1960 Debates
There were four presidential debates and no vice presidential debates during the 1960 general election.
Courtesy of ABC News© 1960
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September 26, 1960
October 7, 1960
October 13, 1960
October 21, 1960
General Election Presidential Debate
John F. Kennedy (D), United States Senator (MA) and
Richard M. Nixon (R), Vice President
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Date: |
September 26, 1960 |
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Location: |
WBBM-TV, CBS affiliate |
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City: |
Chicago, IL |
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Time: |
9:30-10:30 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
Networks: ABC, CBS, NBC |
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Moderator: |
Howard K. Smith, CBS News |
| Panelists: | Sander Vanocur, NBC News; Charles Warren, Mutual News; Stuart Novins, CBS |
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News: |
Bob Fleming, ABC News |
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Viewership: |
66.4 million |
| Format: | Eight minute opening statements; two and a half minute responses to questions; optional rebuttal; three minute closing statements. |
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Topic: |
Domestic issues |
General Election Presidential Debate
John F. Kennedy (D), United States Senator (MA) and
Richard M. Nixon (R), Vice President
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Date: |
October 7, 1960 |
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Location: |
WRC-TV, NBC affiliate |
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City: |
Washington, D.C. |
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Time: |
7:30-8:30 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
Networks: ABC, CBS, NBC |
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Moderator: |
Frank McGee, NBC |
| Panelists: | Paul Niven, CBS; Edward P. Morgan, ABC; Alvin Spivak, UPI; Harold R. Levy, Newsday |
|
News: |
Bob Fleming, ABC News |
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Viewership: |
61.9 million |
| Format: | No opening or closing statements; each questioned in turn with optional rebuttal. |
General Election Presidential Debate
John F. Kennedy (D), United States Senator (MA) and
Richard M. Nixon (R), U.S. Vice President
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Date: |
October 13, 1960 |
| Location: | Split-screen telecast with Nixon and panelists in ABC studio in Los Angeles and Kennedy in ABC studio in New York |
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Time: |
7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
Networks: ABC, CBS, NBC |
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Moderator: |
Bill Shadel, ABC |
| Panelists: | Frank McGee, NBC; Charles Van Fremd, CBS; Douglass Cater, Reporter magazine; Roscoe Drummond, New York Herald Tribune |
|
News: |
Bob Fleming, ABC News |
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Viewership: |
63.7 million |
| Format: | No opening or closing statements; each questioned in turn with two and a half minutes to answer; one and a half minute rebuttals optional. |
General Election Presidential Debate
John F. Kennedy (D), United States Senator (MA) and
Richard M. Nixon (R), U.S. Vice President
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Date: |
October 21, 1960 |
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Location: |
ABC studios |
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City: |
New York City |
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Time: |
10:00-11:00 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
Networks: ABC, CBS, NBC |
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Moderator: |
Quincy Howe, ABC News |
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Panelists: |
Frank Singiser, Mutual News; John Edwards, ABC News; Walter Cronkite, CBS News; John Chancellor, NBC News |
|
News: |
Bob Fleming, ABC News |
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Viewership: |
60.4 million |
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Format: |
Eight minute opening statements; each questioned in turn with two and a half minutes to answer; one and a half minute rebuttal; three minute closing statements. |
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Topic: |
Foreign affairs |