Rating: 
Summary: An uneasy friendship
Review: A compelling account of the friendship and rivalry between two men who changed the face of American political campaigning in the Cold War era. Matthews charts their long friendship, which was seriously challenged in the 1960 Presidential election that pitted them against each other. Along the way, they had used many of the same techniques (one might say dirty tricks) to elevate themselves onto the national stage. In the limelight of national television, Kennedy clearly got the better of his opponent, and their relationship took on a more adversarial tone after that. Matthews covers the campaign with great relish.One senses a certain sympathy with Nixon, speaking of his earlier campaigns against Voorhis and Douglas in a defensive tone. Conversely, Matthews challenges the myths that surrounded the Kennedy persona, noting his "fighting conservatism," which often found him at odds with liberal establishment, especially in regard to Joseph McCarthy, whom Kennedy thought "might have something." Nixon comes across as the underdog, able to eventually overcome his handicaps and attain the office he so long desired, even if it came at a heavy price with Watergate. One senses the tragic figure in Nixon. On the one hand, wanting to be a part of the intellectual elite, and on the other hand, dispising its condescending attitudes. He seemed to view Kennedy in the same way Nick viewed Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby" (which Matthews alludes to). But, Kennedy seemed to think little of Nixon in turn. In the end, Nixon was a terribly bitter man, but much of this was his own undoing. The book covers a lot of ground, skimming over some parts of their lives, providing valuable insights into others. It is a timely comparison of these two men, as many of the same themes have resurfaced in recent years. Clinton clearly modeled himself after Kennedy, and Bush seems to have gleaned much from Nixon.
Rating: 
Summary: Nixon and the Salieri Syndrome
Review: Chris Matthews, former journalist and Tip O'Neill staffer, and more recently host of MSNBC's "Hardball", has written an informative book detailing the political relationship between two men who became president, John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. Going back to when they first met, at the start of the 80th Congress in 1947, and continuing long after Kennedy's tragic assassination in 1963, until Nixon's resignation from office in 1974, Matthews reveals the ebb and flow of the relationship, and how it affected history. His story continues after Kennedy's death due to Matthews' convincing theory about how the deceased president and his family left President Nixon in a state of obsession, prompting him to go to extreme lengths to help assure his victory in 1972, convinced that the Kennedy legacy and the deceased president's youngest brother, Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy, could thwart his chances for a second term. Matthews draws his analogy from the Peter Shafer play and subsequent film "Amadeus," which revealed the tremendous jealousy of famous Austrian court composer Salieri toward young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. While an accomplished professional, Salieri was obliged to rely upon form and hard work. Mozart, on the other hand, exuded a seemingly effortless genius and that indefinable quality known as charisma. Nixon felt the same way about the handsome young Senator Kennedy. He felt in his shadow when in the presidency and was fearful that Ted Kennedy would ultimately seek the big prize in 1972. Matthews cites the Ted Kennedy factor as a major reason why Nixon, determined to leave as little to chance as possible, launched his ruthless Palace Guard operation which culminated in a "Dirty Tricks" campaign and Watergate, which resulted in Nixon becoming the only U.S. president to resign from office. Matthews reveals that Kennedy and Nixon began as friends but, as it became increasingly obvious that they would oppose each other for the presidency, became tenacious competitors. Matthews tells his readers that the first Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate in 1960, in which Nixon's stiffness cost him dearly, had been preceded by a similar debate in 1947 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, when they were both freshmen congressmen. On that occasion, as in 1960, Kennedy was the ingratiating debater, relaxed, making contact with his audience. Nixon, on the other hand, was like the tense debate competitor seeking to impress a panel of judges, concentrating on raw facts at the expense of failing to generate warmth and spontaneity. Matthews saw Nixon as the ultimate journeyman and Kennedy as the politician touched with genius. He notes that there are no memorable phrases associated with Nixon speeches whereas Kennedy is known for his electrifying Berlin speech as well as his inaugural address, when he stated, "My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Chris Matthews, the host of Hardball, clearly composed a masterwork in "Nixon & Kennedy". The book is well written and manages to take a non-partisan look at the rivalry. While the book is clearly not a complete biography of either man's life, the unique angle of the politcal rivalry between these men should be pleasing to readers of history.
Nixon and Kennedy could not be more different in their backgrounds. Kennedy came from a wealthy background, while Nixon was not nearly as fortunate. Despite their differences, they developed a mutual admiration for one another after they entered congress in 1947. Both Nixon and Kennedy were viewed as up and comers for their respective parties, curious as to who would go farther in his career first.
