Presidential candidates Sen. John Kennedy, left, and Vice President Richard Nixon face each other in a Chicago television studio as they debated. In center is Howard K. Smith, moderator. Four members of
the panel are in foreground.
For the first time in U.S. history, a debate between major party presidential candidates is shown on television. The presidential hopefuls, John F.
Kennedy, a Democratic senator of Massachusetts, and Richard M. Nixon,
the vice president of the United States, met in a Chicago studio to discuss
U.S. domestic matters. Kennedy emerged the apparent winner from this
first of four televised debates.