Wendell Willkie

Wendell Lewis Willkie (February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was a lawyer, born in Elwood, Indiana, the only native of Indiana to be nominated as the presidential candidate for a national party, having never held any sort of high elected office. In 1940 he was the Republican nominee for the 1940 presidential election. Willkie lost the election to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Willkie's Legacy

Willkie's name was prominently mentioned by keynote speaker Zell Miller at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Miller, in speech approved by key aides to President Bush, praised Willkie's support of President Roosevelt's creation of a military draft, and chided John Kerry for being critical of President Bush's foreign policy. Miller's speech was followed by the renewal of the military draft becoming a key campaign issue, with President Bush repeatedly denying Senator Kerry's charge that he intended to renew the draft if re-elected and with the House of Representatives voting 402-2 against a bill - introduced by New York Democrat Rep. Charles B. Rangel - to renew the draft.

Related Topics:
Zell Miller - 2004 Republican National Convention - President Bush - John Kerry - New York - Democrat - Charles B. Rangel

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