We shouldn't rush to figure out the long-term impact of the first presidential debate of 2016.
Just consider how the Rocky Mountain News reported on the first television debate...
John F. Kennedy debated Richard Nixon in 1960. The Rocky Mountain News called it a draw.
History has decisively called that debate for Kennedy, in large part because he appeared polished and confident on television. Nixon struggled on screen, looking sweaty and out-of-place.
The Denver Post played it safe the day after, reporting on the smiles then the spiels.
We'll stop nerding out in a minute about debates in a minute, but stay with us...
Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wrote to JFK after that first debate, with a letter that was written on this day in 1960. The two-page letter has a letterhead that reads "Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, with a New York City Address."
In the letter, Eleanor says it was a milestone for TV and a really good way to campaign. But she also warned him he spoke too fast and was overconfident.
Sounds a lot like the Next viewer email???
The social media campaign #electioncollection is where libraries are sharing all this cool campaign history until Election Day.
We liked what the Hoover Presidential Library reminded us of. They tweeted out a photo of campaigning in motion pictures, which preceded the famous Nixon-Kennedy TV debate.
Hoover put a campaign film on wheels, giving us a really solid idea for a Next road trip series... maybe one day.
