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Legislation in an Emergency: Kefauver Tries to Prepare Government for the Atomic Age
The atomic bomb ushered in a frightening new world with unexpected risks. Kefauver tried to fix the Constitution to safeguard Congress in the event of a disaster. Why didn’t it work?
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An Ode to Nancy, Kefauver’s Wife and “Secret Weapon”
Nancy Kefauver was the ideal partner for Estes. She was a loving wife and mother, a brilliant household manager… but also a talented artist, a capable campaigner, and a certified charmer.
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“Seventeen Days to Victory”: Democrats’ Televised Hollywood Spectacular
A couple weeks before their landslide loss, the Stevenson-Kefauver campaign held a star-studded coast-to-coast gala event. Was it a waste of money… or a preview of future campaigns?
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Picking a President: Kefauver’s Push for a National Primary
After getting his Presidential hopes crushed at the 1952 convention, Kefauver tried for a Constitution amendment mandating national primaries. Was he the biggest obstacle to his amendment’s success?
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Power of the Press: Drew Pearson’s Campaigns for Kefauver
Kefauver had a lot of challenges in his runs for President, but he had the most powerful political columnist in America on his side. How far did the columnist go to help Kefauver win, and why wasn’t he ultimately able to get it done?
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What You Can Do For Your Country: Kefauver on Responsible Citizenship
At the height of his fame from the organized crime hearings, Kefauver gave a speech laying out a rigorous vision of active citizenship. Was America up to the challenge? Are we still?
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Reds vs. Rights: The Great Cold War Debate
Espionage trials, loyalty oaths, and textbook investigations were common during the early years of the Cold War. Supporters claimed they were needed to combat the Red menace… but what about our Constitutional rights? In 1949, Kefauver stood up for the First Amendment against a prominent anti-Communist Senator in a nationally broadcast discussion.
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Stay on TASK: The Rise of Teens in Politics
Despite what you may have seen in the movies, teenagers in the Fifties cared about more than hot rods and school dances. In 1956, teens started to find their political voice… and campaigns started enlisting their help.
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Kefauver and the Korea Ammo Hearings, Part 3: Inconclusive Conclusions
The subcommittee’s hearings into the Korean ammo shortage produced a mass of conflicting testimony. The majority decided to pretend otherwise. But Kefauver wouldn’t let them.
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Kefauver and the Korea Ammo Hearings, Part 2: The Fog of War
When the Republican Congress began investigating the alleged ammo shortage in Korea, they found that the story was more complicated than they hoped. But their toughest adversary may have been their own President.
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Estes Kefauver for President 