The Nice Debate: First televised presidential debate held at CBS Chicago 64 years in the past this month

The Nice Debate: The historical past that led as much as Kennedy-Nixon debate at CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) — Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will go face to face in a presidential debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening — persevering with a 64-year custom in tv that started at CBS Chicago’s previous studios.

On Sept. 26, 1960, Vice President Richard M. Nixon and U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts met for the primary ever televised presidential debate in Studio 1 on the previous CBS Chicago broadcast heart, at 630 N. McClurg Ct. within the Streeterville part of the Close to North Facet.

Political campaigns weren’t new to tv in 1960. In 1952, marketing campaign aide Roy O. Disney — older brother of Walt Disney — created the “I Like Ike” marketing campaign for Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower only for tv. That very same 12 months, the Democratic and Republican nationwide conventions — each on the Worldwide Amphitheatre in Chicago — had been televised.

That very same 12 months, Nixon — amid a scandal over marketing campaign contribution ethic s —admitted that he had accepted a present of a cocker spaniel pully named Checkers. 4 years later, Kennedy made remarks on the 1956 DNC — once more held on the Worldwide Amphitheatre in Chicago.

In 1960, Nixon and Kennedy every received nomination for the highest of the Republican and Democratic tickets for president, respectively. Whereas Kennedy was on an upswing — telling Protestant ministers in Houston that he may serve each his nation and his church as a Roman Catholic — Nixon suffered an damage to his left knee in a limousine whereas campaigning in North Carolina and ended up within the hospital with septic arthritis.

Congress suspended the “equal time” rule for broadcasting, thus making it so 14 minor-party candidates operating for president in 1960 didn’t have to be granted equal time. The Democrat Kennedy and the Republican Nixon would debate one-on-one, and hundreds of thousands could be watching.

Some anticipated the controversy viewers may high that determine — and even make or break a candidate’s probabilities within the election.

A mass of media at McClurg Court docket

CBS was chosen to deal with the primary debate at its comparatively new Chicago headquarters at 630 N. McClurg Ct. The constructing had been accomplished in 1924 as a horse secure for the Chicago Driving Membership, and a dozen years later turned the Chicago Enviornment — which supplied skating to the general public and likewise hosted determine skating competitions, beginner hockey league video games, and the Ice Capades. Along with its huge ice rink, the Chicago Enviornment featured a bowling alley, a grill, and a $50,000 Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that was performed as accompaniment for the skating.

In 1954, CBS bought the Chicago Enviornment constructing for $1.5 million. The theater organ was bought off, the ice rink was eliminated, and in response to the pamphlet “WBBM Radio Yesterday & As we speak,” authentic constructing architect Andrew Rebori developed a brand new design for the constructing as a broadcast heart.

The CBS Chicago broadcast heart opened in 1956 — changing a scattered native operation with studios on the Garrick Theater at 64 W. Randolph St. and the State-Lake Theatre at 180 N. State St. — the latter which, because it occurs, is now and has lengthy been the house of ABC 7. The McClurg Court docket broadcast heart later additionally supplanted CBS places of work on the Wrigley Constructing.

WBBM radio operations had been housed on the higher flooring, whereas TV studios for WBBM-TV, CBS Channel 2, had been housed on the bottom flooring.

4 years after the constructing opened Studio 1 at Channel 2 — the most important of 4 studios on the bottom flooring —could be the positioning the place Nixon and Kennedy would meet for the very first televised presidential debate.

Frantic preparation bought underneath means forward of time. Producer Don Hewitt, who eight years later would go on to create “60 Minutes,” served as the sphere commander for CBS on the Chicago studios. For a number of days, CBS executives and representatives of each candidates mentioned debate guidelines, digicam positions, lighting, and the model of chairs.

A grey background was chosen for the black-and-white broadcast, however there have been discussions and debates about the kind of paint and the shade. Gallons of paint had been hand-carried and the set was painted many times. It was nonetheless sticky when the candidates arrived on the night of Sept. 26.

The candidates had been pushed into the published heart in late-model sedans by way of a again door on Erie Road, and proper down a protracted, broad hallway that led to Studio 1. As seen in an previous diagram ready by the U.S. Secret Service and the Chicago Police Division — a duplicate of which CBS Chicago nonetheless has in its current constructing — each place was set forward of time in Studio 1. 

