JFK's Road to the White House: Primary 1960 Storyville

Taxes, taxes. I used to pay 300. You know what I pay now? 1,408 bucks.

That's over a hundred dollars a month I've got to make Uncle Sam for it.

-Too high.

-Here he is now. What do you think of him?

-Mr Humphrey, I hope you get the luck.

-Thank you so much, my friend.

-Yes, sir.

-Thank you very, very much.

-Sure. I hope to see you tomorrow.

-You betcha.

-I'll be listening in tomorrow night.

-If you ever get in, I'm going to see you, by God!

So you'll come on down to the White House, have a cup of coffee? OK!

-Have a little schnapps!

-Good!

# The farmer all around is taking a shellacking

# The money in the till is the thing that is lacking... #

HORN SOUNDS

# Your troubles will cease

# Put Humphrey in the White House and use our food for peace

-# Yes, vote for Hubert

-Hubert

# Hubert Humphrey

# The President for you and me... #

CHEERING

-AUDIENCE:

-# Jack, Jack is on the right track

# Cos he's got high hopes

# He's got high hopes

# 1960 is the year for his high hopes

# Come on and vote for Kennedy Vote for Kennedy

# And we'll come out on top

# Oops, there goes the opposition - ker

# Oops, there goes the opposition - ker

# Oops, there goes the opposition - kerplop! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The big handshake. The big rally.

The wild race across the landscape searching out voters.

All repeated endlessly for days and weeks and months.

These are the ordeal and the exhilaration of the US presidential candidate.

And in the entire campaign nothing is wilder than the battle of an important state primary,

fought in every town and precinct, with the prospect that the candidate

might be knocked out of the nomination if he loses,

but even if he wins his victory might count for nothing at the convention.

Now, travelling along with them, hot on the heels of two fast-moving

presidential hopefuls, you are about to see a candidate's view of this

frantic process, and an intimate view of the candidates themselves,

in their cars and buses, behind the scenes in TV studios and hotel rooms,

excited, exhausted and tensely awaiting the verdict of the voters.

The names could be Taft, Willkie, Kefauver,

the time any election year, the place any of several key states.

This happens to be 1960.

Senator John Kennedy, millionaire,

Catholic, Easterner from Massachusetts

is challenging a Mid-Westerner, Hubert Humphrey,

Senator for Minnesota, in his own back yard, the State of Wisconsin.

FRANK SINATRA: # Everyone is voting for Jack

# Cos he's got what all the rest lack

# Everyone wants to back Jack

# Jack is on the right track

# Cos he's got high hopes

# He's got high hopes

# 1960 is the year for his high hopes

# Come on and vote for Kennedy Vote for Kennedy

# And we'll come out on top

# Oops, there goes the opposition - ker

# Oops, there goes the opposition - ker... #

HUBBUB OF VOICES

I give you Senator Kennedy.

WILD CHEERING

If we, uh...

If we can hold the darts till the speaker is retired.

Campaigning is hazardous enough.

But, uh, we want to express our appreciation

to all of you for coming here today.

I think it is a fair question,

as to why I should campaign really in a sense since last summer

and most intensively since the first of January

in only one of 50 states.

Well, I think the reason for that is a quite simple one.

This is one of the few states in the United States which permits

the people themselves in primaries to participate in the election

of presidential candidates.

# He's got high hopes

# He's got high hopes... #

Kennedy Headquarters. He's ready with your call. Go ahead.

There was a letter saying when he can come,

so one of the Democratic candidates to, uh...observe any moratorium

on small nuclear arms testing that the president might agree to.

Thank you. Hello. Thank you very much.

-Good luck to you.

-Thanks a lot for coming over today.

-When are you going to open it?

-Oh, I don't know!

-I mean, Nixon.

-Nixon!

Thanks a lot. Thanks for coming today.

-Are you going to be the next President?

-Well, we're working hard.

-Glad you came.

-Thank you very much.

How are you?

-I wish you good luck.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-I, uh, met your sister Eunice.

-Listen, thank you very much.

