Kennedy & Nixon; The Rivalry That Shaped Postwar America

New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. First Printing [Stated]. First Printing. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. [4], 377, [3] pages. Dramatis Personae. Illustrations. Notes. Index. Signed by the author on the title page. Autographed copy sticker on front of DJ. DJ is price clipped. Previous owner's address label and ink notation inside front cover. Christopher John Matthews (born December 17, 1945) is an American political commentator, talk show host, and author. Matthews is known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, on MSNBC. From 2002 to 2013 Matthews hosted a syndicated NBC News-produced panel discussion program on weekends titled The Chris Matthews Show. Matthews regularly appears on other NBC and MSNBC news programs as well. Matthews worked in print media for 15 years, spending 13 years as Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner (1987-2000) and two years as a syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Matthews covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Good Friday Peace Talks in Northern Ireland. Matthews is the recipient of several awards, including The Pennsylvania Society's Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2005, the Abraham Lincoln Award from the Union League of Philadelphia, the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award, and the 2016 Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award. Derived from a Kirkus review: Matthews offers an on-target dual portrait of rival aspirants for the presidency, both eventually successful, both destined to end tragically. Nixon and Kennedy were elected as members of the House of Representatives' freshman class of 1946. At first they were friendly rivals. Nixon rose first, winning the vice presidency under Eisenhower and building a national reputation. The close-fought campaign of 1960 transformed the relationship between the two men: In the now legendary televised debates, Nixon came off as colorless and tired, while the handsome, relaxed Kennedy impressed viewers with his wit and command of detail. Bitter about alleged ballot theft in Texas, Illinois, and elsewhere, Nixon was convinced that he'd been ambushed by the Kennedy machine. Succumbing to paranoia even after his election to the presidency in 1968, Nixon conducted covert surveillances and smear campaigns against Ted Kennedy, Kennedy family allies, and other political opponents, a propensity that contributed to his eventual downfall and disgrace. Matthews draws a striking picture of the destruction of a political friendship and its consequences.