Kennedy and Nixon both came looking for votes in 1960

In the month before the 1960 presidential election, both major candidates campaigned in La Crosse.  Vice President Richard Nixon spoke at the Sawyer Auditorium one day after one of his TV debates with Sen. John Kennedy.  The state college newspaper, the Racquet, was not impressed…claiming that Nixon said little during his La Crosse speech, except to promote GOP farm policy.  And when Kennedy arrived two weeks later, the Racquet also slammed him for saying very little.  The newspaper also criticized faculty members of the college for protesting the arrival of a Republican “truth squad” plane at the airport when JFK was there.  One Senator in the truth squad was Prescott Bush of Connecticut, father of the 41st president, grandfather of the 43rd.

A beauty pageant scandal arose, shortly before the election.  The young woman chosen to represent the US in the Miss World contest was too young.  Annette Driggers of New York was 15, but had claimed to be 20.  The runner-up, Judith Achter of St. Louis, became Miss United States instead.

An odd assortment of movies hit #1 at the box office in October of 1960.  They included the western drama “The Magnificent Seven”…”The Alamo,” starring John Wayne…the Roman epic “Spartacus”…and “High Time,” a comedy with Bing Crosby as a businessman who goes to college.  Fifty-seven years ago, yesterday in La Crosse.