Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

The strategy worked for Kennedy.  While in their first historic debate held in Chicago and moderated by Howard K. Smith of CBS those who had exclusively listened to the radio account provided Nixon with an edge or no worse than a draw, television produced the game changing element with Kennedy dominating.

In the eyes of those who had yet to make up their minds, Kennedy looked far more comfortable and presidential than his edgy, often awkward appearing opponent Nixon, who at times gave the impression he would rather be anywhere else rather than in the studio.  

Nixon's face had a pale pastiness, enhanced no doubt by his having spent time in the hospital recovering from a knee injury sustained getting into a car during a campaign event.  He also perspired frequently.

What changed the dynamic of the race was that Nixon, four years older than his rival, had sought to benefit from perceived additional experience against a senator who looked younger than his actual years.  

Kennedy and Nixon had actually come to Washington the same year to serve in Congress in 1947.  An experience-maturity quotient had been exploited by Nixon strategists, focusing especially on Nixon's foreign policy experience and extensive travels as vice president.  When the candidates squared off for their first encounter the Republican held a reasonably comfortable edge in national polls.

One historic debate changed the course of the race and history with it.  In the eyes of those undecided voters seeing the candidates together, with many observing Kennedy for the first time, he was the candidate who appeared cool and assured, the qualities they sought in a chief executive.  

Television was the great leveler.  History taught Americans that skepticism concerning Nixon's apparent discomfort level was in that case a reliable indicator given the Californian's penchant for self-destruction.  

Six years before Nixon's revealing television demeanor his one time partner in robustly anti-Communist demagoguery was done in by the penetrating eye of television.  When Senator Joe McCarthy was on trial before the nation in the Army-McCarthy Hearings he lowered his head edgily, doing everything but look at the counsel hired by the Army, Boston lawyer Joseph Welch.

McCarthy had, in a state of mounting desperation brought on by Welch turning the proceedings strategically against America's most notorious political bully and demagogue, called into question the loyalty of a young attorney from Welch's Boston firm.  Fred Fisher had a brief left wing past while in college but would eventually become a Republican Party leader in the northeast.

As McCarthy became increasingly edgier under Welch's probings, the Boston lawyer asked him to pay attention and stop talking to a staffer.  Finally he unloaded the clincher that destroyed a rattled bully over national television as Welch asked with just the right emotional tone:

"Sir, have you no decency?"

If we fast forward events to the current presidential campaign we see a candidate who proclaimed he possessed a steadiness and experience level that rated him above his younger, less experienced rival.

The all seeing eye of television has revealed a different pattern, however, during the two debates that John McCain has held with Barack Obama.  While the Arizonan had once requested a series of town hall debates, perceiving that with numerous opportunities to contrast their personas and styles he would prevail over his younger rival, it has been McCain who has appeared repeatedly ill it ease.

Another discomforting aspect has arisen.  In the manner of McCarthy, who looked away when Welch sought eyeball to eyeball contact, McCain has repeatedly, and with painful discomfort, looked down and away.  In addition to appearing edgy, he has also looked downright mean at times.

Could McCain have had a moment such as that defining point in the Welch-McCarthy confrontation in the last Nashville debate.

McCain looked as if he had gone over the edge, reminiscent of Nixon in his rattled stage before he resigned, when he spoke in a confidential stage whisper that was bad theater and even worse political strategy.  He described an appropriations bill that he declared was "loaded with goodies", then pointed toward Obama nearby, exclaiming:  "Guess who voted against it.  I did.  Look who voted for it.  That one."

As McCain pointed absurdly at Obama and grinned fiendishly he may well have washed himself out of the 2008 presidential race and the political process as occurred with Joe McCarthy in his historic exchange with Joseph Welch.

The overall process of debates before television's all seeing eye might have provided, along with America's economic meltdown and the foolish selection of Sarah Palin, a significant game changer in the manner that the historic 1960 debates turned the tide of that race for John Kennedy.