-Glad to see you, Miss Marnie. Well, listen, you were awfully nice to have around.

-I enjoyed it.

She's a nice girl. She's coming back today.

-I can't get over how you two look alike.

-I know. Well, it's nice to see you. Thank you.

-Well, I'll tell her I saw you.

-You do that.

-Right.

INDISTINCT

Thanks, mister.

Thank you very much.

-Have I got your vote?

-Yep.

Thank you, this is a big thrill for my kids at school!

I appreciate what you folks are doing.

SINGING ALONG TO ACCORDIONS

Mr Mayor, and Reverends, and my friends,

I had really just finished the very last bite.

That wonderful ham, mashed potatoes and string beans.

And I was just beginning to enjoy it.

Well, we have a surprise for you this afternoon.

We're very fortunate this afternoon to have in our studios right now

Senator Hubert Humphrey from Minnesota. How are you, Senator?

I'm just fine and I've had a wonderful reception

downtown on the streets of Tomah.

It's been one of the most enthusiastic and pleasant I've had.

Well, that's very fine.

How long do you intend to be in our fair city?

Well, Tom, I am not going to be here nearly long enough.

And my good friend Senator Eugene McCarthy, I understand, is really plugging for you too.

The senator's wife, Abigail,

and my wife were raised in the same little town, Wabasha, Minnesota. You probably don't know where that is.

I think both you and Gene McCarthy outmarried yourself.

I'm sure they're both... I know that Abigail's a wonderful woman.

I wouldn't be surprised. Well, Senator, now that you're here,

and of course our community in this area is strictly farm community...

You'll see Al's Choppers to name just a few, so, if it's farm implements you want,

stop in at the Mac Implement Company of Camp Douglas,

your tractor implement dealer in this area. They're waiting to serve you.

Well, I'll be very frank with you.

The question has been asked me

if I think that Senator Kennedy will...er...be...

out of the election, in other words will not win the election.

To be very frank with you, gentlemen,

the impression I gather at the end of the round is the answer is yes,

I don't believe that he can win in the primary in Wisconsin.

Senator Hubert Humphrey will be defeated

in the primary election in the state of Wisconsin

and Senator John Kennedy of Massachusetts

will win the primary in our state.

I'm Senator Humphrey. Pleased to meet you. Let me give you my card.

Nice to see you.

I'm Senator Humphrey, just stopping by to say hello.

OK. And how are you today? I'm Senator Humphrey.

-Is this your boy here?

-This is my boy.

How do you do? Hello, son. Good boy.

What have you got - a lot of money?

Say, that's just what I need for my campaign. Can I have that?

-I'm running short.

-This is just play money.

Oh, it's just play money? Well, that'll maybe work.

I'll give you one of these. Nice to see you.

I hope you'll be at the election booth tomorrow.

April 5th.

And my name is Humphrey.

-What's your name?

-Bill Meyer.

-And this is...?

-Mrs Meyer.

-Good. Thank you.

If you have as good a judgement in politics as you have for your wife,

I'll get your vote.

LAUGHTER Goodbye.

Hello, young man. How are you? What's your name?

-Frank.

-Glad to meet you.

Well, I'm glad to meet you. It's a pleasure.

Good to see you again.

HE LAUGHS

INDISTINCT

Lucky man!

How are you? How do you do?

How are you, princess? Take this home and show it to your mama

and tell her hello from Senator Humphrey.

Tell her to vote for me April 5th.

Hello, there. How are you, young lady?

-And how are you?

-I'm fine.

-Are you working for Humphrey?

-Yes, I am, but I'm not voting.

-No, but you're going to work for me?

-Yes.

And you're going to talk to the folks about this and your neighbours?

-Yes.

-OK. Fine. Good.

If I can have you girls working for me, we'll win hands down.

That's right. I want you to do that.

You tell the folks to vote for Senator Humphrey.

How are you? Here you are.

You take that home to your folks, will you?

-I'll try.

-LAUGHTER

Senator Humphrey. How are you?

Let me give you one of my cards.

