American Experience | The Presidents | John F. Kennedy

The Election of 1960
Democrat John F. Kennedy campaigned for the presidency in 1960 on the pledge to "get the country moving again." His opponent, Republican Richard Nixon, believed that the country was better off continuing the policies established under Dwight Eisenhower's eight years of leadership.

Here are some of the hot issues in the 1960 election... Choose the positions you favor:

International Relations
As the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union wore on, opinions varied as to whether and how America should exert a leadership role in the world.

	Candidate #1: Contends that "American prestige is at an all-time high," thanks to the efforts of the Eisenhower administration.
	Candidate #2: Citing a loss of prestige, declares that America needed a more activist and imaginative approach to international affairs.

The Economy
The nation was experiencing an economic recession as the 1950s came to an end. Strategies about how to best stimulate the economy sparked debate.

	Candidate #1: Urges economic growth through a combination of private enterprise and individual initiative.
	Candidate #2: Calls for increased government intervention to stimulate the economy.

Defense Spending
Much attention was paid to what constituted adequate military preparedness during the Cold War. While there was general agreement that the U.S. should match the Soviets' military strength, opinions as to how best to accomplish this task varied.

	Candidate #1: Asserts that the U.S. has maintained military standing with the Soviet Union, and that military spending should be watched carefully for excess.
	Candidate #2: Argues that a "missile gap" favoring the Soviet Union makes an increase in defense spending necessary.

Now find out which candidate you agree with most, and see how your opinion stacks up to the popular and electoral vote tallies for the 1960 election.

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