Countdown 1960

The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the 312 Days That Changed America's Politics Forever

De: Chris Wallace, Mitch Weiss - contributor

Narrado por: Dylan Baker, Chris Wallace

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 listeners 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, listeners 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, thrilling 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Chris Wallace (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Chris Wallace unwraps the secrets of the larger-than-life personalities of 1960. With stunning revelations of private and behind-the-scenes alliances, strategies, and romances, we are treated to the histories of an inflection year in American politics in a compelling, page-turning narrative.” —Senator Mitt Romney

Always a fascinating story

No real insights here. It’s really reporting facts with little analysis. If you’re relatively new to the JFK thing, then you’ll love this. It’s all there: Joe Kennedy and his ambition for his sons, JFK’s reckless womanizing/adultery, Bobby’s ruthless and effective management of the campaign, Nixon and the debates, Sinatra, Judith Campbell, Sam Giancana, Daley and Chicago, LBJ, possibly stolen election and Nixon’s refusal to challenge the results “for the good of the country.”

If you are familiar with all this, you’ll find little that is new, however compelling the story. If you want a political science book, read Theodore White’s “The Making of a President, 1960.” Written in 1962, It’s a Little dated and clunky in parts, but still a seminal work and a deeper dive.

The reader was good, not great. His Richard Nixon voice was spot on. His JFK, not so much.

Enthusiastic delivery

The countdown format was very interesting. It really delivered a nail-biting thriller that allowed the reader/listener to become really involved. The performer presented slight accents, and softer tones for women’s quotes. Very enjoyable.

Kennedy vs Nixon 1960

This review is for the Audible edition of Countdown 1960. I've read several of the books in the Countdown series by Chris Wallace; all of them have been enjoyable to read and opened up new insights for me and I'm sure other readers.

The setting here is on the 1960 race for President; Kennedy versus Nixon, in a race among the closest in history. Wallace goes behind the scene for both campaigns, starting before the primaries and taking into account other world/US events and leaders that play a role in the history of the era.

There is a lot of familiar territory here if you have read anything about JFK or RMN. Wallace does a good job presenting both candidates strengths and flaws, but spends more time on Kennedy and his family, especially father Joe who in Wallace's version paid for the Presidency. JFK's constant philandering is mentioned several times with different women he encountered.

Nixon is the loyal, 8-year VP for Eisenhower who is not really supported much by Ike until the election is just a month away. Nixon also has trouble with some of the Republican leaders, some of who would have preferred Nelson Rockefeller or another candidate besides "Tricky Dick" Nixon.

In the end Nixon is defeated, although several state state electoral ballots were being legally challenged (much like 2020) at the time Nixon graciously conceded.

Countdown 1960 is a very readable look back at the 1960 election that had many firsts, such as the first candidates born in the 20th century; and perhaps more importantly for Kennedy the first to feature a series of televised Presidential debates that helped showcase Kennedy's looks over Nixon's haggard face in the first debate.

The narration is very good and holds the listener's interest throughout the presentation.

Awesome!

All the historical information was very interesting. So many details. Did not know any of this. Great book!

Well done

I had no idea of the intricacies and the connections that were tapped in order for JFK to win. I’d love to see this level of investigation and reporting in a book about the 2000 Gore v Bush election.

Bad imitations of voices

I am an avid and long term JFK scholar…and I did learn a few things listening to this informative book

Countdown 1960 - Compelling History

Chris Wallace in Countdown 1960 has provided a compelling behind-the-scenes popular history of the Nixon/Kennedy presidential election campaign with many fascinating personal details of. Nixon's and Kennedy's personal lives.

Nostalgia for Baby Boomers

Compelling storytelling and great supporting detail. Couldn’t help pausing to wonder how today’s politics have gone off the rails.

Credible revelations of a dramatic presidential election.

This credible account of the Kennedy-Nixon run for president in 1960 is entertaining, informative, and so, so relevant in evaluating whether Nixon really was a devil and Kennedy an angelic savior.
Chris Wallace’s “countdown” technique is engaging (as it was in Countdown 1945, which I thoroughly enjoyed) and helps make this a page-turner that you don’t want to put down.
The one slight negative to the Audible version, which is the one I listened to prior to reading the hardcover, is that Wallace was not the narrator, as he delightfully was in his prior countdown book.
I could not help but compare how Nixon, whose 1960 “defeat” was truly suspect, placed his country first, versus how Trump, who has never been able to provide legitimate evidence of chicanery, continues his lifelong history of putting himself first and complaining that his many defeats in business and politics were the result of others cheating him.
Bottom line: A great read.

Political Ping Pong

It's incredible the parallels you can draw from 65 years ago to today. The steal was real.