Their rivalry came to a tragic end when JFK was assassinated in 1963. Yet the rivalry lived on through other member of the Kennedy family. First, the spector of Bobby Kennedy running off of his brother's legacy frightened Nixon. RFK's assassination would extinguish any Nixon versus RFK poltical battles before they came to fruition. Without a Kennedy in the way, Nixon was able to win the White House.
Even after the first term in office, Nixon's biggest threat was another Kennedy. While Ted Kennedy's Presidential aspirations were evaporated by a car accident, Nixon continued to feel threatened. These feelings of inferiority led Nixon's administration to the dirty deeds involved in Watergate. Ironically, Ted Kennedy led the charge that ended Nixon's Presidency through his resignation.
Matthews goes into surprising detail on a number of topics in the book. I found the chapters on Watergate to be more thorough than many sources. The overall picture is a revealling look into American politics in the 1960's and 1970's. Truly, I took great pleasure in reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Twenty-five years of history as two personal journeys
Review: I am very impressed with Chris Matthews's narrative on the political careers of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. His book is well-researched, well-written, and his conclusions are well-proven. At first, I was suspicious of Mr. Matthews's claim that their jousting was "the rivalry that shaped postwar America." But in completing the book, I can appreciate that Kennedy and Nixon were the American version of Disraeli and Gladstone. They both served in the South Pacific during World War II and were elected to Congress in the same year, 1946. Nixon ran as a "pragmatic liberal." Kennedy ran as a "fighting conservative." Excuse me? But beneath the contradictory rhetoric lay an ideological similarity: a passionate hate of communism and a deep suspicion of the New Deal, Eastern Establishment. American leaders during the Cold War, they rallied their nation against Communist threats at home and abroad. They further overthrew the old Washington rules of political cordiality and fairness. To substitute, the first leaders of the G.I. Generation created a winner-take-all political culture that forever changed the Beltway. Kennedy started as the more ruthless pol. His early political career was filled with charges of bribery, vote-stealing, and other low-ball maneuvers. Nixon, of course, would not be outdone. His relentless pursuit of Alger Hiss gave him his first political break and cemented his fear that the Elite was out to break him. Similar in political style and ideology, Kennedy and Nixon became genuine friends in the 1950s. This surprised me but Mr. Matthews documents this point prodigiously. Nixon was invited to the Kennedy wedding in 1953. When Kennedy was near death in 1954, Nixon was in tears. "Oh God, don't let him die." Jackie Kennedy told friends that Jack admired Nixon more than any other man he knew. What forever changed the relationship was the 1960 presidential election. Kennedy beat Nixon by an incredibly narrow margin and the loser was forever convinced that the election was stolen. Mr. Matthews emphasizes the role of "imagery" in the 1960 campaign. All things being equal, Nixon should have topped Kennedy that year. But Kennedy's good looks and aristocratic style contrasted favorably with Nixon's common looks and straight talk. When Kennedy was assinated, the manufactured mythology of "Camelot" masked an average presidency. When Nixon was finally elected president in 1968, it was the ideal of Camelot that haunted him throughout his term. No matter what Nixon did, he could never measure up to Kennedy in the eyes of the American people. The Eastern Establishment viewed Nixon especially distastefully; they saw him as an illegitimate president. Nixon knew that he was in a constant struggle against the liberals who carried the torch for Camelot. Nixon was determined to use every weapon in his arsenal to save himself and his presidency - constitution de damned. Mr. Matthews is especially fluent in describing the step-by-step political destruction of Richard Nixon. The Kennedy-Nixon rivalry ends in 1974 with Nixon's resignation in disgrace. Kennedy had bested Nixon one last time. But in a true sense, both men were equal winners. It was their Cold War zealotry and political ruthlessness that defined Washington after 1960. Our communist-free world is largely their child. Our cynical political culture is largely their creature too. For better and for worse.
Rating: 
Summary: Revealing and Beautifully Written
Review: It would be quite wrong and naive to suggest that this book simply is about the Harvard debonair (Kennedy) vs the awkward conservative (Nixon). It is not. Introduced as "the story of a rivalry", this Nixon/ Kennedy saga is more about the hunted world of post-war American politics and the many ghosts behind it. Authoritative, persuasive and finely narrated, Matthews has succesfully written an energetic portrait of Kennedy and Nixon, their rise and fall, and the fondness between the two characters that turned into bitterness and rivalry. The author's treatment of both Kennedy (the Fighting Conservative) and Nixon (one committed to 'Practical Liberalism')is unsentimental and highly professional, yet he presented his work in an always captivating manner. Furthermore, reading this book is like experiencing a beautiful but painful novel. KENNEDY AND NIXON is a revealing and beautifully written work.
