Kefauver’s Dog Days

Estes Kefauver had many loves in his life, but one thing is beyond dispute: the man loved dogs.

After Kefauver married his wife Nancy in 1935, they traveled from her native Scotland to the rented cottage in Chattanooga where they would start their life together. They brought along with them Nancy’s beloved pet cocker spaniel. (Kefauver would later describe the pup as “a retriever – a bedroom slipper retriever.”) They paid $60 (about $1,500 in today’s money) to bring the dog with them from Scotland, an expense they considered well worth it.

This was the Kefauvers’ first dog, but it would definitely not be their last. Throughout their marriage, they always had at least one dog at home, and often more than one. (At one point, claims Kefauver biographer Charles Fontenay, they had 13 canines at home.)

Like Kefauver himself, his dogs weren’t afraid to work across the aisle – allegedly, anyhow. In the 1950s, when Kefauver was in the Senate, the family’s DC home was just down the street from the Richard Nixon family. Despite opposing each other politically, the Kefauvers and Nixons were quite friendly socially.

Shortly after Nixon became vice president in 1953, it was discovered that his dog Checkers (yes, the same dog from the famous speech) was pregnant. And Nixon claimed that the Kefauver’s spaniel, Jo-Jo, had sired Checkers’ baby. While promising the puppy to the family of Republican Senator Karl Mundt, he asked whether the Mundts minded “if Estes Kefauver’s dog is the father.” (Undeterred, Mrs. Mundt said she would name the puppy “Coalition.” Today, I suppose she might name him “No Labels.”)

Speaking to the Nashville Tennessean about the matter, Kefauver denied paternity on his pooch’s behalf. “So far as we can learn,” Kefauver said, “Jo-Jo hasn’t visited the Nixons in many moths.”

Incidentally, dogs weren’t the only pets in the Kefauver household. Several news sources reported that they also kept a (tame, deodorized) pet skunk named Shanghai. Sadly, I have not been able to turn up any photos of the Kefauver at home with their beloved skunk. Believe me, I would love to end this post with one. But I can’t. If anyone out there has a photo of dear old Shanghai, please share!