Countdown 1960: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the 312 Days that Changed America's Politics Forever
Chris Wallace
Oct 2024 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Chris Wallace and Dylan Baker
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14 hr 12 min
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A riveting new work and fresh take on the lead-up to the presidential election of 1960, drawing timely parallels to the choice Americans face in 2024
It’s January 2, 1960: the day that Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy declared his candidacy; and with this opening scene, Chris Wallace offers readers a front-row seat to history. From the challenge of primary battles in a nation that had never elected a Catholic president, to the intense machinations of the national conventions—where JFK chose Lyndon B. Johnson as his running mate over the impassioned objections of his brother Bobby—this is a nonfiction political thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting. Like with many popular histories, readers will be familiar with the story, but few will know the behind-the-scenes details, told here with gripping effect.
Featuring some of history’s most remarkable characters, page-turning action, and vivid details, Countdown 1960 follows a group of extraordinary politicians, civil rights leaders, Hollywood stars, labor bosses, and mobsters during a pivotal year in American history. The election of 1960 ushered in the modern era of presidential politics, with televised debates, private planes, and slick advertising. In fact, television played a massive role. It allowed voters to see the candidates’ appearances. More than 70 million Americans watched one or all four debates. The public turned to television to watch campaign rallies. And on the night of the election, the contest between Kennedy and Nixon was so close that Americans were glued to their televisions long after dawn to see who won.
The year 1960 was a deeply contentious, perilous time for America. It also was a moment our nation survived due to courage, leadership, and patriotism.
* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF that contains selected photos from the book.
It’s January 2, 1960: the day that Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy declared his candidacy; and with this opening scene, Chris Wallace offers readers a front-row seat to history. From the challenge of primary battles in a nation that had never elected a Catholic president, to the intense machinations of the national conventions—where JFK chose Lyndon B. Johnson as his running mate over the impassioned objections of his brother Bobby—this is a nonfiction political thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting. Like with many popular histories, readers will be familiar with the story, but few will know the behind-the-scenes details, told here with gripping effect.
Featuring some of history’s most remarkable characters, page-turning action, and vivid details, Countdown 1960 follows a group of extraordinary politicians, civil rights leaders, Hollywood stars, labor bosses, and mobsters during a pivotal year in American history. The election of 1960 ushered in the modern era of presidential politics, with televised debates, private planes, and slick advertising. In fact, television played a massive role. It allowed voters to see the candidates’ appearances. More than 70 million Americans watched one or all four debates. The public turned to television to watch campaign rallies. And on the night of the election, the contest between Kennedy and Nixon was so close that Americans were glued to their televisions long after dawn to see who won.
The year 1960 was a deeply contentious, perilous time for America. It also was a moment our nation survived due to courage, leadership, and patriotism.
* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF that contains selected photos from the book.
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About the author
Chris Wallace is anchor of CNN’s The Chris Wallace Show and host of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? on Max. Prior to CNN, Wallace was the anchor of Fox News Sunday for eighteen years, where he covered every major political event. Throughout his five decades in broadcasting, he has interviewed numerous U.S. and world leaders, including seven American presidents, and won every major broadcast news award for his reporting, including three Emmy Awards, the duPont–Columbia Silver Baton, and the Peabody Award. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World and Countdown bin Laden: The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice.
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