Vote for me, will you?

My name is Humphrey.

Would you like to talk to the reporter, Senator?

I talk to the people that vote.

What about this thing? What about this?

INDISTINCT

Robert Rosner, he got on the box today down there

and had a big panel show

and he announced that they're coming all out for you.

Very fine.

-But you didn't know about this?

-No, siree.

If I can get the Kennedy committee for me,

we can make it unanimous.

LAUGHTER

He's going to vote for him.

That's wonderful.

Hello, there. How do you do, sir? Glad to see you.

Let me give you one of my cards, sir. Thank you.

Hello. How do you do?

Nice to see you. I'm Senator Humphrey.

All right, all set. Let's go.

Your fingers are all good. Good cuffs.

Ease your legs.

Intertwine the fingers a little.

There, that's it. Right there.

INDISTINCT

I'm not tired of smiling yet.

You've got it all by yourself.

INDISTINCT

There, there.

Are the eyes above the camera?

That's it. Fine.

Now, just one more thing.

Could you swing your body a little bit more to the camera?

-It's different for the rest of our states in Minnesota.

-That's right.

I don't think there are many parts of Minnesota....

INDISTINCT

They are the most beautiful parts of Wisconsin.

They're very, very beautiful.

The rolling terrain,

wooded, you have nice fields.

INDISTINCT

-It makes you sleepy.

-Yeah.

Speaking right afterwards is...

INDISTINCT

Put your head back, take a little nap until we get to Mindoro.

Yes. How far is Mindoro?

Well, it'll take half an hour to get over there.

Now the news.

A political bombshell has been set off in Wisconsin.

The president committee threw its weight behind Minnesota's Hubert Humphrey.

This brought a strong reaction from the Kennedy camp.

The Missouri senator, however,

is said to have had nothing to do with the action of the committee.

HUBBUB

May I shake your hand, please?

HUBBUB

Listen, now, anybody I didn't get, can I just relay to you?

-Mine!

-Whose is this?

-Mine!

If you would write to me,

I'll send you a picture, an autograph

and something about the capital.

ALL TALK AT ONCE

Just write to Senator Kennedy, the Senate, Washington DC.

I'll send you all some stuff.

Two weeks, this will be green.

Because the snow brings with it a great amount of nitrogen for the soil.

-That's right.

-And that fertilises it.

INDISTINCT

I have much more identification as an individual in Congress

than my friend Jack does.

Jack's identification with Congress has been through labour.

Labour legislation.

My identification is with the UN, asylum,

foreign policy, not just most recent dates,

but since I've been with the areas of social welfare legislation.

But I agree that you don't project this necessarily.

This is the heart of Senator Humphrey's strength.

The farm areas of Wisconsin, close to the border of Minnesota.

And though he likes to discuss everything

from farm policy to disarmament,

here there is only one issue to test the skill of an orator.

HUBBUB

-Senator, I'm president of the village.

-How do you do?

Say, I'm glad to see you, Mr Gilbert. Thank you so much.

-Here's Mr Piezer.

-How do you do? Glad to see you, Mr Piezer.

-What is your name?

-Anderson.

-Anderson.

-Hey.

How do you do? Good to see you. Good to see you. Yes, sir.

-Nice to see you.

-What is your name?

-Mr Michaelston.

-How do you do, Mr Michaelston?

And you, sir?

INDISTINCT

There you are, then. All I know is congresses.

You got a lot of Norwegians around here?

Pretty good, huh? Well, that's sorted.

How many Swedes?

Have you got a few of them, too?

I still have my cup of coffee here.

After all, I've got a couple of Norwegians over here, you see.

Since I'm only half Norwegian, they only gave me half a cup.

And I wanted to finish it off.

Anyway, when you're out speaking as I have been, once in a while,

a good cup of coffee sort of braces you up for the next meeting.

Gentlemen, I am one of the candidates

in your Wisconsin presidential primary race.

We're going to have an election here, Tuesday April 5th,

and this election is of course a very important one in terms of your state.

