Adlai Stevenson

:This page is about the Governor of Illinois and unsuccessful Presidential contender from the 1950s; for Grover Cleveland's Vice-President, see Adlai E. Stevenson; for the U.S. Senator from Illinois during the 1970s, see Adlai Stevenson III.

1956 presidential bid

Many Democratic leaders considered Stevenson the only natural choice for the presidential nomination in 1956, and his chances for victory seemed greater after Eisenhower's heart attack late in 1955. Although his candidacy was challenged by Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver and New York Governor W. Averell Harriman, Stevenson campaigned more aggressively to secure the nomination, and Kefauver conceded after losing a few key primaries. To Stevenson's dismay, former president Harry S. Truman endorsed Harriman, but the blow was softened by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's continued support. Stevenson again won the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, aided by strong support from younger delegates, who were said to form the core of the "New Politics" movement. He permitted the convention delegates to choose Estes Kefauver as his running mate, despite stiff competition from John F. Kennedy. Following his nomination, Stevenson waged a vigorous presidential campaign, delivering 300 speeches and traveling 55,000 miles. He called on the electorate to join him in a march to a "new America," based on a liberal agenda that anticipated the programs of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. His call for an end to aboveground nuclear weapons tests created a storm, but was ultimately enshrined in the Test Ban Treaty of 1963. While President Eisenhower suffered heart problems, the economy enjoyed robust health. Stevenson's hopes for victory were dashed when, in October, President Eisenhower's doctors gave him a clean bill of health and the Suez crisis erupted. The public was not convinced that a change in leadership was needed, and Stevenson lost his second bid for the presidency, winning only 73 electoral votes in the 1956 presidential election.

Related Topics:
1956 - 1955 - Estes Kefauver - New York - W. Averell Harriman - Eleanor Roosevelt - Chicago, Illinois - New Politics - John F. Kennedy - Test Ban Treaty of 1963 - Suez crisis - 1956 presidential election

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Despite his two defeats, Stevenson remained enormously popular with the American people. Early in 1957, Stevenson resumed law practice with associates W. Willard Wirtz, William McC. Blair Jr. and Newton N. Minow. He also accepted an appointment on the new Democratic Advisory Council, with other prominent Democrats, including Harry S. Truman, David L. Lawrence and John F. Kennedy. He also served on the board of trustees of the Encyclopædia Britannica and acted as their legal counsel.

Related Topics:
1957 - W. Willard Wirtz - William McC. Blair Jr. - Newton N. Minow - Democratic Advisory Council - Harry S. Truman - David L. Lawrence - John F. Kennedy - Encyclopædia Britannica

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