Category: Campaign 1952
-
Miami Heat: Kefauver, Russell Face Off in ’52
In 1952, Estes Kefauver and Richard Russell had a furious faceoff on a Miami TV station. Was it the first televised Presidential debate? It’s complicated.
-
Bye Bye, Shanghai: The Kefauvers’ Strangest Pet
The Kefauver family loved pets. At various times, the family had a veritable menagerie of animals around the home, including dogs, cats, birds, mice, and even… a skunk?
-
On, Wisconsin: Kefauver’s Campaign Magic at Work
Kefauver’s popularity with the people made him a popular campaign speaker, especially in tough districts. In 1953, he helped Democrats flip a ruby-red seat in Wisconsin by connecting with farmers.
-
Kefauver’s Unconventional Thoughts on Conventions
Ever the reformer, Estes Kefauver proposed a bold plan for reinventing the political convention during his 1952 Presidential campaign. His suggestions were ignored… but some of them were adopted eventually.
-
I Want A Brave Man, I Want a Caveman: Kefauver Comes to Grants Pass
When Kefauver took his Presidential campaign to Oregon in 1952, he wound up getting initiated into a… wild bunch of locals.
-
A Friendly Bet, A Big Game, Lasting Effects: Kefauver and the 1952 Sugar Bowl
When two Senators made a friendly wager on the outcome of this game, they felt they had a lot at stake. As it turns out, the real stakes of the game were about the future of college football.
-
Thank God I’m A Country Boy: Kefauver’s Musical Connection
Throughout his career, Estes Kefauver used country music to connect with people and promote his campaigns. Like Kefauver himself, it may not have impressed the powerful, but it hit home with regular people.
-
Anybody But Estes: Truman’s Biggest Mistake?
Harry Truman was looking for a successor… as long as it was anyone but Estes Kefauver. Did Truman let a personal grudge cost the Democrats their best shot at beating Ike and extending Truman’s legacy?
-
Kefauver’s Magical History Tour of Political Ethics
In 1952, Kefauver wrote a scholarly article surveying the history of political ethics in America. How would he feel about where we are today?
-
India Edwards: Forgotten Political Trailblazer
India Edwards should be an icon: female DNC vice chair, H, 1952 VP candidate, convinced Truman to appoint numerous women. Why is her story so little remembered?
Estes Kefauver for President 