Now, my friends, during my service to the United States Senate

of 12 years,

I have given more time, more attention,

to matters of agriculture, than any other one subject.

Senator Humphrey is not out here just to please you by these comments.

I say that Wisconsin

has lost hundreds of millions of dollars of sales.

I say that the businessmen of Wisconsin

have lost hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business

because of reduced farm income.

I charge here that not a single candidate in this primary election

has paid any attention to the farmer at all,

except Hubert Humphrey.

And I make that statement without any boast or any claims.

Instead of you reading about who you want to have as president

in Life magazine, you want to take a good look at them in the flesh.

You want to hear what they've got to say.

Because let me tell you something,

Life, Time, Fortune, Look and Newsweek

don't give a hoot about your dairy prices.

And I know. They laugh at you.

I've been down to their editorial boards, some of them,

and I'll tell you they have no more appreciation of a farmer's problem

than they have of what's going on on the other side of the moon.

Frankly, they don't know the difference

between a corncob and a ukulele.

I can tell you that my votes aren't very popular sometimes

in New York City, or Boston,

because back there, what they want,

when I read the editorials, the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe,

New York Times, they want a price support programme that's lower.

They say that the farmer is being subsidised,

and they look at Hubert Humphrey's record, and they say,

"This fellow, Humphrey, he's from the Midwest,

"he's just for those farmers."

That's what they say. They are right. I am.

But I am not, if you please,

for a farm programme that will destroy agriculture.

I think Benson's farm programme is insane!

And I'll guarantee you one thing,

if I get to be president of the United States,

I will buy that man a ticket personally

and send him right back to Utah where he ought to live all the time.

APPLAUSE

Thank you very much for letting me speak to you,

you've been a fine and a good audience.

Good luck. Safe journey home.

We're going onto La Crosse, and by the way, tune in tonight at 7.30.

We're going to have another one of those television shows.

And if you've got a question you want to ask,

pick up the phone and call me collect.

Just pick it up and say, "I want to talk to that fellow Humphrey

"at the TV station at La Crosse."

And put that call through and ask me on the air.

You can make it tough, make it real tough,

because people like it better that way.

They like to see me squirm.

You make it real tough and I'll try to give you a good answer.

Thanks very, very much.

APPLAUSE

Yes, sir. Good to be with you.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

That reminds me,

I got to get my coat out of the bags over there too.

I don't want to put on the wrong coat.

What you have to do tonight

is to be sure to remind these people to call person to person.

-Person to person.

-Rather than the collect station to station,

because we just get all these extra calls, isn't that the idea?

All right. Well, I gave Norman... I gave Norm...

On this chart...

The way this thing works is the Lieutenant Governor says,

"Well Senator, there's been quite a lot of talk about the record.

"What's this all about?"

Then I say something about that I've put my campaign on the basis

of the public issues and the record, and I've been trying to emphasise

some of the differences that exist between the Democratic candidates.

-Here for example are some.

-All right. Will this be early in the programme?

Right in the beginning.

And then you focus in, you phase right in on that,

and then when I say, "All right, now we have a telephone,

"now we have a call here," and at that point

when they're saying now we have a call

you get off that and get back onto me.

You must end about one minute.

Now, when it comes down...

Before you come to me, you might...

INDISTINCT

Yeah. Just joke about it.

Your husband's been wondering all day long where you've been, and so on.

INDISTINCT

On the TV. Well, but you're on this show now.

Just take about 30 seconds to tell us where you've been,

then you've got to come back to me

and say, "Senator, I want to come on this record."

-We want to get on those questions.

-All right.

We want Muriel to have 30 seconds

to tell where she's been and what she's been doing.

Yes, sir. One minute. Suspense!

Senator Humphrey.

INDISTINCT VOICE ON PHONE

Well, I don't think the family farm is impractical at all.

In fact I would say it's highly desirable.

Both economically, and more so, socially.

The family farm has social and spiritual values to it...

You should realise that you are voting

for the most important individual in the entire free world

and that the welfare of our country is heavily involved

in his good judgement, his sense, his responsibility,

his competence, his integrity.

