We can half after the first televised debate, john f. Kennedy Richard Nixon debated for second time. They took questions about cuba, soviet union, and civil rights. This is frank mcgee, nbc news in washington. This is the second of a series of programs. Never have so many people see the major candidates for the president of the United States at the same time. Never until this time of americans see the candidates face to face. Tonight the candidates have agreed to devote a full hour and answering questions on any question. Here tonight are the republican candidate, Vice President richard and nixon and a democratic candidate senator john f. Kennedy. Now representatives and of all the raz radio and Television Networks have agreed on this network rules. Either candidate each will be questioned intern. It will have an opportunity to comment on the answer of the other, each reporter will ask only one question in turn. He is free to ask any question he chooses. Neither candidate knows which question will be asked and all of the clock will determine who will be asked the last question. These programs representing a president opportunity for the candidates to present their philosophy and programs directly for the people to compare the candidates. Before reporters on Tonights Panel include a newspaper man and a wire service representative. These two were selected by a lot by the press secretaries of the candidates from among the reporters traveling with the candidates. Broadcasting representatives were selected by the respective companies. The reporters are paul nevis of cbs, Edward P Morgan of abc, i havent seen of an United Press International and horror harold errol levy. The first question is from mr. Navy and is for Vice President nixon. Mister Vice President , he said last night that the Administration Must take responsibility would you compare the validity that statement to the validity of your own statement the Previous Campaign and the Previous Administration responsible for the loss of . First of all i dont agree with senator kennedy win this in ministration came into power in 1963. I believe were feeling finding the right course. A courses difficult which under the circumstances, we only proper one which will let people get a chance to realize their aspirations through freedom. If they get that, with our cooperation with the other organization of the states. Now senator kennedy has made some very strong criticism of my part or alleged part in what is happening in cuba. He points the fact that i visited cuba while a castro was in power there. If we are only in a judge the administration in turn of our attitude towards dictators, were glad to have a comparison of the Previous Administration. There were 11 dictators in south america and in Central America when we came in in 1953. Today there are only three left including the one in cuba. We think thats pretty good record. Senator kennedy also said regards to cuba that i have made a mistake when i went to cuba and not calling for free elections. I am very surprised that mr. Kennedy who is on the Foreign Relations kennedy wouldve made such a statement of this kind. As a matter of fact, in his book a strategy for peace he took the position that United States has a treaty, treaty with all the organizations of the americas which parnas aarian privates us from interfering in internal affairs of all other states or sovereign nations. In direct opposition to that treaty. Now with regards to cuba, let me makes one thing very clear. There isnt any question whether we will defend our rights. There isnt any question that we will defend onetime normal. There also isnt any question that the free people, the people want to free in cuba are going to be supported and that they will obtain their freedom. No, cuba is not lost. I dont think this kind of defeat us look by senator kennedy helps the situation one. Bit senator candy would you care to comment . The first place i never suggested the cube was lost. Last night i, i suggested the cube when they were again would be free. But ive been critical of the administrations policy and when i criticize mr. Nixon was because in a conference in ahead of an in 1955, he praised the confidence competence instability of that dictatorship. That dictatorship that killed over 20,000 cubans in seven years. Secondly, i did not criticizing him for calling for free elections what i criticize was a failure of the administration, that used its great influence to persuade the cuban government to hold free elections, particularly in 1957 1958. Thirdly, Arthur Gardner earl smith, republican ambassador and succession, both have indicated in the past six weeks that they reported to washington, a marxist, the rail castro was a communist and that they got no effective result. It was this teased it was in effect, and we never used our influence, and today cuba is lost to freedom. I hope someday it will rise, i dont think it will rise if we continue the same policies toward cuba as well as we did in recent years, and towards all of latin america. We almost ignored the needs of latin america, not a single voice of the American Program and all of latin america, in the last eight years, except for three months of the hungarian revolution. Mr. Morgan with a question for senator kennedy. Senator, last may in oregon, you discuss the possibility of printing apologies or regrets to crush f over the need to think now that that wouldve done any good, or did you think so . Them organized suggested that if the United States felt it could save hell be good for us to express regret. In my judgment, that statement has been distorted by mr. Nixon and others. There are deep in their