First published 2024
Chris Wallace examines the transformative 1960 presidential election that brought John F. Kennedy to power. Beginning with Kennedy's January 2 candidacy announcement, Wallace traces the Massachusetts senator's path through primary battles as the first Catholic candidate with a real shot at the presidency. The author reveals the backstage drama at national conventions, where Kennedy selected Lyndon Johnson as his running mate despite Bobby Kennedy's fierce opposition. Wallace explores how television fundamentally changed American politics, with over 70 million viewers watching the Kennedy-Nixon debates and election night coverage extending past dawn due to the razor-thin margin. The narrative includes politicians, civil rights leaders, Hollywood figures, labor leaders, and organized crime figures who shaped this crucial year. Wallace draws connections between 1960's contentious political climate and contemporary American elections. The book captures how courage and leadership helped the nation navigate a dangerous period that established modern presidential campaigning through televised debates, private aircraft, and sophisticated advertising.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, political-science, politics, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Massachusetts, United States
Period: 1960
448 pages · Hardcover · Dutton