His ability to meet the problems head-on.

Though I'm not certainly the president,

I'm a long way from that,

I am one of the candidates.

There are about six of us.

I therefore felt that it would be helpful if the President

had at least my assurance, and I'm sure the other six...

What will happen here in Wisconsin today

will happen in the other 49 states.

INDISTINCT

Tomorrow, election day,

every one of the 3,446 precincts will be covered by a Kennedy worker.

The hardest thing to do in a Kennedy campaign is to properly

harness the enthusiasm he generates.

Everyone he meets seems to like him and they all want to help.

ALL: # High hopes

# Come on and vote for Kennedy Vote for Kennedy

# Keep America strong

# Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' a...

# Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' a...

# Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' along. #

Much better! You've got to put feeling into it.

The fire department ask all of you

not to smoke cigarettes or cigars for the next 20 minutes.

The senator is ready to arrive

in I'd say a minute and a half or so

and there have been some complaint by the women

that one of their dresses has been burned

by a man smoking a cigar at back of her.

So if you'll just...

HUBBUB AND JEERING

LAUGHTER

So if you'll please refrain from smoking, we'd appreciate it.

-WOMEN:

-Why?

-They won't let us take cars tomorrow.

CROWD CALLS OUT

This is the heart of Senator Kennedy's strength -

the heavily-populated city areas,

particularly the Polish Catholic fourth district in Milwaukee.

WILD CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

WHISTLING

LAUGHTER

SNATCHES OF DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS ARE PICKED UP

-WOMAN:

-Val, you rubbed him!

-I can't wash my hair!

LAUGHTER

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Right down here.

RAPTUROUS APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Everybody's voting for Jack

# Cos he's got what all the rest lack

# Everyone wants to back Jack

# Jack is on the right track

# Cos he's got high hopes

# He's got high hopes

# 1960's the year for his high hopes

# Come on and vote for Kennedy

# Vote for Kennedy And we'll come out on top

# Oops, there goes the opposition Ker...

# Oops, there goes the opposition, ker... #

# Oops, there goes the opposition, kerplop! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I just want... (SOUNDTRACK DISTORTS) ..married to a Pole.

CHEERING DROWNS SPEECH

APPLAUSE

SHE ATTEMPTS A POLISH PHRASE

..And he taught me one sentence.

SHE SPEAKS POLISH

CHEERING

I give to you Senator Jack Kennedy.

CHEERING

Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen,

I first of all want to express my appreciation to all of you.

I know you've been standing for quite a few minutes...

LAUGHTER

-Hours!

-I've been standing for three months, so...

LAUGHTER

..I know how tough it is.

I also want to express my appreciation to my old

and valued friend Clem Zablocki.

He took on the honorary chairmanship...

the honorary chairmanship of this campaign all over

the state of Wisconsin six months ago.

CHEERING

This campaign really comes to an end tonight.

I don't think there's anybody in the state of Wisconsin who hasn't

decided how they're going to vote.

And I must say, it is going to be a decisive campaign.

I've said on many occasions that I didn't think it was possible

to be nominated if I were unsuccessful here in Wisconsin

and I must say I mean it.

Clem Zablocki and I sponsor a bill together, the Zablocki/Kennedy Bill,

as he calls it, the Kennedy/Zablocki Bill, as I refer to it.

But that Bill, which you may not have ever heard about,

provides that the Battle Act shall be amended.

And it shall be possible for surplus food

and surplus things that we have in this country to be made available

to the people behind the Iron Curtain.

SHOUTS AND APPLAUSE

We would have passed that Bill two years ago.

We would have passed that Bill two years ago,

but it failed by one vote in the Senate when the President

withdrew his support on the day the Bill was coming up to vote.

That's how important the office of the presidency is.

He shall determine what shall be our policy on Berlin.

He shall determine whether we shall be at war or peace.

This is the key office.

And I run for the presidency because, like you,

I have strong ideas about what this country must do.

