on american history tv, a news style film from the u.s. information agency about the 1960 presidential election from the nominating conventions to the concession and victory speeches by richard nixon and john f. kennedy.

>> author september and october, and the first week of november. people getting their message to the people. . richard m. nixon was the choice of the republican party. he had served as vice president

sinc 1953. n he was a candidate for the presidency. his vice president runnin mate -- as the campaign gets underway, the presidential candidates meet face to face in television debates seen and heard by millions of people, the same people who will decide which of these two men will lead the country for the next four years. the personal contact with people is still an essential feature of any presidential campaign. senat kennedy, a tireless campaigner goes to all sections of the company, spelling out his views ofdomestic and foreign policy. on foreign policy the overriding issue is the maintenance of p peace and me meeting -- on domestic affairs, he stresses the governmes affair in meeting economic and social

problems. senator kennedy's wife, jacqueline has to limit her campaign appearanceses because e is expecting a child. but is still seen by thousands. gi me your help, give me your hand and your voice to rule move america forward. with these words, senator cannery ask the people to support his candidacy. 14 weeks of campaigning attracts enormous crowds. each of the two candidates traveled more than 60,000 miles. they go to small towns in big cities, railway stations and airplane stations they meet the people of america. with vice president nixon and his wife pat, he introduces her to the people, then he speaks of his program.. he speaks of the progress of

these past eight years and the need for seeking experience leaders at the helm of the nation. in their travels, the candidates visit american indian communities seeking their votes. they meet with people in all parts of the country with easygoing informality and with a sense of humor. beginning in hawaii, in september, the campaign stretches into early november when the first snow starts to fall in the eastern states of pennsylvania and new york. by this time, the issues of the campaign have been made clear. tuesday, november 8th, is election day all over the country. streets and buildings are decorated with flags. the campaign clamor has died down and giving way to quiet

reflection. but all the 50 states of the union, this is a legal holiday. many places a business ar closed. the people are urged to exercise their right to vote, th line up in front of schools, community halls in private homes at the places designated for election centers. in some places, the voting is by paper llot. in others, it's by automatic voting machine. on entering the booth, voters eveverywhere first register ther voice print choice for president and vice president. then in the diferent states, they elect 34 senators, 437 members of the house of representatives, and 27 governors. they elect judges, assemblyman and other officials.

they approve or reject tax proposals for school, roller housing projects. they vote for or against amendments in their state constitution, having their own opinion on how each vote affects their community, their children, their country. the main interest centers araround the elecon of a new president and today on election day, the big question is, how will people vote? in which state will they favor the republican candidate? in which state will they favor the democratic candidate? there have been many public opinion polls in many guesses but no one really knows for certain. everyone has said this would be a close election.

in the early morning hours, a helicopter lands near ghana's third, pennsylvania. bringing the nation's first citizen, president eisenhower,, to the voting place where he will cast his ballot. at the presidents polling place, located in a fireman's hall, it is too early to vote. no exception is made for the president, he must wait five minutes until 7:00. the press always asked the president jokingly for whom he is voting. he offsides. mr. eisenhower is completed two terms in office as aresident deeply loved and rest presented from the people.

one is on a proposed politician of local schools. a few hours later, at the same polling place, it is mrs. eisenhower's turn to vote. boating hours and regulations vary from state to state. in maryland, the ambassador of japan and his wife are among diomatic representatives of every nation, to observe election procedures in various communities. the ambassador is among the observers where voting machines are used. another famous signature on the election legislators is that of vice president nixon. with his wife pat, he cast his ballot in a small town of wood year, california, where both went to school. ty were married and were today, they cast the most

important both of their lives. senator kennedy and his wife jacqueline, voted in boston, massachusetts. photographers and reporters around them. this is the man in the next 24 hours, may become president of the united states, and she first lady of the land. in the cities of america, in thousands of election presents, the signs of the special they are everywhere. with quiet pride, people go to the polls. today, perhaps more than any other day, they feel deeply conscious of being part of their country. deeply committed to it. deeply involved in its future. in new york, the ambassador of

