Tag: john f kennedy
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Don’t Touch That Dial: Kefauver and Television

Estes Kefauver was the first politician to use TV as a springboard to national fame. Why has his pioneering role been forgotten?
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Campaign 1956: Kefauver VP Nomination Speech, A Truncated Tribute

When Adlai Stevenson let the convention pick his running mate, Mike DiSalle of Ohio nominated Kefauver. He gave a good speech – one that he had to edit while he spoke,
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A Forgotten Fearless Fighter: Senator Stephen Young

Depressed about the election? Looking for a path forward? Consider the example of Ohio Sen. Stephen Young, a fighting liberal who didn’t hesitate to punch back against stupidity and cruelty.
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Campaign 1956: John Hoving’s Convention Memories

In 1988, C-SPAN interviewed veterans of past Democratic conventions. Thanks to them, we were able to hear ex-Kefauver staffer John Hoving’s behind-the-scenes stories of the 1956 convention… and the Kefauver vs. Kennedy battle for the vide presidency.
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Nothing Succeeds Like Succession: Kefauver and the 25th Amendment

For 180 years after the Constitution, we had no idea what happened when the President was too sick to do the job. Kefauver tried to fix the problem… but it took a tragedy to get his colleagues to listen.
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Attention, Shoppers: Kefauver’s Department of Consumers

In 1960, Kefauver introduced a bill to create a federal Department of Consumers. The bill never passed, but the idea of protecting consumers – and giving them a voice – would outlive his proposal.
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India Edwards: Forgotten Political Trailblazer

India Edwards should be an icon: female DNC vice chair, H, 1952 VP candidate, convinced Truman to appoint numerous women. Why is her story so little remembered?
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Shaking Up Politics, One Hand at a Time

Estes Kefauver’s campaigning failed to win the Presidency. But even as he lost, he pioneered a new form of Presidential campaigning… and he started the momentum to let the voters decide the nominee.
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World Champion in the Nation’s Capital: Floyd Patterson’s Day in DC

In January of 1962, columnist Drew Pearson took the reigning heavyweight champ to meet some of DC’s highest leaders. The leaders had handshakes and well-wishes for the champ… but also tried to warn him about his next fight.
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Justice Kefauver?

In the summer of 1961, rumors swirled that a Supreme Court justice was going to resign, and Kefauver would be his replacement, Why didn’t it happen?