I have strong ideas about the United States playing a great role

in a historic moment,

when the cause of freedom is endangered all over the world,

when the United States stands as the only sentry at the gate,

when we can see the campfires of the enemies

burning on distant hills, that's what's at issue today.

That's what we are attempting to determine in the coming months

and years, all of us, as Americans,

are going to be called out of the ranks.

Our courage is going to be tested and I am confident that

we are going to give the same affirmative answer.

That's what I think this election is about.

That's what we're going to begin to do next Tuesday. Thank you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

CROWD: We want Kennedy!

We want Kennedy!

We want Kennedy!

CHEERING

Now, I understand that also we will be pleased to have

the privilege of seeing Bob Kennedy, Senator Kennedy's son.

-Son?!

-Brother!

LAUGHTER AND WHISTLING

Thank you very much. I'm sorry that my mother couldn't be here tonight.

LAUGHTER

And I'm sorry my sister Pat couldn't come.

And my sister Eunice and my sister Jean and my brother-in-law,

Peter and my brother Teddy.

Or my cousin Joe or...

LAUGHTER

But you're going to have to settle with me, thank you very much.

-WOMEN:

-But he looked much better last night than he did tonight.

-He has lost weight.

-Oh, yes.

He was good on the panel this afternoon.

We're glad to see you, too.

-WOMAN:

-..On his own record. If you can't run on your own record,

you haven't got any business running.

-MAN:

-That's right.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Thanks a lot.

-My pleasure.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

Nice meeting you.

-MAN: ..your hand before it wears off! WOMAN:

-I can still feel it...

WOMEN EXCLAIM

INDISTINCT COMMENTS

Thank you. Thank you very much.

We've got a candidate that isn't afraid to take credit.

And not only that...

You'll have the senator all worn out!

Please, don't crowd the senator. Please.

-Let's keep moving.

-Thank you, goodbye. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Great to see YOU.

-Good luck, Jack.

-Thank you.

'Election day.

'The voices of the campaign begin to turn into votes.'

MAN: I'm for Humphrey and that's who I voted for today.

I believe in the man, I believe he's sincere,

with his Civil Rights programme

and his progressive instinct that I think that he has.

I think it'd be a great thing for the country if he were President.

'A factory gate. A few last handshakes.'

Primaries are very risky.

But my judgement is, I never could have been nominated

if I hadn't run in primaries, so I'm taking the risk,

but I would say you have to keep coming up sevens.

-WOMAN:

-I feel quite strongly on the religious angle of it.

I probably would not vote for Kennedy, because of the fact

that he would have an allegiance outside of the United States.

There is no difference, either one. Humphrey or Kennedy, there's no difference.

We were hoping for Mr Kennedy to win today.

We're looking forward to a win in Wisconsin

and that will carry him right on through into November.

This will be the start.

I feel I'm in favour of Kennedy very much.

I think he's determined.

My husband and I met him the other night down Wisconsin Avenue

and I think he can give us what we need.

And being that...

I suppose I shouldn't say this, but being that he is a Catholic

and we're Catholic also, I think that has a lot to do with it.

I'm a pretty good judge of people, because I'm a cab driver.

Well, Kennedy... is more for the upper class.

I could say he's for the Eastern class.

Like, I had Mrs Humphrey in the cab.

The way she put herself to me was real nice.

-MAN:

-I was surprised the Catholic issue didn't come up earlier

-than it did.

-Bob Kennedy has stated,

very emphatically, that he will not be dictated by Rome...

-They shouldn't bring religion into politics.

-Very correct.

You think they have, though?

I look at it this way, that if he is a God-fearing man,

be it Catholic or Protestant or Jew, I respect him for it and I certainly

would rather have a man that was a God-fearing man than one who isn't.

WOMAN: I believe most people that are Republican

will be voting for Humphrey.

-WOMAN:

-I think Humphrey sounded pretty good.

I really do.

Doing his chair and fighting for the working people all this time,

and I think he's going to continue.

-WOMAN:

-He's younger, I don't think he's that good-looking,

just because his sister is married to a movie star...

