missouri). 

I agree that Nixon should have agreed to a radio-only debate and that he should have campaigned more in large swing states. However, Nixon injuring his leg was kinda out of his control, and I read that he didn't wear makeup because he saw how the media criticized Hubert Humphrey (I think) for wearing makeup during one of his debates with JFK (for the Democratic nomination). Also, i think Nixon should have been much more aggressive with Kennedy in the debates, since I think many people (and the media) criticized him for always agreeing with Kennedy while Kennedy criticized Eisenhower.

Actually, if he hadn't been in friggin' North Carolina, it probably wouldn't have happened.

It was an accident. Those kinds of things could happen to anybody. I'm sure Nixon was pretty careful.