Yeh, I computerization played a big role in Russia and China getting away from Socialism. They could be not so concerned about consumer goods, but it was difficult to compete militarily when they were so far behind with computers and electronics.
Khrushev's aggresive style was definitely Ukranian. There were other parts of the Soviet Union, which were northern European or Asian, and people would take a more polite style on the surface.
Nixon ran rings around Khrushev like a debater and lawyer. Like getting Khrushev to tacitly admit he controlled exactly what appeared on Soviet TV. Nixon was shrewd, but had no personality. He was introverted for a US politician. He was more typical of a behind the scenes political operative than an elected official. That was part of what happened with the debate with Kennedy. Nixon was a great debater, but Kennedy had more style and appeal. Nixon came off looking like the sleaze he was.
Nixon telling the story of getting up at 4 AM to buy vegetables was typical of him. He would tell that story campaigning in a relatively poor neighborhood or whatever. He would claim to be whatever ethnicity or from whatever location he was campaigning. He told that story in the Soviet Union to show his proletarian background.
Nixon apparently answered a newspaper advertisement to run against a Democratic incumbent who was going the become Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He ran an attack campaign for Senate also. He was likely being used by people and there are parallels to Khrushev with the purges.
