In May 1964, former Secretary of State William Russell (Henry Fonda) and Senator Joe Cantwell (Cliff Robertson) are the two leading candidates for the United States presidential election, 1964 of an unspecified political party. Both have potentially fatal vulnerabilities. Russell is a principled intellectual (said by Vidal to be based on Adlai Stevenson II). His sexual indiscretions and lack of attention to her has alienated his wife Alice (Margaret Leighton). In addition, he has a past nervous breakdown to live down. Cantwell (whom Vidal wrote was based on Richard Nixon) portrays himself as a populist "man of the people" and patriotic anti-communist campaigning to end "the missile gap" (a Kennedy campaign catch-phrase). He is a ruthless opportunist, willing to go to any lengths to get the nomination.
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