Kennedy's Election and the Bay of Pigs

Kennedy's Election and the Bay of Pigs

Open Ended

Who was "supposed" to be the Democratic Parties pick?

Kennedy Wins!

• JFK manages to win the Democratic Primary, and chooses Linden Johnson as his running mate

Nixon vs. JFK

• Nixon was the Republican candidate, and committed to campaign in all 50 states

• However, Nixon did not take into account the importance of a new medium that would play a pivotal role: Television.

The First TV President

• Kennedy made it a point to be calm, cool, and confident on camera

• Nixon, thanks to his intense schedual, looked tired, nervous, and shifty

• This would lead to Kennedy scoring a narrow victory, the race decided by the image he projected

Open Ended

Do you think that someone needs to look "Presidential" to get elected? Why or why not?

Kennedy's first trial: The Bay of Pigs

• Eisenhower and CIA planning an invasion of Cuba using exiled Cubans (Cuba now controlled by Castro, a Communist)

• Planned to invade Cuba and start a revolution to replace Castro with someone friendly with the U.S.

Disaster!

• The USSR and Cuban leaders were tipped off! (Conspiracy?)

• over 100 of the invaders killed, and thousands captured

• Kennedy took the blame, saying: "I am the Responible Government officer"

• Kennedy would never again trust his military advisers so willingly

Open Ended

Kennedy's approval rating soared after the Bay of Pigs incident. Why do you think that is?