-
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?
-
“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.
-
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.
-
Farewell, My Friend: An Ex-Staffer’s Kefauver Memories
When Kefauver died in 1963, former staffer and FTC Chairman Paul Rand Dixon spoke on the floor of the Senate about his old boss… and sketched a memorable portrait of a great man.
-
Kefauver’s Unconventional Thoughts on Conventions
Ever the reformer, Estes Kefauver proposed a bold plan for reinventing the political convention during his 1952 Presidential campaign. His suggestions were ignored… but some of them were adopted eventually.
-
Look Away, Dixieland: Kefauver and the Confederacy
Kefauver was one of the few Southern politicians of his day who didn’t support segregation. So why was he such a fan of the Confederacy?
-
Red and Green Don’t Mix: When the American Legion Declared War on the Girl Scouts
In the 1950s, right-wing groups like the American Legion were dedicated to rooting out Communism and world government everywhere they found. Even when they found it in… the Girl Scout Handbook?
-
I Want A Brave Man, I Want a Caveman: Kefauver Comes to Grants Pass
When Kefauver took his Presidential campaign to Oregon in 1952, he wound up getting initiated into a… wild bunch of locals.
-
Better Living Through Chemistry: Kefauver and the Department of Science
The Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957 set off a panic that America was losing the race for space. Kefauver thought that a federal Department of Science would help America catch up. Why wasn’t the idea adopted?
-
Conservatives vs. The Warren Court, Part 2: LBJ Saves the Day
A couple of dangerous conservative bills aimed at crippling the Supreme Court appeared to be on a path to passage… until Lyndon Johnson pulled off some impressive legislative moves.
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Estes Kefauver for President 