Read the following statement. Prior to 1960, political campaigns provided more substantial information about issues. Which sentence from the passage best supports this inference? excerpt from The Message of the Medium In earlier campaigns, prior to the critical debates, a politician's appearance was just one factor in his or her popularity. The medium of television—with its intimacy and immediacy—gave the physical appearance of a candidate an importance that was unprecedented. Suddenly, how Nixon and Kennedy looked on television carried as much weight as their political platforms. It was Nixon who suffered under the new standard, while Kennedy benefited. The Vice President had never been entirely comfortable in front of people, and his discomfort became more evident on camera. He perspired visibly. He, as Kennedy had, refused to wear make-up for the first debate, despite the fact that he was recovering from a slight illness. On screen, he looked gaunt and haggard, and his face had a darkened appearance from his usual five-o'clock shadow. In contrast, Senator Kennedy was incredibly telegenic. His style and appearance seemed made for TV. He looked handsome, composed, and completely at ease in front of the camera. Plus, his vigorous and aggressive manner made him seem more in control, more presidential than Nixon. During the debates, Kennedy further undermined Nixon by refusing to call him Mr. Vice President, as custom dictated, and instead referred to him only as Mr. Nixon. What viewers saw had a huge impact on what they thought. Since he looked and sounded so good, Kennedy gained the advantage. Although at the start he was the lesser-known candidate, he went on to win the election by a narrow margin.