Campaign Trail Results: Game #716917
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 1960
- Player Candidate: Richard Nixon
- Running Mate: Everett Dirksen
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
- dufaujb
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Richard Nixon | 378 | 33,667,223 | 50.95 |
| ---- John F. Kennedy | 145 | 32,045,031 | 48.50 |
| ---- Harry Byrd | 14 | 365,209 | 0.55 |
Visits:
- New York:6
- New Jersey:3
- Alabama:1
- Arkansas:1
- Maryland:1
Answers:
- What kind of tone will you attempt to set in your campaign this fall?I will pledge, as much as possible, to continue the policies of Dwight Eisenhower when I am President. I will also emphasize my experience in Eisenhower's Administration, particularly in world affairs.
- What do you have to say about the selection of Everett Dirksen as your running mate?Everett Dirksen has served the state of Illinois admirably during his time in the U.S. Senate, and I'm proud to have him on my ticket.
- There have been a large number of sit-ins recently, where black students and activists are sitting at whites-only lunch counters and department stores to advocate for desegregation. Do you support this movement?This movement has my full support, as do the other civil rights measures of our day. I will push for a Civil Rights Act as President.
- Southern Republicans are insisting that you visit their region extensively during this campaign, claiming that Kennedy will be vulnerable in some states. What are your thoughts?I agree. We can definitely split the South if we make a strong play for it this year. I will visit extensively.
- Eisenhower has his own responsibilities as President, but he is able to hit the trail for the last week of the campaign. He will obviously provide a huge boost wherever he appears. What do you think?I want Eisenhower to plant himself in New York, and to stay there until election day. That state is too important to take chances with.
- There has been a proposal for a series of television debates between you and Kennedy. Is this something you are interested in?I've been a champion debater for my entire life. I'd be happy to go against Kennedy on TV.
- Anti-Catholicism has been a huge issue thus far in the campaign, with hundreds of pamphlets and leaflets being distributed across the South and Midwest. Do you have any comment?Honestly, I'd rather that people didn't bring this issue up. People know that Kennedy is Catholic, and this can only galvanize his support from that sector.
- Anti-Catholicism continues to be an issue. Major newspapers have published a statement by 150 Protestant clergy, including Norman Vincent Peale, opposing any Catholic as President. Do you have any comment?Not particularly. Our campaign would prefer to move on to other issues to be perfectly honest.
- To what extent will you make your experience as Vice President a theme of your campaign against the youthful Kennedy?This needs to be a key centerpiece of our campaign. Our current President is widely popular, and I can easily make the case that I was a central part of his Administration.
- There was a recent effort in Congress to pass a program to provide medical care to elderly Americans, but it was narrowly defeated. Will you make a further push for this type of program as President?I would redouble our efforts on this front. Too many of our nation's elderly are unable to afford decent medical care in their advanced years.
- Do you believe that the islands of Quemoy and Matsu should fall within the United States defense perimeter in Asia?I do believe we should defend these islands. We are committed to the defense of Taiwan, and that commitment must include all of Taiwan to be credible.
- Is the United States adequately prepared to defend against the Soviet threat today?I am satisfied with our progress over the past few years. We have prevented further expansion while avoiding any major wars.
- Do you believe the United States is adequately prepared to defend against the Soviet threat over the next ten years?I am as satisfied as I can be. With sound defense policies and strong economic growth, we should continue to maintain our advantage over the Soviet Union.
- During the Great Depression, the federal government began a policy of farm subsidies to stabilize farm incomes and to target a specific output of each crop. Are these policies still necessary in 1960?They are absolutely necessary. Farmers are not in a good position to bargain for their crops, and any economic weakness in that sector can easily cause a recession in the broader economy.
- What is your opinion on the current level of education funding in the United States? Would you increase federal education funding, even if it meant higher taxes or a larger budget deficit?Education is a key front in our battle with Communism, and that includes adequate pay and respect for our nation's teachers. I would support additional federal spending on this.
- Would you support the passage of a federal civil rights bill as President to address the worst excesses of segregation in the South?This is something that is more appropriately addressed by individual states, though I will do anything I can to enforce the decisions of our Supreme Court.
- Recently, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested at a sit-in in Atlanta, and has now been sentenced to four months in prison for failing to get a Georgia driver's license after moving to that state. Do you have any comment or action you would like to take?Let's make a public comment criticizing this arrest, and expressing our hopes that this situation doesn't escalate any further.
- Are you satisfied with the economy and the economic policies of this country over the past eight years?We are on the right track economically. We can't deny that there was a recession in 1958, but the recovery has been strong and 1960 will see a very high rate of growth in this country.
- How serious, at the current time, do you believe the internal Communist threat is?It's unfortunate that we've become less vigilant on the internal Communist threat in recent years. Espionage and infiltration of our government is as serious a threat as external Soviet action.
- Do you believe that Cuba has been lost to the Communists as of this time? If so, do you think it is partially the fault of the United States?We will defend our base at Guantanamo and do anything else that is necessary if Cuba continues its hostility. However, it is too early to make a conclusive determination at this point.
- Should the United States apologize to the Soviet Union for the controversy surrounding the downed U-2 spy plane and surrounding espionage?Absolutely not. We cannot show weakness in the face of the Soviet threat, and the Paris Summit collapsed from the intransigence of Nikita Khrushchev.
- Did Dwight Eisenhower do the right thing when he sent federal troops to Little Rock to ensure the integration of the high school there?He absolutely did, and I would like to see further action to desegregate our schools and enforce our civil rights.
- What is your position on the power of labor unions in the United States?We should be vigilant against labor union excesses, and the Taft-Hartley Act was a good start. I believe that we should keep that law in place.
- Do you believe that current levels of defense spending are adequate?We can always find areas for improvement, but we have successfully defended the United States and our allies from numerous Communist threats over the past eight years.
- Where will you spend your final day before the election?We will campaign up and down New York and the Eastern Seaboard.