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No Misery in Missouri: Kefauver Charms the Show-Me State in ’56
In 1956, Kefauver was supposed to help Stevenson gain ground with rural and working-class voters. That didn’t work out as planned… except in one state.
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Miami Heat, Part 2: The Man Who Wasn’t There
In 1952, Florida Governor Fuller Warren challenged Kefauver to a debate about gambling and crime. Kefauver accepted the challenge, but when he showed up to debate… Warren was nowhere to be found.
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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.
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And Justice for All: Kefauver’s Fight for Poor Defendants
Kefauver believed strongly in the rule of law and fighting for the poor and working class. So when Congress considered the question of providing lawyers for low-income defendants, Kefauver was all in.
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Campaign 1956: What Might Have Been
The 1956 election is remembered as an Eisenhower landslide, which it was. But if the election had taken place a few weeks earlier, it might have been a different story. A Newsweek article from that time offers a glimpse into an alternate universe where the Democrats did better… and Kefauver was the main reason why.
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All’s (Not) Fair in Politics and War: Kefauver Proposes a Congressional Code of Conduct
Kefauver used congressional investigations as a route to fame. But he also understood how they could be abused. And he tried to do something about it. But as usual, Congress couldn’t be bothered to act.
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Bread Winners: Kefauver Takes On the Baking Industry
Kefauver’s subcommittee on antitrust and monopoly found anti-competitive behavior in a variety of industries, including cars, steel, and… bread baking?
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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?
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“A Twentieth Century Congress”: Kefauver’s Call for Change
After the Great Depression and WWII, the federal government was bigger and more complex than ever. And Congress, wedded to archaic and inefficient traditions, was struggling to cope. Kefauver offered a way out of the wilderness. If only Congress had listened.
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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.
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Estes Kefauver for President 