Tag: dwight eisenhower
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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.
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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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I’m 18 and I Like It: Kefauver and Youth Voting
The national voting age was lowered to 18 by the 26th Amendment in 1971. But that amendment would never have come to pass without decades of work by Kefauver – and a forgotten Senator from West By-God Virginia.
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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.
Estes Kefauver for President 