  
1960 debate |
It's widely acknowledged that Nixon lost the 1960 presidential election to John Kennedy because of his physical appearance during a television debate with JFK. According to Don Hewett, who produced the televised debate, Nixon looked bad that day on television for several reasons: (1) Nixon had a staphylococcal infection at the time, (2) Nixon "smacked his knee" in the studio and was in pain, (3) After Kennedy declined to have make-up applied, Nixon declined, too, fearing the consequences if it became known that he had accepted make-up when Kennedy had not. To cover his five o'clock shadow, Nixon instead had one of his people smear a product of dubious quality, known as "Shave Stick," on his face [1]. |
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Hewitt also produced a television special on the day President Kennedy
was assassinated. One of Hewitt's guests on the show was Richard Nixon.
The make-up man for the show was the same make-up man for the 1960
debate, whose services Nixon had declined.
Before the show, Hewitt said something along the following lines to Nixon:
"Do you realize that if
Franny had done your make-up for the debate, you would have been
President?" To which Nixon wheeled around without a moment's
hesitation and replied: "Yes, and now I'd be dead." [1] |