Rating:
Summary: Kennedy and Nixon, on Hardball
Review: Kennedy and Nixon is not the definitive biography of either man. Anyone expecting this will probably be disappointed. Instead, it is a view of each man in his relations to the other. In other words, how did Nixon affect Kennedy, and how did Kennedy affect Nixon? A little more emphasis is placed on the latter, as JFK's political career was cut short in November of 1963. There are a lot of interesting stories about how Kennedy and Nixon interacted with each other, and though there is no obvious bias, the reader is nudged to feel some sympathy for Nixon, despite his tarnished reputation. Perhaps the best thing about this book is the writer, through whom we see the power both Nixon and Kennedy had on people of his generation. If you are a fan of Kennedy, Nixon, or Matthews, this is a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Balanced but superficial
Review: Matthews provides a balanced and fair, if superficial, examination of Nixon and Kennedy. As an avid studier of this era of politics, and Nixon in particular, I didn't learn a whole lot that I did not already know. But this book, I don't think, is meant to provide the function of in-depth scholarly research. It's pleasant fluff, for people who might be interested in learning a little bit about Nixon and Kennedy, but don't want to invest too much energy and brain power. And there's nothing wrong with that. I think we all have subjects we'd like to know a little bit more about, but don't necessarily want to make a major scholarly investment in.
Matthews' writing style is easily digestible and entertaining, even if it does make you think that Matthews might just be as stupid in real life as he appears on TV. He also provides a solid and fair account free of egregious errors. If anything, I might be inclined to believe he has a slight bias towards Nixon and against Kennedy in terms of their respective treatments. Despite Watergate, and my own liberal leanings, I tend to have a similar bias so it didn't bother me. Nevertheless, Kennedy and especially Nixon are both fascinating figures, and Matthews does a credible job of capturing what makes the both of them so interesting. In short, I'd give this book a fairly mild recommendation, with the understanding that there are better books about each figure out there, and Matthews does not provide any crucial, original, or insightful analysis. It is good for the person with a mild interest, who'd like to know a bit more about Kennedy and Nixon, but who does not have the time or energy for something heftier.
Rating:
Summary: Political Rivalry/Tragedy Recalled in "Kennedy v. Nixon"
Review: MSNBC host and news columnist Christopher Matthews charts the rivalry of "Kennedy v. Nixon" as backstory and inspiration behind most of America's post-World War II history. His meticulous research and breezy storytelling style creates a psychological/historical drama mixed with Shakespearean tragedy and some hilarious, touching anecdotes. In it, Richard Nixon, the 37th president who resigned under pressure from the Watergate scandal, battles the ambitions, then the "Camelot" mythology of President John F. Kennedy, who defeated Nixon in 1960's close, contested election. Nixon is then shadowed throughout his political life by memories of the slain president: first by brother Robert, (a likely 1968 candidate before his assassination), and finally youngest brother Edward Kennedy. "Kennedy vs. Nixon" tells a story of personal friendship souring under political differences and career paths. It shows how these cordial political colleagues who shared a hallway both opposed what they saw as Yalta's squandered victory after World War II, and fought Communist insurgency and infiltration domestically and internationally. Matthews traces their roles in the era's major events, all playing against a Cold War backdrop: tacit support for Joe McCarthy's investigations, distrust of Alger Hiss as Nixon prosecuted him, 1952's infamous "Checkers" speech preserving Nixon's vice-presidential candidacy even as President Dwight Eisenhower coldly minimizes Nixon's accomplishments and even attempts to remove him. During these chapters Matthews reveals the start of Nixon's legendary personal distrust, hinted when vanquished Congressional opponent Helen Douglas branded him "Tricky Dicky." Here Matthews also introduces characters (Archibold Cox, Charles Colson, Larry O'Brien) who became household names less than 15 years later as henchmen for or targets of Nixon's need to retain power . You also see the slow roots of America's painful Vietnam involvement, and how it helped fuel Nixon's 1968 comeback victory. The core of the book is dedicated to 1960's presidential election and TV's major role in its presentation and outcome. Matthews meticulously retells 1960's "Great Debate" and how Nixon's TV image which, compared to Kennedy's carefully crafted public persona (and what Nixon saw as creative counting) painfully cost him that election. But recounting private taped and untaped unconversations, you sense both men's anger and frustration against enemies foreign (Kennedy's Bay of Pigs, and 1963's assassination of South Vietnam president Ngo Dihn Diem) and domestic (Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre," his palpable need to discredit Ted Kennedy even after 1969's Chappaquiddick tragedy ended any hopes for his presidential run.) Matthews effectively argues Ted Kennedy's threat as fueling Nixon's self-destruction, but adds Nixon's suspicions were justified. From being used by Kennedy's wealthy father as pawn for President-elect Kennedy before the inauguration, to investigated for loans given Nixon's brother Donald (for "Nixonburgers"), to Ted Kennedy's role in prosecuting Watergate, Nixon felt constantly chased by Kennedy legacy and perceptions he only held space until another Kennedy "restoration" and couldn't compete with Kennedy' carefully written legacy. This leads to several bitter but even hilarious anecdotes (the ones about the phony train conductor, the pregnant woman and the beach photo opportunity being three favorites). Even in Nixon's declining, post-retirement years, his foreign policy expertise respected and presidency re-examined, he couldn't hide antipathy for his 1960 rival and events leading America to the Vietnam war always associated with Nixon's presidency. Even his 1994 death was shadowed a few weeks later by that of President Kennedy's widow Jacqueline (with whom Nixon shared sweet and sincere correspondence after Ms. Kennedy's family visited Nixon's White House in 1971.) It is a somber, fitting ending to Matthews' remarkably told story, whose details provided deeper, long-missing reasons behind some of history's tragic, yet seismic events. "Kennedy vs. Nixon" is a recommended story addressing personal and political clashes between two of American history's most significant, forever fascinating figures.
