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Busting Myths About the Juvenile Delinquency Hearings
I’ve been reluctant to write about these hearings, since they’re so often misunderstood and frequently caricatured. So today, I’m tackling some of the biggest myths about these hearings. Comic book fans, take note.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mumbles and Mix-Ups: Kefauver’s Speaking Stumbles
Estes Kefauver had many qualities that would have made him a fine President. Public speaking was not one of them. A look at what made Kefauver such a poor speaker… and why the public loved him anyway.
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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.
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Campaign 1960: Segregation on the Ballot
Kefauver’s final Senate run was his most challenging yet, as he faced a strong opponent in a race that focused on civil rights… and angry pharmacists.
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Kefauver at the Movies: “The Racket”
“The Racket” was a remake of a ’20s movie about Al Capone. With the Kefauver crime hearings captivating America, the producers tried to tweak it in order to ride that popular wave… to the point of offering a role to Kefauver himself.
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“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.
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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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Estes Kefauver for President 