Kennedy-Nixon Debates

             ahead. I think we can do a better job. I think we"re going to have to do a.
             better job if we are going to meet the responsibilities which time and events.
             have placed on us. We cannot turn the job over to anyone else. If the United.
             States fails then the whole cause of freedom fails." (The First Kennedy Nixon.
             Debate, p.2).
             After Kennedy was finished Smith announced for Vice President.
             Nixon to give his opening statement. Nixon agreed with Kennedy about the.
             U.S. having to move. Nixon compared his thoughts on Communism to a.
             deadly competition, and that the U.S. was ahead and needed to stay that way. .
             He disagreed with Kennedy because Kennedy said that the U.S. had been.
             standing still, and Nixon pointed out that we had been moving. He stated that.
             our gross national product was the highest in the world, that more schools had.
             been built, we had developed more hydroelectric power, and the wages of.
             people had gone up. Nixon said the programs he supported would give all.
             Americans an equal chance for education, better medical care for elders, and.
             more housing. He quickly shot down Kennedy's programs and said that with.
             Kennedy the U.S. would quit moving and go stagnate. .
             One of Nixon's major points was the spending of each of the political.
             platforms. He showed that with the Democratic platform would spend.
             eighteen billion more dollars a year than what was currently being spent. .
             Nixon and his Republican platform would only spend five billion dollars more.
             than was being spent. In the final part of his opening he said the difference.
             between he and Kennedy was the means of reaching the goals that the two.
             proposed.
             After the opening statement the questions then were asked by the news.
             correspondents. One question was, "Why do you think people should vote.
             for you rather than the Vice President?" (The First Kennedy-Nixon Debate,.
             p.4). Kennedy responded by saying that the programs that he advocates.
             compared to the programs advocated by Nixon was the reason that people.