The candidates had been in entrance, dealing with moderator Howard Okay. Smith and the correspondents who would ask the candidates questions — Sander Vanocur of NBC Information, Charles Warren of Mutual Information, Stuart Novins of CBS Information and Bob Fleming of ABC Information.

The Nixon and Kennedy campaigns additionally every had their very own workplace area behind Studio 1. Whereas Studio 2 was put aside for the nightly 10 o’clock information broadcasts on Channel 2, Studios 3 and 4 — farther down the corridor towards the again of the constructing—had been pressed into service for some 380 reporters who would watch the controversy on closed-circuit tv and kind out experiences in real-time.

Nixon arrived first. His automobile got here by way of the Erie Road rear entrance about an hour earlier than airtime, at 7:30 p.m. He was met immediately by CBS community brass—together with Chairman William S. Paley and President Frank Stanton.

Observers stated Nixon appeared pale, and an aide stated he had certainly turned sheet white after struggling his knee damage and an infection. Nonetheless, he got here throughout as assured and relaxed.

In the meantime outdoors the published heart, dozens of Kennedy supporters solely glimpsed on the again door as their candidate entered in a automobile by way of the Erie Road again door—and met with the identical dignitaries and executives Nixon had.

Many remarked on how good Kennedy seemed — with a tan led to by campaigning in an open automobile in California. The 6-foot 1-inch Kennedy additionally wore a darkish go well with that match higher than Nixon’s lighter grey go well with that just about matched the grey backdrop. Observers famous that Nixon had misplaced weight, and his garments appeared saggy.

Appearances overshadow what candidates say

Earlier than arriving, Nixon had met with a hostile labor union viewers earlier within the day and had returned to the Congress Lodge within the South Loop a couple of minutes earlier, earlier than going over the controversy with an adviser on the way in which to CBS. Kennedy had made a quick marketing campaign look earlier than the identical labor group, and had then frolicked roleplaying the controversy on the Ambassador East Lodge within the Gold Coast—together with his advisers firing questions on all method of home points.

In the meantime, Nixon’s aides had been nervous about how he’d look on digicam — with misplaced weight, pale pores and skin, and stubble. The TV cameras made him seem like he had a 5 o’clock shadow.

CBS supplied an expert make-up artist for each candidates, however each declined such a service — regardless of Nixon’s workers pleading with him to let the make-up artist work on him. So Nixon staffers went over to a Magnificent Mile drugstore and picked up some Lazy Shave—a product described in printed experiences as advertising and marketing itself as a “color-cake for between shaves.”

Nonetheless, many thought Nixon seemed haggard subsequent to Kennedy.

The themes addressed on the debate centered on home coverage, as famous by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. They included training, the economic system, well being care, labor, agriculture, and the Chilly Warfare, the library famous.

“I do know what it means to be poor. I do know what it means to see people who find themselves unemployed. I do know Senator Kennedy feels as deeply about these issues as I do,” Nixon stated to the cameras. “However our disagreement shouldn’t be in regards to the targets for America, however solely in regards to the means to achieve these targets.”

“I come out of the Democratic Social gathering, which on this century has produced Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, and which supported and sustained these applications which I’ve mentioned tonight,” Kennedy instructed the cameras.

Nixon adopted a extra conventional debate model — turning and dealing with away from the house viewers and taking a look at Kennedy. When not talking, observers seen Nixon appeared to look nervously across the studio — typically at CBS Information President Sig Mickelson, who was serving as timekeeper. However Kennedy appeared to pay attention calmly and intently to Nixon when not speaking, observers famous.

In the meantime, Hewitt was within the management room directing the choice and timing of response photographs from one candidate as the opposite spoke — commonplace process in tv, however to the frustration of the Nixon marketing campaign. Nixon’s marketing campaign felt the response photographs had been too shut and tight, and really unflattering — and likewise took situation with full-body photographs that confirmed Nixon favoring his knee that had been injured.

Scorching TV lights additionally had an impact. The 650-watt spotlights and studio lights prompted Nixon to sweat profusely — defeating the aim of Lazy Shave that had been utilized to cover his stubble.

The Kennedy marketing campaign, for its half, was happy with the way in which its candidate appeared within the response photographs. Kennedy bought 11 response photographs totaling 118 seconds, whereas Nixon bought 9 photographs and 85 seconds.