debates and discussions. He said that if the was ever the case we dont have a lot on our side, you two flights were proper from protecting our security but they were not in accordance with international law. When i said that i felt it was a law if, rather than indicated the flights would continue, i believe mr. Nixon said himself on may 15th, mr. Hurd tested before the foreign Senate Foreign committee. The sun is useful and i believe it. Is the point is always love to the fact that we addressed grants to cast draw this winter, we aggressed regret the eisenhower information, we arrest to grant to flight over russia in 1950, eight made rescue grant flight over germany 1958. So the union over the bering sea. Chinese communists express regret to us over plane into 1956. That is accepted procedure among nations. My judgment is we should fill fall and maintain a strong position but also speak softly. I believe in those cases where International Falls to the expression of regret that wouldve kept the summit going and my judgment its not, soft i believe we should be stronger than we now are. I believe we should have a stronger military force, i believe we should increase our strength all over the world. I dont confuse words with strength. My judgment as the summit issue that wouldve brought peace, rather than the lies that we sold and the response to all people afterward and far better than us to follow the common diplomatic procedure and then try to move on. Mister Vice President. I think senator kennedy is wrong and three counts. First of all, hes wrong thinking or even suggesting that mr. Crew chef mightve attended the conference if we had its best regrets. He knew these fights were going on long before that was recently broke up the conference. Second, hes wrong in the analogy that he made. United states is a strong country. Whenever we do anything straw, we can express regrets. When the president of the United States is doing something thats right, something that is the purpose of defending the security of this country against the he can, never extracts regrets or apologize to anybody excluding mr. Crews chef. Mr. Kennedy is a criticize the president of not expressing regret because he allow this fight to take place while the summit conference or immediately before the summit conference occurred. This seems to me his criticism is wrong in his we all remember pearl harbor. We lost 3000 american lives. We cannot afford this, i just want to make my position absolutely clear with regard to getting intelligence information. I dont intend to see to it that the United States is ever in a position where while were negotiating with the soviet union that we discontinue or intelligence act, and i dont intend to express regret too brezhnev if i am doing something that has the support of the congress for the purpose of protecting the security of the United States. The question for Vice President nixon. You have accused kennedy of avoiding the civil rights issue when he went to the south and he is accused of the same thing. Both north and south watching, would you sum up your own intentions. My intentions in the field of silver rights is spelled out on the republican platform. I think we have to make Progress First and there we would get statutory ability to the government contracts which is an effective way of getting real process, one order of every four jobs is held by and allotted by people of government contracts. I think we all agree, with anybody has a government contract, certainly the money that theyre spending on that contract should be dispersed equally without regard to race or creed or color of the individual. Second to the field of schools, we believe that there should be provisions were by the federal government gives assistance to those districts to do want to integrate their schools. That was rejected, in which and then as far as other areas of concern, i think we have to look at the president ial leadership. When i speak of president ial leadership, i refer for example in our attitude of sitins. Here we have a situation which bothers all of us. All of us are concerned because of the denial of the rights of people to the quality that should belong to everyone. I have talked to black mothers, ive heard them try to explain how they tell their children how they can go into a store and buy a loaf of bread but then cant go into that store and sit at the counter. This is wrong. And we have to do something about it. Under the circumstances, what do we do . What we do is what the attorney general of the u. S. And the president ial direction, call in the owners of chain stores and get them to take action. There are other places where this could work. Let me sum up icing, why do i not because i am preaching to the people of the south, this is not just a southern problem, it is a northern problem, a western problem. I do it because of the responsibility of leadership. I do it because we have to solve this problem together. I do it at this time particularly because we have brezhnev, a man who is in slave many, slaughtered many, you cannot continue to have a situation where he points the finger at the u. S. And says that we are denying rights to our citizens. And so i say, both the candidates and the Vice President ial candidates, including president johnson should talk on this issue at every opportunity. Nixon hasnt discuss the basic questions. What is going to be done and what will be his policy on implementing this . Giving aid to schools that are trying to carry out the provisions is not the right question. What is he going to do the provides he is the head of committee of government contracts that carried out two cases, both in