Richard M. Nixon

Richard Nixon visited Wheaton's campus while Vice-President. Appearing in a rally on McCully field, Nixon was then a candidate for the Republican nomination, which he eventually won. However, as history has shown, Nixon didn't fair well in the first-ever televised debates. Interestingly, those that listened to the debates via radio developed a different sense of who won. Exhibiting the strength of the visual medium, these debates set a precedence that influenced national politics around the globe with Germany, Japan, Italy and others establishing televised debates for national elections. Back in Wheaton, Nixon played to his crowd calling them to "strengthen the faith of America. See that young people grow up with faith in God."