Potus Geeks Book Review: I Like Ike-The Presidential Election of 1952 by John Robert Greene
In 1985, Professor John Robert Greene published his first book on the 1952 US Presidential Election entitled The Crusade: The Presidential Election of 1952, in which he advanced the proposition that the candidates for the two major political parties were disingenuous in their claims that neither man wanted to be President. Thirty-two years later, in his new post mortem of the first Eisenhower vs. Stevenson presidential battle, entitled I Like Ike: The Presidential Election of 1952, Professor Greene eats some academic crow, and concedes that he may have been two hasty in this conclusion.
In this most recent edition in the American Presidential Election series published by the University of Kansas Press, Professor Greene retraces the steps that led each of the two major candidates to seek their party's nomination for President, while maintaining extreme reluctance to do so. He describes the political climate following Harry Truman's unexpected victory in the 1948 contest, and the circumstances that eroded Truman's popularity leading to his decision not to seek another term in office. He carefully analyzes the nomination contests for both parties. For the Democrats, Senator Estes Kefauver tried to parlay his fame from his televised Kefauver Commission into Organized Crime, into a place in the White House, while President Harry Truman continued to strike out in handpicking his successor. For the Republicans, conservative isolationist Robert Taft was the man to beat, much to Eisenhower's chagrin, as the party strained under the conservative-progressive split.
Greene describes the convention drama in the era when contests were still decided on the convention floor, as Eisenhower's team won him the nomination by taking advantage of gaffes by the Taft campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats struggled to prevent a Dixiecrat walkout that had occurred in 1948, with Stevenson's eloquence and political dexterity contributing to his convention victory.
Professor Greene retells the story of the 1952 presidential election campaign, arguing that it was always Eisenhower's to win. He asserts that the importance of Nixon's "Checkers" speech has been overestimated and that in reality it had no impact on the outcome of the election. He explains how Eisenhower's popularity and likeability had wider appeal to voters than Stevenson's professorial demeanor and his oratorical style of talking over the heads of his audience. He provides an excellent analysis not only of the election results, but of how they affected subsequent electoral cycles.
This is an insightful analysis of the 1952 presidential election that lives up to the quality standards that readers have come to expect from the University of Kansas Press series on Presidential elections. It has the benefit of being written by an author well versed in his subject, with the benefit of decades of study. It is excellent reading for those interested in this era of political history.
In this most recent edition in the American Presidential Election series published by the University of Kansas Press, Professor Greene retraces the steps that led each of the two major candidates to seek their party's nomination for President, while maintaining extreme reluctance to do so. He describes the political climate following Harry Truman's unexpected victory in the 1948 contest, and the circumstances that eroded Truman's popularity leading to his decision not to seek another term in office. He carefully analyzes the nomination contests for both parties. For the Democrats, Senator Estes Kefauver tried to parlay his fame from his televised Kefauver Commission into Organized Crime, into a place in the White House, while President Harry Truman continued to strike out in handpicking his successor. For the Republicans, conservative isolationist Robert Taft was the man to beat, much to Eisenhower's chagrin, as the party strained under the conservative-progressive split.
Greene describes the convention drama in the era when contests were still decided on the convention floor, as Eisenhower's team won him the nomination by taking advantage of gaffes by the Taft campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats struggled to prevent a Dixiecrat walkout that had occurred in 1948, with Stevenson's eloquence and political dexterity contributing to his convention victory.
Professor Greene retells the story of the 1952 presidential election campaign, arguing that it was always Eisenhower's to win. He asserts that the importance of Nixon's "Checkers" speech has been overestimated and that in reality it had no impact on the outcome of the election. He explains how Eisenhower's popularity and likeability had wider appeal to voters than Stevenson's professorial demeanor and his oratorical style of talking over the heads of his audience. He provides an excellent analysis not only of the election results, but of how they affected subsequent electoral cycles.
This is an insightful analysis of the 1952 presidential election that lives up to the quality standards that readers have come to expect from the University of Kansas Press series on Presidential elections. It has the benefit of being written by an author well versed in his subject, with the benefit of decades of study. It is excellent reading for those interested in this era of political history.