-I don't think he's good-looking.

-Doesn't make him a glamour puss.

-I don't see what's good-looking about him.

-No.

He's just a glamour boy. Got a good head of hair on him.

The Humphrey and Kennedy camps at this hour

are almost identical.

Each side says it will win in six of the ten districts.

Each side it will win the popular vote,

and each side says it will stage

a victory celebration some time tonight.

The first precinct reporting in today's presidential primary

gave Senator Humphrey 103 votes

to only 16 for his opponent Senator Kennedy,

and on the Republican side,

Vice President Richard Nixon drew 35.

14,987.

You're going to be in with a chance here.

We've got the total now.

We've got a total of 44% of precincts reported.

44?

44% reporting at 9pm.

Will you ask him one question?

What did Nixon do in the Fourth and Fifth?

In the Fourth and Fifth, give me Nixon.

Well, I know, but you didn't take him down.

PHONE RINGS

3,914.

Yeah. Yeah.

5,078 in the Fifth.

5,078. Thank you. Keep this advice.

Pierre said it's not a correct quote.

Now that is an exact quote.

It just says I would find it difficult to be nominated.

If I lost here, I'd find it extremely difficult to be nominated.

I don't care whether they print it or not.

24 for Humphrey. 63.

-RADIO:

-'First returns in the Wisconsin primary.

'Senator Humphrey is leading Senator Kennedy

'by a margin of two to one,

'and he's outdrawing Vice President Nixon three to two.

'These, however, are very early returns.

'They include one precinct where Humphrey was conceded to be strong.'

-RADIO:

-'..in the 2nd district.

'Kennedy, of course, is a Roman Catholic,

'Humphrey is Congregationalist,

'and Nixon a Quaker, and some observers think

'that the election has resolved into a religious struggle.'

Ignore that religious thing.

Whatever, if it breaks you wider.

See, it makes religion to be of disproportionate importance.

It makes it a front page story when under ordinary conditions

it wouldn't have been even printed in the paper.

-Well, it's endemic.

-It is. I see it every week.

After all, Jack came out here.

This place was locked down for Humphrey.

LAUGHTER

When is Red Skelton on?

He's on right now.

Let's get him.

We like him. That's our favourite.

Oh, here we are.

What do you know?

HE LAUGHS

This would be eight of the ten districts down.

4th and 5th are not yet. Nothing from Milwaukee yet.

And which show Humphrey leading in the 3rd, the 9th and the 10th.

PHONE RINGS

Have you heard about the 2nd?

Yeah.

All right. What's happened, of course,

is that these Republicans are voting for maybe Nixon,

voting from Humphrey, is that it?

(Hi, Jerry! How are you?)

It'd be all right if this was November you're going through this.

You'd have liked to go through this six times, do you? Five times?

And then November. The 9th is gone.

The 3rd, we have a chance in, but just a chance.

It really depends on the cross.

The 10th, we have a chance in.

Just a chance. The 7th is quite close.

Listen, don't let these guys get you congratulating too early.

They run it, and then afterwards they say,

"He thought he was in, but he wasn't."

HE LAUGHS

Do they do that?

-I've seen this before.

-They seem so friendly.

They are, but they're... Copydesk boys are not always...

They're all right.

When I first ran for mayor,

I was ahead till six o'clock in the morning.

-Oh, my God.

-And then I ended up losing.

-RADIO:

-'Polls are now saying

'that Humphrey possibly may carry five districts,

'but it's now clear that the chances of a Kennedy sweep

'have almost slipped away.

'But it could be a long night for newspaper and radio men

'covering the election,

'and that one of the most elaborate and intense campaigns

'in the state's history could wind up meaning almost nothing.'

This guy. Yes, they...

Hi. Hi.

How are you? Good to see you.

Well, we'll see what happens.

-PHONE RINGS

-The 11th ward.

227 for Jack.

92 for Humphrey.

35 for Nixon?!

That's the greatest ever!

How you can eat is more than I know.

Kennedy, 21,190.

190.

Hubert, 18,571.

