How Sweat Cost Richard Nixon the 1960 Election
Dripping with perspiration, Nixon drew a stark contrast on tv to the debonair JFK
This past week, millions of Americans and the world at large sat on the edge of their collective seats anxiously watching and awaiting the final results of the Presidential election. While policy, personality and the will of the people all traditionally help determine the outcome of each contest, sometimes strange or even trivial things can help sway the tide. This is especially true for Richard Nixon, who may have lost his bid for the Presidency in 1960 because of his excessive sweating.
After serving as Vice President under Dwight Eisenhower for eight years, Nixon was poised to take his place in the Oval Office during the 1960 election. Not only was he a seasoned politician, the Republican was up against Democratic challenger Senator John F. Kennedy, who was young and Catholic, an identity many voters viewed with suspicion and bias at the time.
On September 26, 1960 a Presidential debate was televised for the first time. While Nixon was able to speak well from personal experience, he looked like a complete mess. He had battled an infection in his knee during the previous few weeks and declined to have any makeup prior to going in front of the camera. His haggard appearance…