Rating:
Summary: A Star-Crossed Rivalry!
Review: This book is a fascinating look at the long term connections between two politicians whose presence stood like a giant shadow on the post-war period. As Matthews chronicles, Jack Kennedy and Richard Nixon entered Congress together in 1946 and from the day they met had a love-hate relationship. Nixon, pathologically jealous of Kennedy's family conncetions, style and grace, nonetheless deeply admired him. Kennedy was more contemtuous of Nixon but, nonetheless, his family gave money to Nixon's Senate campaign. When both Nixon and Kennedy served in the Senate, their offices were right next to each other. Nixon was invited to Kennedy's wedding in 1953 but was required to play golf with President Eisenhower instead! The anectodes from this period show Nixon's warm affection for Kennedy. When Kennedy was near death from back surgery, Nixon broke down in tears. The relationship changed when the two opposed each other for president and as Matthews demonstrates, when Nixon narrowly lost, he was devastated. Kennedy's death in 1963 tormented Nixon but according to Matthews, it led to the transfer of the rivalry from JFK to his brothers. First, in 1968, Nixon was deeply afraid that Bobby Kennedy would get the nomination and beat him. More importantly, in 1972, Nixon was desparately afraid that youngest brother Ted would suddenly appear on the scene to take what he had won. According to Matthews, this may well have been the real reason for the Watergate break in. While it is difficult to understand why a super popular Nixon in 1972 would so fear defeat that he would go down the path of Watergate, I think it is far fetched to state that his pathological fear of defeat by the Kennedy's was the prime motive. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the book at all. Both Nixon and the Kennedy's are fascinating larger than life people and their unique friendship/rivalry is virtually unheralded in American history. The story makes for a great read.
Rating:
Summary: A Star-Crossed Rivalry!
Review: This book is a fascinating look at the long term connections between two politicians whose presence stood like a giant shadow on the post-war period. As Matthews chronicles, Jack Kennedy and Richard Nixon entered Congress together in 1946 and from the day they met had a love-hate relationship. Nixon, pathologically jealous of Kennedy's family conncetions, style and grace, nonetheless deeply admired him. Kennedy was more contemtuous of Nixon but, nonetheless, his family gave money to Nixon's Senate campaign. When both Nixon and Kennedy served in the Senate, their offices were right next to each other. Nixon was invited to Kennedy's wedding in 1953 but was required to play golf with President Eisenhower instead! The anectodes from this period show Nixon's warm affection for Kennedy. When Kennedy was near death from back surgery, Nixon broke down in tears. The relationship changed when the two opposed each other for president and as Matthews demonstrates, when Nixon narrowly lost, he was devastated. Kennedy's death in 1963 tormented Nixon but according to Matthews, it led to the transfer of the rivalry from JFK to his brothers. First, in 1968, Nixon was deeply afraid that Bobby Kennedy would get the nomination and beat him. More importantly, in 1972, Nixon was desparately afraid that youngest brother Ted would suddenly appear on the scene to take what he had won. According to Matthews, this may well have been the real reason for the Watergate break in. While it is difficult to understand why a super popular Nixon in 1972 would so fear defeat that he would go down the path of Watergate, I think it is far fetched to state that his pathological fear of defeat by the Kennedy's was the prime motive. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the book at all. Both Nixon and the Kennedy's are fascinating larger than life people and their unique friendship/rivalry is virtually unheralded in American history. The story makes for a great read.
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