571.

The worst we'll get...the worst we can get tonight is six to four

with the popular vote,

and that would end up with 20 and a half to 10 and a half,

counting the National Committeeman for Humphrey

and the National Committeewoman for Jack.

So that actually the 20 and a half to 10 and a half

would be a two to one victory to Jack on delegates.

It would be a great victory, actually.

The only ones who stood are the people who've been talking

about Jack taking all 10.

Which, er...is impossible at this point.

I mean, here in Wisconsin.

I say we go ahead.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Jack's right by my side.

Wait a minute.

It's...

Senator Kennedy?

Could you turn on the other...?

We'll never make CBS unless he really rings you.

-RADIO:

-'The trend is becoming clear.

'Senator Humphrey's early lead from the rural areas

'is being wiped out as the big city vote comes in.'

-RADIO:

-'Boy, what a thrill it is, what excitement,

'watching these important races tonight.

'It's a moment of slight commercialism.

'I will mention that some other very exciting things are happening

'right here in our city these days.'

Kennedy first. The senator will come over here.

Not yet, Senator, not yet.

Yeah.

'The Wisconsin primary.'

-Senator, good evening.

-Good evening, Sandy.

How does the evening look to you?

Well, as all these election nights are,

it's a very interesting evening.

How has the vote as it's been thus far shaped up

according to your expectations?

Well, I was hopeful we could take six districts,

and I think we have a good chance to do that, which would give us,

and I hope, the majority of the popular vote,

which would give us a very good result.

Senator, how do you feel after this exhaustive campaign?

I've campaigned many months, but I think if we're successful,

I've run against a very hard-working, formidable opponent,

my colleague and friend Senator Humphrey,

and if I can be successful against him I'll be delighted,

particularly in Wisconsin, which is, of course,

the heart of the Midwest next to Minnesota.

So we've had a very long, gruelling campaign.

-What are your plans after tonight?

-Well, to continue on.

The next primary, of course, is Indiana

and the first part of Maine, then I hit West Virginia, Maryland

and Oregon and Nebraska, all in the short space of two and a half weeks.

Very typical of the whole thing. It makes good.

Smile here.

If you wait a little while, I may smile even more!

-You're going right into West Virginia.

-Oh, sure.

INDISTINCT QUESTION

Well...the Voice of America,

I'm always glad to say something for them.

This has been a great election, and the people of Wisconsin

are to be congratulated on their genuine interest in this election.

This is the best voice America can have,

when the people participate in their government and their politics.

How are you going to come out of this election?

I'd say I've been in politics too long to make any predictions

with one third of the precincts in.

Only reckless people do that, and radicals,

and I'm a conservative, prudent man.

You look awfully satisfied right now, Senator.

I'm pleased. I'm pleased.

You see, if somebody relegates you to what you call a hard bread

and cold water diet and you come up with bouillon and biscuits,

it seems pretty good.

I always said I wanted to win the majority of the popular vote

and a majority of the delegates.

# K-E-double-N-E-D-Y... #

'Senator Kennedy is headed for a two to one victory,

'but this is short of the margin he needs

'to get his bandwagon rolling.

'Neither man has been knocked out, and in national standing,

'they remain about where they stood before the primary.'

# He's got high hopes... #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Kennedy for the President

# Kennedy for the President

# Kennedy for the President

# USA. #

I feel that we've done well. Great.

I truly feel that we've done as well or maybe better

than we had a right to expect.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

You know, just imagine if we'd have won

how much noise there'd have been here!

We won, we won.

You know, West Virginia's a very interesting and beautiful state,

just hills and valleys, see.

-You just work the valleys.

-Just on a walk like this.

# We're going to stick with him all the way to the end

# He used to come over just to help us out

# It's our turn to help him without any doubt

# So vote for Hubert

# Hubert!

# Hubert Humphrey

# The President for you and me... #

BRASS INSTRUMENTS PLAY

# High hopes

# He's got high hopes

# 1960's the year for his high hopes

# Come on and vote for Kennedy... #

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd