Presidents and Russia: Nixon, Khrushchev and the Kitchen Debates
On July 24, 1959, Richard Nixon, then Vice-President of the United States, met with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow. The kitchen was designed for Florida builder All-State Properties by architect Andrew Geller at Raymond Loewy Associates.For the exhibition, an entire house was built that the American exhibitors claimed anyone in America could afford. It was filled with labor-saving and recreational devices meant to represent the benefits of the American capitalist system.
In the course of touring the exhibit, Nixon and Khrushchev engaged in a debate which was recorded on color videotape, a new technology pioneered in the U.S. In fact Nixon referenced this fact in the debate, which was subsequently rebroadcast in both countries.
This was the first high-level meeting between Soviet and U.S. leaders since the Geneva Summit in 1955. Both leaders argued for their country’s industrial accomplishments. Khrushchev stressed the Soviets’ achievements in developing “things that matter” rather than luxury. He sarcastically asked Nixon if there was a machine that "puts food into the mouth and pushes it down". Nixon responded by saying at least the competition was technological, rather than military. In the end, both men agreed that the United States and the Soviet Union should be more open with each other. However, Khrushchev was skeptical of Nixon's promise that his part in the debate would be translated into English and broadcast in the U.S.
In the United States, three major television networks broadcast the kitchen debate on July 25. The Soviets subsequently protested, as Nixon and Khrushchev had agreed that the debate should be broadcast simultaneously in America and the Soviet Union. The American networks, however, had felt that waiting would cause the news to become stale. Two days later, on July 27, the debate was broadcast on Moscow television, late at night and with Nixon’s remarks only partially translated.
American reaction was initially somewhat mixed, with the New York Times calling it “an exchange that emphasized the gulf between east and west but had little bearing on the substantive issue” and portrayed it somewhat as a political stunt. Time Magazine, also covering the exhibition, and praised Nixon, saying he “managed in a unique way to personify a national character proud of peaceful accomplishment, sure of its way of life, confident of its power under threat.”
In spite of the undiplomatic nature of the exchange, Nixon's popularity increased after his trip to Moscow, and the trip raised Nixon’s profile, greatly improving his chances for receiving the Republican presidential nomination the following year.
Following is a video of the exchange. Khrushchev is quite amusing in it:
In the course of touring the exhibit, Nixon and Khrushchev engaged in a debate which was recorded on color videotape, a new technology pioneered in the U.S. In fact Nixon referenced this fact in the debate, which was subsequently rebroadcast in both countries.
This was the first high-level meeting between Soviet and U.S. leaders since the Geneva Summit in 1955. Both leaders argued for their country’s industrial accomplishments. Khrushchev stressed the Soviets’ achievements in developing “things that matter” rather than luxury. He sarcastically asked Nixon if there was a machine that "puts food into the mouth and pushes it down". Nixon responded by saying at least the competition was technological, rather than military. In the end, both men agreed that the United States and the Soviet Union should be more open with each other. However, Khrushchev was skeptical of Nixon's promise that his part in the debate would be translated into English and broadcast in the U.S.
In the United States, three major television networks broadcast the kitchen debate on July 25. The Soviets subsequently protested, as Nixon and Khrushchev had agreed that the debate should be broadcast simultaneously in America and the Soviet Union. The American networks, however, had felt that waiting would cause the news to become stale. Two days later, on July 27, the debate was broadcast on Moscow television, late at night and with Nixon’s remarks only partially translated.
American reaction was initially somewhat mixed, with the New York Times calling it “an exchange that emphasized the gulf between east and west but had little bearing on the substantive issue” and portrayed it somewhat as a political stunt. Time Magazine, also covering the exhibition, and praised Nixon, saying he “managed in a unique way to personify a national character proud of peaceful accomplishment, sure of its way of life, confident of its power under threat.”
In spite of the undiplomatic nature of the exchange, Nixon's popularity increased after his trip to Moscow, and the trip raised Nixon’s profile, greatly improving his chances for receiving the Republican presidential nomination the following year.
Following is a video of the exchange. Khrushchev is quite amusing in it: