Tag: dwight eisenhower
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Commies for Kefauver?
During the 1956 campaign, the Communists published a report that appeared to endorse the Democrats, and Kefauver in particular. it caused a stir… but why didn’t it dominate the campaign?
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Advise and Dissent: The Short, Controversial Life of the DAC
In the 1950, Democratic liberals were frustrated by conservative Congressional leaders and the ever-popular Ike. So they founded the Democratic Advisory Council to make their voices heard. Was it a success or a failure… or both?
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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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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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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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Kefauver and the Korea Ammo Hearings, Part 1: Ready, Fire, Aim!
After Eisenhower took office, the GOP was eager for a way to blame the Korean War on Truman and the Democrats. Allegations of an ammo shortage gave them an opportunity… but things proved more complicated than they hoped.
Estes Kefauver for President 