Hewitt later stated he had been instructed merely to name the response photographs as he noticed then, and that was what he did.

After the controversy, Nixon lipped shortly out the again door. However Kennedy got here out the entrance door of on the McClurg Court docket facet — and supplied reporters the understatement of the 12 months.

“I assumed it was an attention-grabbing night,” Kennedy stated.

In the meantime, Mayor Richard J. Daley was very impressed with Kennedy, saying he knew a winner when he noticed one.

“Terrific,” Daley stated. “Kennedy seemed like Wilson, Truman, and Roosevelt put collectively,” Daley stated.

Throngs of supporters of each Kennedy and Nixon had been within the crowd in entrance of the CBS Chicago broadcast heart after the controversy. And lots of of those that listened to the controversy on the radio, and had solely the candidates’ phrases to go on, thought Nixon had received.

However survey after survey of people that noticed the controversy on TV revealed the bulk believed Kennedy was the victor. These surveys additionally confirmed that among the many viewers of some 70 million, an enormous variety of undecided voters and independents determined to vote for Kennedy due to his efficiency within the televised debate.

Three extra debates, and much more historical past at CBS Chicago’s previous studios

Kennedy and Nixon debated three extra instances earlier than the 1960 election—in New York Metropolis; Washington, D.C.; and Los Angeles. Nixon got here off higher within the later debates—significantly the final on overseas coverage in New York on Oct. 21.

However Kennedy received the election.

Each Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1964, and Nixon once more—when he efficiently ran once more for president in 1968 and re-election in 1972—refused to debate their opponents. The subsequent televised presidential debate did not occur for 16 years, when incumbent President Gerald Ford and challenger Jimmy Carter debated in 1976. Vice presidential candidates Bob Dole and Walter Mondale additionally debated that 12 months.

As to the historic Studio 1 on the previous CBS Chicago Broadcast Middle, it seemed a lot the identical when “The Nice Debate” particular aired 25 years after Kennedy and Nixon’s go to. Nevertheless it was put to different makes use of to nice acclaim. Phil Donahue taped his “Donahue” speak present from Studio 1 earlier than a reside viewers from 1982 by way of 1984. Chicago Tribune and Channel 2 Information film critic Gene Siskel and his Chicago Solar-Occasions rival, Roger Ebert, used the studio for “Siskel & Ebert” for a few years too.

In 1973, the wall got here down between Studio 3 and 4 on the broadcast heart — the 2 studios the place these 380 reporters had been plugging away at their typewriters through the 1960 debate. Now double in measurement, this area turned an enormous working newsroom that was designed to double as an on-air set for the information.

The large newsroom with all its bustle was the on-air set for a well-known period of Channel 2 Information within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties — with such family identify anchors as Walter Jacobson, Don Craig, Harry Porterfield, Lester Holt, Linda MacLennan, and naturally, the very host of “The Nice Debate” documentary, Invoice Kurtis. Channel 2 went again to Studio 2 for its information set within the early 90s, however the massive newsroom remained in use because the station’s newsroom till the station moved buildings.

And for the final a number of years on the previous broadcast heart within the 2000s, CBS 2 Information — because it was identified by then — was a little bit farther down the corridor, again within the historic Studio 1 the place Nixon and Kennedy had as soon as debated earlier than the nation.

And whereas the 1960 Nixon-Kennedy debate was the one common election presidential debate ever held on the McClurg Court docket constructing, it was not the one high-profile debate held within the constructing.

On March 13, 1992, Arkansas Gov. Invoice Clinton, former U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts, and former California Gov. Jerry Brown gathered at Studio 1 on the McClurg Court docket broadcast heart for a Democratic presidential main debate. This debate was staged by WBBM-TV CBS Channel 2, and WJBK-TV 2 in Detroit — now a Fox station, however a CBS affiliate again then. 

Kurtis moderated the 1992 Democratic main debate with Wealthy Fisher of WJBK 2. A digitized recording survives on the C-SPAN web site.

CBS Chicago moved to its present broadcast heart at 22 W. Washington St. within the fall of 2008. The previous McClurg Court docket broadcast heart was torn down, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab now occupies its footprint.

Watch the 1960 debate

The total Kennedy-Nixon “Nice Debate” of Sept. 26, 1960, might be considered right here.