irma is among those observing american citizens preparing to cast their ballot. the american voters in turn, observe the burmese visitors with interest and appealing of kinship. the king chair feltlt by all people who have the right to choose the leaders of their government. on november 8th, 1960, 67 million americans go to the polls to do exactly that. to choooose owes who will govern the country and in their name. that same evening, as the polls close in the eastern states, the whole country begins to await the results. the television networks have made elaborate preparations to broadcast the election returns as they come in from different parts of the country. the headquarters of the major television networks are

equipped with entntire batteries of tabulated machis. with electronic computers to forecast the election on the basis of early returns. at party headquarters, pele gathered for what they hope will be a victory celebration. huge tally boards post the returns of those come in minute by minute hour by hour. from the very beginning, it beces obvious that this will be a close electn. after some early encouraging reports for vice president nixon it appears at senator kennedy is moving into the league. the news is flash on the moving bulletins side in neew york times square. then comes the electrifying you that senator kennedy has won

the state of connecticut by aa larg virology than expected. he now has eight electoral voteses. 2069 a needed to win the election.. his suppoers are jubilant. senator kennedy is recorded as leading in 17 states, with a total of 192 electoral votes. and following their returns, all eyes are on the map of the united states. each one of the 50 states has a certain number of electoral votes according to the size of its population. pennsylvania has 32 e electorall vote new york, 45. other key states are california, ohio, texas and illinois. in illinois, and the voting will be so closehat the league will go back and forth from one candidate to the other. then, this turns into a seesaw battle in a few of these dates. all night long.

all night long, the figures keep building up. in state after state, millions of voters bid their ballots. backing one presidential nominee and then voting for candidates from the opposing party or senator, governor, or congressman. nator kennedy's early lead of 2 million votes windows perilously as the returns come in from the western states. he holds on to his adadvantage n electoral votes. the returns are checked by his press secretary, pr cylinder. at the press headquarters of the democratic presidential candidate in hyannis, port massachusetts, all eyes are on the screen as television commentators announce the vice president nixon is about to make a statement. in the east, the time is 3:20 in the morning. in los angeles, californiaia on the west coast, it is 20

minutes past midnight. vice president appeared for those supporters, the scene is broadcast on television screens all over america. ththepresidential candidate of the republican party makes a statement. i wantay that one of the great featus of america is that we have political contests, that they are very hard-fought as this one was hard fought. once a decisions made will unite behind the man who is elected. i want all of you to know -- i want senator kennedy to know, and i want all of you to know, that certainly, if this trend

both continue and he does become our next president, that he will have my wholehearted support. >> it is in the best tradition of american politics rising above his own personal disappointment vice president dickson has shown the way to his supporters. he has acid in the event that senator kennedy's victory, the nation unites behind the new president. as a night wears off, deserted chairs or the symbol of discouragement our republican headquarters. the popular vote is so dramatically close. in the end, it will be a narrow victory iminnesota and will give senator kennedy issuer hold on the electoral vote of the state. as mourning comes to the cities

of t eastern states the newspapers headlined senator kennedy's election to the presidency. at this hour, the popular vote is so close that it appears he will win by a plurality of last and 1%. other american presidents have been elected this way. some of them, including abraham lincoln and woodrow wilson by a lower percentage of the popular vote. john f. kennedy, the 43-year-old senator from massachusetts becomes president elect the united states. as president of all the people his family also becomes the center nationwide interest. his two-year-old daughter caroline and his lovely wife jack clean. surely after vice president nixon officially concede the electn, in the early afternoon of wednesday, senator

kennedy appears before the press and amanda port, massachusetts. with him is his wife, father mother, many brothers and sisters. after acknowledging congratulatory praises from nixon, he addresses all americans. >> 12 americans i say, the next four years will be difficultt andchallenging years.