Category: Campaign 1956
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Stevenson Toons In for ’56?
Eisenhower’s 1952 relied on the sales of Madison Avenue -and Disney – to roll to victory. After resisting those techniques the first time around, the Stevenson/Kefauver campaign gave them a try in ’56. How did it turn out? Judge for yourself.
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Every Picture Tells A Story
A random photo from the 1956 convention leads to the revelation of a remarkable life and story. No, not Kefauver’s.
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Tennessee Comes to Seattle: Kefauver at the World’s Fair
In 1962, Kefauver attended the World’s Fair in Seattle. While he was there, he got to represent his state, visit his daughter, travel to space, and greet a milestone visitor. Not bad for one day.
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Kefauver and LBJ: Two Paths to Power
Estes Kefauver and Lyndon Johnson had a number of things in common: two liberal-leaning, ambitious Southern Democrats who joined the Senate in the same year. But their approach to politics – and the pursuit of power – couldn’t have been more different.
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Sing Along with Keef: “Estes Is Bestes”
The song most associated with Kefauver was “The Tennessee Waltz,” for better or for worse (and definitely for worse after a long campaign). But there’s a long-forgotten campaign song that captures his folk-hero appeal.
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The Past is a Foreign Country: Decoding an Old Political Poster
I decipher an anti-Eisenhower poster from 1956, showing how many issues that seem vitally important in their day will ultimately be forgotten by history.
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Hoosier Candidate?
A sample ballot from the 1956 Indiana primary offers a snapshot of state’s political scene… and a handful of fascinating stories.
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Lights, Camera, Action!
If you think the first presidential debate on TV was between Nixon and JFK, you’re off by four years. It was Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver who first took their case to the airwaves. Find out what they discussed – and how it showed the real differences between the candidates.
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He Wrote Bills for Kefauver As A Teen: Interview with Fred Strong
A comment on one of my posts led me to an interview with a man who volunteered for Kefauver… while still in high school! This was just one chapter of his remarkable life.
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How’s That Again, General?
Adlai Stevenson knew he had a secret weapon in the 1956 Presidential campaign: his running mate. In his ads, Stevenson prominently featured Kefauver’s name – and even the man himself, talking about Ike’s broken promises.
Estes Kefauver for President 