Tag: adlai stevenson
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To Run or Not to Run: Kefauver’s Candid Campaign Thoughts

Kefauver’s 1956 Presidential run seemed like a sure thing. But did he come close to sitting it out? He shared his honest thoughts on the challenges of campaigning with a pair of national political columnists.
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Give Me A Break: The History of A Campaign Slogan

During his 1956 run for President, Kefauver campaigned on giving Americans an “even break.” Was it just a slogan… or a metaphor for his whole campaign?
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Speak Loudly and Fly a Big Plane: The GOP “Truth Squad” and the 1956 Election

In 1956, Republicans pioneered a new form of “rapid response” campaigning that combined jet planes, TVs, and other cutting-edge technology. Was it a political innovation – or a clever distraction?
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Minority Report: Kefauver’s Advice to Dems in the Ike Era

In 1953, Democrats found themselves completely out of power for the first time in a generation. Kefauver had some ideas on how his party should navigate life in the minority.
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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: 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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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.
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Kefauver and Voters: A Mysterious Connection

Kefauver’s handshakes were the key to his campaigns. But two reporters who watched him believed that he didn’t enjoy it. So why did he keep doing it? And why did the voters love it so much?
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Civil Words on Civil Rights: Kefauver Calms an Angry Crowd

In 1956, Kefauver stood up to a pro-segregation crowd in Florida… and won them over. What can his courageous example teach us today?
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Thank God I’m A Country Boy: Kefauver’s Musical Connection

Throughout his career, Estes Kefauver used country music to connect with people and promote his campaigns. Like Kefauver himself, it may not have impressed the powerful, but it hit home with regular people.