In the coverage that ensued after the first televised presidential debate, the perception was that, among television viewers, Kennedy had won

Question

What explains that perception, and how might it be challenged? Provide specific historical details to support your claims.

Answer 1

The ideal answer should:
a. Explain that the candidates prepared for the debate differently, with Nixon, who was recovering from an illness, focusing on policy briefs while Kennedy's team focused on the candidate's appearance and led several practice debates beforehand.
b. Describe the perception that, among television viewers, Kennedy won the debate because he appeared visibly more healthy and younger than Nixon,and because his tone, with its emphasis on lofty goals, was more consistent with the rhetoric of the modern presidency.
c. Critique the perception that Kennedy won on the basis that there is little empirical evidence to support the claim about the importance of style over substance, noting that the perception is based on only one poll that was done using an small and unrepresentative sample and that there were no attempts to account for demographic differences between the television and radio audiences.