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Though President Richard Nixon’s health care proposals remained relevant to policy developments even decades later, we know little about their origins and impact on public debate. The Nixon team was highly motivated by Senator Ted Kennedy’s health care moves, a rivalry that shaped policy development and narratives surrounding reform. This article uses archival research of White House documents and a content analysis of major newspapers to shed light on Nixon’s health care plans and how they influenced media coverage in the early 1970s. The analysis shows the Nixon administration’s fear of being upstaged by Kennedy was warranted given the amount of news discussing presidential plans alongside those of the senator. Still, Nixon was able to obtain a substantial amount of exclusive attention to his preferred take on health care reform. Though Nixon’s proposed reforms were not enacted at the time, they helped shape policy conversations in lasting ways, warranting greater scholarly attention. ©, Copyright © American University, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.