Religion in the 1960 Presidential Campaign

A panel discussion marked the 50th anniversary of the 1960 presidential campaign, won by then-Senator John F. Kennedy over then-Vice President Richard Nixon. The panelists talked about how the Kennedy campaign transformed the “religion question” from a liability into an asset. Senator Kennedy’s advisers grappled with staunch opposition to the candidate’s Catholicism and efforts by the Nixon campaign to tap into anti-Catholic sentiment. They also talked about religious issues in recent campaigns. Charles Haynes moderated their discussion. The panelists also responded to questions from members of the audience.

After Mr. Casey’s opening remarks a brief video clip was shown of Senator John F. Kennedy speaking on September 12, 1960, to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association at the Rice Hotel in Houston, Texas.

Shaun Casey is the author of The Making of a Catholic President: Kennedy vs. Nixon 1960 (Oxford University Press, USA; January 23, 2009). John Seigenthaler was an assistant to close