Narrator all through september and october and the first week of november, the candidates carry their message to the people. [applause] it started in july, when the Democratic Party nominated senator john f. Kennedy for president of the United States. And for Vice President , senator lyndon b. Johnson. The party united behind its candidate. Nixon was the choice for the Republican Party. He had served as Vice President of the United States since 1953. Now, he was a candidate for the presidency. His Vice President ial running mate, ambassador henry cabot lodge. As the campaign gets underway, the president ial candidates meet facetoface in Television Debates seen and heard by millions of people, the same people who will decide which of these two men shall lead the country for the next four years. But personal contact with the people is still an essential feature of an american president ial campaign. Senator kennedy, a tireless campaigner, goes to all sections of the country, spelling out his views of domestic and foreign policy. On foreign policy, the overriding issue is the maintenance of peace and meeting the challenge of the international situation. On domestic affairs, he stresses the governments role in meeting economic and social problems. [applause] senator kennedys wife, jacqueline, has to limit her Campaign Appearances because she is expecting a child. But still, she is seen by thousands. Give me your help, give me your hands and your voice to move america forward. With these words, senator kennedy asks the people who support his candidacy and his program. In 14 weeks of campaigning, he attracts enormous crowds. Each of the two candidates traveled more than 60,000 miles. They go to small towns and big cities. At railroad stations, airports, and public squares, they meet the people of america. With Vice President nixon is his wife pat. He introduces her to the people and then speaks of his program, speaks of the progress of the past eight years and the need for keeping experienced 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 a sense of humor. Beginning in hawaii in the sunny first weeks of september, the campaign stretches into early november, when the first snow is falling in the Eastern States of pennsylvania and new york. At this point, the issues of the campaign have been made clear. Tuesday, november 8 is election day all over the country. Streets and buildings are decked with flags. The campaign clamor has died down and given way to quiet reflection. In all the 50 states of the union, this is a legal holiday. Many places of business are closed. The people are urged to exercise their right to vote. Beginning in the morning hours, they line up in front of firehouses, schools, Community Halls and private homes, the places designated election centers. In some places, the voting is by paper ballot. In others, it is by automatic voting machine. On entering the booth, voters everywhere first register their choice for president and vice resident. And Vice President. In the different states, they senators members of the , 437 house of representatives, and 27 governors. They elect judges, assembly men and other officials. They approve or eject tax proposals for school, road or housing projects. They vote for or against amendments in their state constitution, having their own opinion as to how each vote affects their community, their children, their country. The main Interest Centers around the election of a new president. And today, on election day, the big question is, how will the 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 and many guesses, but no one really knows for certain. Everyone said this would be a close election. In the earlymorning hours, a helicopter lands near gettysburg, pennsylvania, bringing the nations first citizen, president eisenhower, to the polling place where he will cast his ballot. At the president s polling place located in a firemans hall, it is still too early to vote. No exception is made for the president. He has to wait five minutes until 7 00. The press always asks the president jokingly for whom he is voting, but he wont say. Mr. Eisenhower is completing two terms in office as a president deeply loved and respected by the people. Of the two ballots he drops into the box, one is on a proposed consolidation of local schools. A few hours later at the same polling place, it is mrs. Eisenhowers turn to vote. Voting hours and voting regulations vary from state to state. In maryland, the ambassador of japan and his wife are among representatives of all nations invited by the United States government to observe election procedures in various communities. The ambassador is among the observers at a polling station where Voting Machines are used. Another famous signature on the election registers is that of Vice President nixon. Together with his wife pat, he casts his ballot in the small town of whittier, california, where both went to school, where they were married, and where today they cast the most important vote of their lives. Senator kennedy and his wife jacqueline vote in his native town of boston, massachusetts. Photographers and reporters are all around them, for this is the man who in the next 24 hours may become the president of the United States and she, first lady of the land. In the cities of america, in thousands of election precincts, the signs of the special day are everywhere. With quiet drive, 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 burma is among those observing american citizens preparing to cast their ballots. The american voters, in turn, observe the burmese visitors with interest and a feeling of kinship. The kinship felt by all people who have the right to choose the leaders of the government. On november 8, million americans 1960, 67 go to the polls to do just exactly that, to choose those who will govern the country in their names. 