the district of columbia. Fair Employment Practices around the country. If everyone could get a job, regardless of the racial color. Or has he indicated that he will support title three . Which will give the 20 general additional powers to protect Constitutional Rights . These are the great questions. Quality of education in schools, 200 of white people, 10 over colored, 60 70 of our color children do not finish high school. These are the questions, these areas whether its a north, south, easter west need to know. What will be the leadership of the president providing a quality of opportunity. That could be done in all housing by a stroke of a president s hand. It could be done to provide quality of education in all sections of the United States. Those are the question which the president should establish for moral leadership. I sure you, if im elected president i will do so. On the same subject, in the past you have emphasized the president s responsibility as a moral leader as well as an executive on civil rights. What specifically might the next president do in the event of a current like little rock or the lunch counter sitins . I think the president should operate in many different ways. There is legislative, as i just said i believe the title three, give their attorney general to protect Constitutional Rights in those cases where its not possible for the person involved to bring a suit. As an executive. There has been six cases brought by the attorney general under the voting bill passed in 1957 and the one passed in 1960, the rate vote is basic. Those bills which represent the will of the majority of congress on two occasions, currently i do not believe the contract everyone who does business with the government should have the opportunity to make sure that they did not practice discrimination when theyre hiring. That is all sections of the United States. And fourth lee, as a moral leader. There is a very strong moral leader, quality before the law. I dont think a quality before the law but the quality of opportunity. Were in a different time. We need all the talent we can get. We sit on it conspicuous stage, we are a Goldfish Bowl before the world. We have practice what we preach. We set a High Standard for ourselves. Communism, they set a low standard of materialism. We preach the declaration of instant pendants and the state of our greatest leaders, we preach High Standards. If we are not going to be charged, if we have to meet those standards. The president of the United States should be that. Lastly i believe in, i would hope the president in the United States would indicate clearly that this decision was going to be carried out. Under the handling of the case it was not. I think the president was responsible and those involved he should make it clear, the springboard decision is going to be carried out in a way that the Supreme Court plant. Then in my judgment, i believe we can make progress. The President Administration the president has never indicated what he thought of the 1954 decision. And if he doesnt speak, the country doesnt speak. The presidency of the United States is a place of moral leadership and i believe on this great moral leadership you should speak out and give your views clearly. Mister Vice President . Senator kennedy has some high hopes and hopes which all american share, progress in this area. Lets look at the performance. Selected as Vice President ial running mate, you selected a man who had ordered against most of these proposals and a man who opposes them at the present time. Let me also look at what i did, i selected a man who stands with me in this field and who will talk with me and work with me. The senator referred to the committee and government contracts, and yet, that very committee of which i am chairman has been handicap for the fact that we have not had adequate funds, we had not have advocate powers. In a special session of congress, and also in the session proceeding, the Democratic Congress in which there is a two to one majority was asked by the president to give us the power to do a job. And they did nothing at all. And in a special session, kennedy was calling the signals. They turned it down and he himself voted against it. Despite the fact that the bill had already been considered and the Congress Already knew what it had. All i can say is this, what we need here is not just high hopes. What we need is action. And in the field of executive leadership i can say, i believe it is essential that the president of the United States not only sets the tone but he also must lead, he must act as he talks. Mister Vice President , in your speeches you emphasize that the United States is doing basically well in the cold war. Can you square that statement with a considerable bipartisan reports and studies including one participated in by rockefeller, which almost unanimous that we are not doing so well as we say. No matter how well we are doing in the cold war, we are not doing as well as we should. That will always be the case as long as the communist are on the international scene. And the tendencies that they currently hold. As far as the present situation, i think it is time that we nail a few of these distortions of the u. S. That have been put out. First of all, we hear that our prestige is at an alltime low. Senator kennedy has hitting that point over and over again. I would suggest that after brezhnev law and eisenhowers speech, that the president find communist prestige is also at an alltime low an American Press each is at an alltime high. That is just one fact when we look at the vote on the. Congo, we were on one side and they were on the other side. What happened