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​"Face the Nation": By the numbers

"Sunday Morning" looks back at TV's second-longest-running program, a gathering place for Washington newsmakers, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary
"Face the Nation" after 60 years 01:12
Sen. Joseph McCarthy appears on "Face the Nation" in 1954 01:04

"Face The Nation" first took to the airwaves on November 7th, 1954 . . . which makes it 60 years old, and television's second-longest running political interview program.


The first guest: Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.

Nearly 3,000 "Face the Nation" broadcasts have followed . . . featuring more than 7,000 guests (in the early days, most of them men).

Not until its second anniversary broadcast did the first women appear as guests: Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith.

Senator John McCain is the guest who's racked up the most appearances: 101.


And while the guest list has been long, the number of people who've served as the host of "Face the Nation" is much shorter . . . just eight.

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