1964 was a year of contrasts. First, we were recovering from the assassination of President Kennedy and were putting our faith in Lyndon Johnson to carry on the JFK legacy. The social programs (the Civil Rights Bill, Medicare) were evolving, the War on Poverty was about to get rolling. But then so too was the Vietnam War with the infamous Gulf Of Tonkin incident in the not-so-distant future of August.

But on January 5, 1964 when this installment of ABC News Issues and Answers was aired, Commerce Secretary Luther Hodges and Labor Secretary Willard Wirtz voiced optimism that all would be well with the world in good time. Sadly, no. But at the moment, America needed some bolstering. It was heading into unknown territory and it wasn't sure what the future would bring.

It came soon enough.