Universal Newsreel - Kennedy Wins (33 91)

a record number of Americans upwards of 67 million go to the polls to elect the 35th President of the United States citizens from Maine to Hawaii record their choices as the attention of the entire Globe focuses on the contest for the leadership of the most powerful nation of the Free World the Democratic nominee is an early favorite and first returns be predictions in Mr Kennedy's favor but GOP standard Bearer Richard Nixon is staunchly supported not least by President Eisenhower who was up early arriving at 6:18 a.m. at Cumberland Township Pennsylvania near his Gettysburg Farm to cast his [Music] b not withstanding Ike support Pennsylvania's crucial 32 electoral votes were carried by Kennedy Mrs Eisenhower followed the president late in the day and left no doubt as to her preference as she cast her vote in the tiny Pennsylvania [Music] Firehouse eager crowds gathered outside the West End branch of the Boston Public Library as Senator Kennedy and his pretty wife arrived at the polling place early on Election Day Before flying on to Cape Cod to await the [Music] outcome Vice President Nixon and his wife Pat vote in the playroom of a private home in whiter California the Los Angeles suburb where Mr Nixon grew [Music] up Mr Nixon's running mate on the GOP ticket Ambassador Henry Kat Lodge was almost totally overshadowed on Election Day by the popular concentration on the principles in one of the most strenuously contested election battles in the nation's history Senator Lyndon Johnson Mr Kennedy's running mate shared his counterparts plight this election day as the vagaries of the popular ballot resulted in one of the closest National elections since 1916 an early lead established by Kennedy dwindled as Western and Rural reports came in although a favorable Trend was established in the early hours as the Democratic party nationally won 15 governorships and maintained its leadership in congress and the Senate the early Kennedy Drive bogged down through the long hours of the night as local districts tallied their results the Kennedy column recorded an electoral vote frustratingly short of the 269 necessary to win at his hyanis Port Massachusetts residence the Democratic candidate and his wife stoically waited out the returns as did Vice President Nixon on the other side of the country who even made a quick trip across the border for an election day lunch that night Mr Nixon appeared at local GOP headquarters with his life to Cheers of campaign workers at almost 4:00 a.m. he virtually acknowledged as I look at the board here uh while the there are still some results still to come in uh if the present Trend continues uh Mr Kennedy Senator Kennedy will be the next president of the United [Applause] States I want I want Senator Kennedy to know and I want all of you to know that uh certainly if this trend does continue and he does become our next president that he will have my wholehearted [Applause] support the hours that followed were frustrating and baffling as the key returns hung in the balance not till the middle of the next day was the victory re clenched by one of the closest margins recorded a plurality of barely over 300,000 [Music] the unexpectedly delayed climax saw Senator Kennedy the victory with a clear margin of electoral vote at 43 years of age he is the youngest man ever voted into the White House and the first Catholic chief executive in the history of the nation with victories in the Southern Bible Bel as well as the industrial centers of the north to attest the shattering of a longstanding political Taboo in Mr Kennedy's first public appearance after his election accompanied by his wife Jackin his father sier Joseph Kennedy makes his first appearance since the campaign began and the weary president-elect makes his first address in his new capacity reading aloud his answer to Mr Nixon's message of [Music] congratulations when we PR to the vice president I sent him the following wire Vice President Nixon in Los Angeles California your sincere good wishes are gratefully accepted you are to be congratulated on a fine race I know that the nation can continue to count on your unswerving loyalty in whatever effort you want to take and that you and I can maintain our long-standing cordal relations in the years ahead sincerely John Kennedy to all Americans I say that the next four years are going to be difficult and challenging years for us all the election may have been a close one but I think that there is General agreement by all of our citizens that a supreme National effort will be needed in the years ahead to move this country safely through the 1960s I ask your help in this effort and I can assure you that uh every degree of Mind and Spirit that I possess will be devoted to the long range interests of the United States and to the cause of freedom of around the world so now uh my wife and I prepare for a new Administration and for a new baby thank you [Music]