Nixon vs. Kennedy (Mad Men)
Nixon vs. Kennedy (Mad Men) — Short Summary
“Nixon vs. Kennedy” is the 12th episode of Mad Men’s first season. After-hours at Sterling Cooper, staff celebrate the 1960 presidential election with a party as Nixon leads Kennedy in the polls. The night includes drinking, a goofy screen-play improv, and memorable moments: Sal and Joan kiss, and Harry has a drunken fling with Pete’s secretary, Hildy.
Meanwhile, Pete Campbell pushes Don Draper for a promotion to head of accounts, but Don refuses to promote Pete and instead hires outside candidate Duck Phillips. Pete tries to pressure Don by showing him a box of Don’s childhood memories. This leads to Don having vivid flashbacks about his past.
In the flashbacks, Don is revealed to be Dick Whitman, who survived the Korean War by taking the identity of a comrade, Donald Draper. Donald dies in battle, and Dick later inherits Donald’s name and a Purple Heart. This painful past explains Don’s fear of exposure and his complex feelings about loyalty and truth.
Back in the present, Don resists Pete’s maneuvers, and Bert Cooper privately tells Don he could fire Pete if he wants, but cautions him to think carefully. Don hires Duck, advancing his own control of the department and showing Pete he isn’t in charge. The episode ends with Don returning home to watch Nixon concede the election on TV, a somber mirror to his own hidden history.
Reception and notes: Critics praised the episode, especially the powerful reveal of Don’s past and the office-power dynamics echoing the presidential race. It received Emmy consideration for prosthetic makeup and is regarded as one of the season’s standout hours.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 11:57 (CET).