the kitchen debate

 

The next item on our "Nixon list" is the Kitchen Debate.

time:  1959

place:  the American Exhibition in Moscow

who:  Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon

Khrushchev's position:  Communism is better

Nixon's position:  Capitalism is better

Khrushchev insisted that in five-to-seven years the Soviet Union would catch up to the United States in standard of living.

        He said when we catch up to you, "we will greet you amiably!" (waving his hand).

        (He speaks in Russian, so you've got the translator going along, talking at the same time....)

Nixon says, "This increasing communication will teach us some things, and it will teach you some things, too, because after all, you don't know everything!"

Khrushchev answers:

        "If I don't know everything, then I would say that you know absolutely nothing about communism, nothing except fear of it."

Then they promise each other that the whole conversation will be broadcast in their countries in their native language - Russian in the Soviet Union, and English in the U.S.

        Nixon says, "That's a fair bargain."

        And Khrushchev lifts his right hand abruptly up in the air and brings in down swiftly to slap Nixon's hand and shake it.  (It looks like the word "bargain" brought that on....)

The two leaders end the encounter smiling at the cameras.

An excellent video on this topic is titled

Khrushchev vs. Nixon:  Kitchen Debate - Cold War DOCUMENTARY

uploader / channel:  The Cold War

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