1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Welcome back everyone. I'm Eves and you're listening 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: to This Day in History Class, a show where we 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: peel back a new layer of history every day. Today 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: is November four, nineteen. The day was November four, nineteen 6 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: fifty six. The first nationally televised presidential debate in the 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: US aired, when former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Senator 8 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: Margaret Chase Smith debated each other, acting as surrogates for 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: a Democratic candidate at Ly Stevenson and Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower. 10 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: Former Illinois Governor at Ly Stevenson challenged Eisenhower, who was 11 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: running for a second term, to a televised debate, but 12 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: Eisenhower refused. His administration decided that it would be better 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: for surrogates to debate each other on policy, so at 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: Eisenhower's gestion, the Women's division of the Republican National Committee 15 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: chose Margaret Chase Smith, the senior Senator from Maine. In 16 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty Smith gave a notable speech that criticized McCarthyism 17 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: and the actions of the House An American Activities Committee. 18 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: The Democrats chose former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to go 19 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: up against Smith. At first, Smith refused, she thought that 20 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: her public speaking abilities were no match for Roosevelt's skill 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: and knowledge, but Eisenhower convinced her to accept the debate, 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: and she began preparing meticulously for the event. Her appearance 23 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: also figured into her preparation for the debate, which she 24 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: figured would be important since they would be on TV. 25 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 1: She decided to be in contrast with Roosevelt's quote partisan 26 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: manner and quote top heavy appearance, so part of her 27 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: strategy was to wear a simple dark dress and answer 28 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: questions briefly and slowly in an even tone. When the 29 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: debate aired on CBS, IS faced the nation two days 30 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: before the elect and it was the first time women 31 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: were ever guests on the show. For thirty minutes, Roosevelt 32 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: and Smith answered questions posed by a panel of reporters. 33 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: Much of the debate was geared toward foreign policy, which 34 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: Roosevelt had an advantage in as former First Lady and 35 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: Ambassador to the United Nations, but Smith had also served 36 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: on the House Armed Services Committee. Smith later wrote, Mrs 37 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: Roosevelt was caught by surprise as I refrained from tangling 38 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: with her. The more that I spoke softly and smiled faintly, 39 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: and the less I said in reply, the more Mrs 40 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 1: Roosevelt seemed to be put off balance, and this made 41 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: her talk more. Either way, Roosevelt dominated the debate with 42 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: her long explanations, while Smith kept her answers brief. As planned. 43 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: Smith had previously requested to read a two minute closing argument, 44 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: anticipating a strong performance from Roosevelt, and the moderators agreed. 45 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: In her closing statement, Smith was more a motive and 46 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: less restrained that she had been in the rest of 47 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: the debate. Roosevelt didn't care for this shift in demeanor 48 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: and didn't shake hands with Smith after the debate. Public 49 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: reactions to the debate ran the gamut, and it's not 50 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: clear what effect the debate had on voters, but Eisenhower 51 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: won the election by a landslide. At the nineteen Republican convention, 52 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: Smith became the first woman to have her name entered 53 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: into nomination at a major party's convention. I'm Eve steff Code, 54 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,799 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 55 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. No any fellow history buffs who 56 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: would enjoy the show, you can share it with them. 57 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: We're on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d i 58 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: h C podcast. Our email address is this day at 59 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: i heart media dot com. Thanks for listening. We'll see 60 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: you here again tomorrow with another episode. For more podcasts 61 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: from I Heeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 62 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: or where every listen to your favorite shows.