1960: Candidates Visit
On September 26, students from WRU turned out to Cleveland's Lakefront Airport to greet John F. Kennedy and provided an "Honor Guard" for a rally at Euclid Beach Park. The next day, Kennedy's motorcade proceeded down Euclid Avenue in University Circle to a cheering crowd. One month later, on October 27, Henry Cabot Lodge, Republican vice presidential candidate, visited campus in an event sponsored by both WRU and Case. He spoke to an estimated crowd of 2,500 in front of Haydn Hall. Richard M. Nixon, Republican presidential candidate, spoke at Cleveland's Public Auditorium on October 6, where a contingent of the WRU Youth for Nixon-Lodge group was in attendance.
The WRU yearbook, Lux, covered the visits to Cleveland and the campus by the candidates: John F. Kennedy and Henry Cabot Lodge (below).
Kennedy's car did not stop on campus as expected. He sent a letter of apology to Dean Russell Griffin for the mistake.
Republican vice presidential candidate Lodge spoke to an estimated crowd of 2,500 on campus.
Parade float for the Case Mock Political Convention.
The Wyoming delegation, made up of nurses from St. Luke's Hospital, at the Case Mock Political Convention.
In addition to student-sponsored events, the University also sponsored events surrounding the presidential race.
WRU students formed a club in support of Republican candidates Nixon and Lodge.
| Ohio Popular Vote | National Popular Vote | Electoral Vote |
| Richard M. Nixon (R) 2,217,611 (53.3%) John F. Kennedy (D) 1,944,248 (46.7%) | John F. Kennedy (D) 34,221,344 (49.72%) Richard M. Nixon (R) 34,106,671 (49.55%) Eric Hass (Socialist Labor) 47,522 (0.07%) | John F. Kennedy (D) 303 Richard M. Nixon (R) 219 Harry F. Byrd 15 |
Information was compiled by staff of the Case Western Reserve University Archives, September 2004.
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This page references:
- Float for the Case Mock Political Convention
- Students at the Case Mock Political Convention
- Henry Cabot Lodge speaks to a crowd from the steps of Haydn Hall
- Article about Nixonians forming a campus group
- Lecture program, "The American Political Scene" with Max Lerner
- String of Red and White Bunting
- Reserve Tribune article about Senator Kennedy sending an apology
- 1960 Election pages from WRU Lux yearbook
