Television Dbq

Television was first introduced to the world in 1927. It’s been a major influence in presidential elections since the 1960s, the first televised debate being between Senator John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Prior to the use of television of debates, people listened to them on radios and read about them in newspapers. Never before have people been able to watch these debates-- watch each candidate’s body language, posture, expressions. All they’ve ever gotten to do is listen to their voices and ideas. Television has revolutionized presidential debates, not only making them accessible to many in a new way, but by allowing every American to get to know each candidate in-depth. Television has given many Americans a direct contact to political

In The U.S. Presidency and Television, it is pointed out that as a result of television’s intimacy, “the American people feel they know their presidents as persons” (Source B). It is important to be able to watch one’s posture and body language because it gives the viewers an idea of how their candidates truly are. For example fidgeting would hint at nervousness, which is a weakness that people do not want in a leader. Someone who may disagree with televisions positive effects on the presidential debates might say that people judge presidents too much on how they look and act rather than their ideas on the nationals issues. Louis Menand, states in Masters of the Matrix: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Culture of Image that Nixon’s image with his “light-colored suit, wrong makeup, [and] bad posture-- was ‘fuzzed’” (Source C) in comparison to Kennedy’s. Even though television may seem unfair to give an advantage to those who look better, seeing the candidates’ body language is very important. This relates back to Source B in the fact that the people learn who the candidates are as people-- whether they seem trustworthy, their confidence, their charisma. It is also important because who we vote on will be representing the country, and if the body language of our president is weak, then it is a sign to other countries that not only our leader is weak, but our country