In this section you will find a number of questions or unfinished statements about the passage, each with four suggested answers or ways of finishing. You must choose the one you think fits best.

In his book "The Making of the President", 1960, Theodore White made some insightful observations about the television debates between Kennedy and Nixon He contended that the debates had to be analyzed within the context of the explosion in the field of the communications. During the previous debate, Americans had purchased television sets at a phenomenal rate. By the evening of the debate, 88 percent of all American families owned a television set, and a very large percentage turned into the debate.

The format was really less like a debate than like a press conference. Each candidate was allowed an opening statement of eight minutes, and then two and a half minutes to respond to each question proposed by a panel. There was no provision for dialogue between the candidates. As White observed, despite this format, Nixon proceeded as though he was in a personal debates with Kennedy, trying to score points from the reporters on the panel. In contrast, Kennedy spoke directly to the television viewers, concentrating on creating a dynamic and appealing image in order to influence them.

Later Kennedy claimed that the debate were the single most important factor in the election. In White's view the debates did change the direction of the campaign. From research studies, Including Gallup Poll, it appeared that Kennedy had gained at least 2 million votes as a result of the televised programs. When you consider that Kennedy won by a little more than 100,000 votes, the debates had to have made the difference. It has been clear to candidates since then that television debates are a very powerful tool

What is the author's main point?