John F. Kennedy's Presidency: 1960 Election and the Cuban Missile Crisis

The Pivotal 1960 Presidential Election

The election of 1960 was one of the closest elections in American history.

The Candidates and Campaign Dynamics

• Republican Insider: Richard Nixon, who served as Vice President for eight years under Dwight Eisenhower.
• Democratic Newcomer: John F. Kennedy (JFK), a senator from Massachusetts. At age 43, he stood to become the youngest person ever elected President.

Major Campaign Issues

Age was not the only factor. Kennedy was also Roman Catholic, and no Catholic had ever been elected President before. To mollify these concerns, Kennedy addressed a group of Protestant ministers, pledging a solid commitment to the separation of church and state.

Kennedy also stressed his character, assisted by those in the press who reported stories about his World War II heroism. While serving in the South Pacific aboard the PT-109, a Japanese destroyer rammed his ship and snapped it in two. Kennedy rescued several of his crewmates from certain death. Courage and character became the major themes of Kennedy's campaign.

The Close Contest

Although both candidates were moderates on nearly every policy issue of the time, each hailed from diverse backgrounds. To broaden his base, Kennedy named one of his opponents for the Democratic nomination, Lyndon B. Johnson, as his Vice-Presidential running mate. Johnson was older and much more experienced in the Senate.

In such a close contest, every event mattered. Many analysts suggest that the decisive battle in the campaign was waged during the televised Presidential debates, where Kennedy bested Nixon, who was suffering from a cold and appeared tired and nervous.

Election Results

When the votes were tallied in November:

• Kennedy earned 49.7% of the popular vote.
• Nixon earned 49.5% of the popular vote.

Kennedy polled only about 100,000 more votes than Nixon out of over 68 million votes cast.

The Kennedy Presidency and Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

In autumn 1962, early in his presidency, the Soviet Union began shipping nuclear missiles to Cuba, where they could be aimed at the United States from just a few hundred miles away. When JFK found out about these missiles, he imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba and pondered an invasion. For two weeks, the world was on the edge of nuclear war, until Khrushchev finally agreed to remove the missiles, ending the crisis.

Legacy and Assassination

Throughout his presidency, JFK managed to create a public image immensely attractive to much of America. He was the first "television President." His life and presidency were cut short, however, by an assassin's bullet on November 22, 1963, plunging the country into mourning. JFK's death was undeniably tragic, but it had the effect of cementing and amplifying his legacy.