Category: Campaign 1956
-
Estes Kefauver: Not an Organization Man
Kefauver was a principled politician, which cause stumbling blocks for his ambitions. In particular, his refusal to build a political organization made his campaigns harder than they had to be… and may have been hazardous to his health.
-
Who Is Joe Smith? A Campaign Mystery
How a publicity stunt from a crabby delegate turned a fictional person into a real campaign meme… for the other side.
-
Adlai Stevenson, Fake Farmer
In 1956, the Stevenson campaign put out an ad to show that he understood the problems of family farmers. He failed miserably.
-
Just Plane Crazy: Estes’ Wyoming Adventure
Estes Kefauver was a popular campaigner who could never say no to a friend. In 1956, to help a fellow Senator, Kefauver had his campaign plane diverted to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, which forced a surprising exit.
-
“A Serious and Difficult Situation”: The Integration of Clinton High
After Brown v. Board of Education, the first Southern school to integrate was in Estes Kefauver’s native Tennessee. In a difficult situation, Kefauver had the courage to stand up against segregationist violence and for rebuilding and the rule of law.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Estes Kefauver for President 