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 the different parts of the country. The headquarters of the major Television Networks are equipped with entire batteries of tabulating machines, and with electronic computers, to forecast the trend of the election on the basis of early returns. At party headquarters, people gather for what they hope will be a victory celebration. Huge tally boards post the returns as they come in, minute by minute, hourbyhour. From the very beginning, it becomes obvious that this is going to be a close election. After some early, encouraging reports for Vice President nixon, it appears senator kennedy is moving into the lead. The news is splashed on a moving bulletin sign in new yorks times square. Then comes the electrifying news the senator kennedy has won state of connecticut by a larger plurality than expected. He now has eight electoral votes. 269 are needed to win the election. His supporters are jubilant. We want kennedy. We want kennedy. We want kennedy. Narrator senator kennedy is recorded as leading in 17 states with a total of 192 electoral votes. In following the 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, new york, 45. Other key states are california, ohio, texas and illinois. In illinois, the voting will be so close that the lead will go back and forth from one candidate to the other. But then, this turns into a seesaw battle and quite a few of the states all night long. All night long, the figures keep building up. In state after state, millions of voters split their ballots, backing one president ial nominee, and then voting for candidates of the opposing party for senator, governor, or congressman. Senator kennedys early lead of 2 million votes dwindles perilously as the returns come in from the western states, but he holds on to his advantage in electoral votes. The returns are checked by his press secretary, pierre salinger. At the press headquarters of the democratic president ial candidate in hyannis port, massachusetts, all eyes are on the screen as Television Commentators announce Vice President nixon is about make a statement. In the east, the time is 3 20 in the morning. In los angeles, california on the west coast, it is 20 minutes past mid night. Vice president and mrs. Nixon appear before their loyal supporters. The scene is broadcast on Television Screens across america. The president ial candidate of the Republican Party makes his statement. I want to say that one of the great features of america is that we have political contests that are very hardfought, as this one was hardfought. And once the decision is made, we unite behind the man who is elected. I want [applause] i want senator kennedy to know i do want all of you to know that certainly, if this trend does continue and he does become our next president , that he will have my wholehearted support. [crowd groaning] narrator it is in the best tradition of american politics, rising above his own personal disappointment, Vice President nixon has shown the way to his supporters. He has asked that in the event of senator kennedy his victory, the nation unites around to the new president. As the night wears on, deserted chairs are a symbol of discouragement. Republican headquarters. But the popular vote is still dramatically close. In the end, it will be a narrow victory in minnesota that would give senator kennedy a sure hold on the electoral votes of the states. As morning comes to the cities of the Eastern States, newspapers had lied senator led with senator kennedys election to the presidency. Yet at this hour, the popular vote is so close that it appears he will win by a plurality of less than 1 . Other american president s have been elected this way. Some of them, including Abraham Lincoln and woodrow wilson, buying even lower percentage of the popular vote. So john f. Kennedy, the 43yearold senator from massachusetts, he comes president elect of the United States. As president of all the people, his family also becomes the center of nationwide interest at his threeyearold daughter, caroline, and his lovely wife jacqueline. Shortly after Vice President nixon officially concedes on the early afternoon of november 9, senator kennedy appears before the press in hyannis port, massachusetts. After addressing congratulatory wires from president eisenhower and Vice President nixon, he addresses all americans. Pres. Kennedy to all americans, i say the next four years are going to be difficult and challenging for us all. The election may have been a close one, but i think there is general agreement by all of our citizens that a supreme, National Effort will be needed in the years ahead to move this country safely through the 1960s. I ask your help in this effort, and i can assure you that every degree of strength by possess that i possess will be devoted to the longrange interests of the United States into the cause of around the world. Now, my wife and i will prepare for a new administration, and for a new baby. Thank you. Narrator it is the climax of one of the closest, most dramatic elections in american history. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] i have done my best. Lostwon the democratic process has worked its will. Leadingets get on with the country. Thank you