A question of experience
Our Fallen Leader
Chapter 2-A Question Of Experience
“Dick Nixon is president? The guy’s so unqualified, he could give my Grandchildren a run for their money.”-Harry Truman
“Looking back I think even Dad knew concerns would be raised upon his assumption of the presidency, regarding his youth and relative inexperience. Ike’s death, after all, meant he was the youngest president to date and democratic opponents such as Adlai Stevenson in particular weren’t slow in pointing this out. However, Dad’s response a week after the tragic events silenced his critics, for the time being.
“I was selected to step in to the presidency in the event of a presidential death. Unfortunately my predecessor’s death does mean this has come to pass. I do not believe Ike would have picked me as his running mate however, if he did not believe I would be a capable leader in the event of his death, nor do I think the country would have elected us. I have no intention to shirk the responsibilities Ike and the country have entrusted in me because of the protestations of some partisan commentators.”
The speech was well received by the country at large and was seen as an admission that he will be seeking the republican’s nomination for the presidency in the 1956 election.
Taken from Julie Eisenhower’s appearance on The Clinton Factor...
“As the American people were getting used to their new president, Nixon’s attention turned towards the 1956 election, by then a little over a year away.
Nixon was concerned that his nomination as candidate for president was by no means assured. He was a controversial Vice Presidential pick in 1952 amongst some of the republican party, who mistrusted him. Indeed, in September of that election year, it even looked like Dwight Eisenhower would drop his young running mate and he suspected he only remained on the ticket as a result of “The Checkers Speech”.
From “Election 56”, by Theodore White
“It has been said that the Rosa Parks incident accelerated Civil Rights progress in the US. When the president heard a black woman in Alabama had been arrested for refusing to allow a white man to take her seat, he ordered her immediate release.
This event received a huge amount of publicity, prompting the president to appear on TV, committing himself to putting forward future Civil Rights Legislation. Though Eisenhower rarely mentioned the subject in his 2 years in office, Nixon’s word that Ike was thinking of pushing through legislation before his heart attack was believed by most of the American population.”
Taken from “Civil Rights in the 50’s-The Long and Winding Road”, by James Meredith (1984)
“Churchill’s relationship with his “second home” continued even after he left office.
He had expressed the important of the Anglo-American relationship being a strong one to presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower on numerous occasions.
British and American leaders have on the whole, taken his advice ever since and the 2 countries enjoy close cooperation, the personal relationship between president Kemp and Prime Minister Jameson in the early to mid 90’s being a prominent modern day example of when it works particularly well.
An important personal relationship often overlooked however, is that between US President Richard Nixon and Ex Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Nixon was an admirer of Churchill’s, but he was also the youngest president in history. It’s perhaps unsurprising therefore, that Nixon was especially keen to ingratiate himself with the veteran British politician. For his part, Churchill was concerned that Nixon, lacked the experience to be the Leader Of The Free world and was happy to help in any way he could, despite leaving office himself in April that year. We can also assume that Strengthening/or at least maintaining the Anglo/American relationship was another key reason why Churchill wanted the ear of the new commander-in-chief.
We know that in the opening months of his presidency, Nixon had several conversations with Churchill on the direction Nixon should take the United States-and indeed the world.”
From “Churchill and America” by professor Robert Harris (Oxford University, 2004)
“Israel Invades Egypt”
Headline From the New York Times, 27th July, 1956
“Remember what I said last time-don’t throw away our countries special bond because of what Anthony is doing in Egypt” “I can assure you MR Churchill, that will not happen as long as I’m president”-conversation between Winston Churchill and Richard Nixon, 28th July 1956
“Nixon calls for negotiated settlement in Suez”
Headline taken from the New York Times, 29th July, 1956
“Prime Minister Nasa of Egypt has agreed to a set of talks with Britain, France and Israel regarding a potential resolution to the Suez Crisis. The talks, which will be chaired by President Nixon, will take place at the beginning of October this year. The British Foreign Secretary, Selwyn Lloyd, has said he is “looking forward too-and anticipating a just agreement”.
Taken from News Broadcast on the BBC Home Service, 15th September, 1956
“President Nixon received great praise for his efforts to oversee and bring about a fair peace in the Middle East. The talks were perhaps surprisingly, seen as an overall success by most parties.
The “Camp David Agreement”, as it would come to be known, essentially enforced the previous agreement which had been made in 1936.”
From “Diplomacy In The Cold War Era”-by Martin Amos, (Harpercollins, 1995)
Nixon was faced with 2 initial opponents, former governor Harold Stassen and senate minority leader William Knowland. Stassen was a strong supporter of Civil Rights Legislation and ran to the left of the president, Nowland was firmly on the write, proposing Tax cuts, greater effort to fight communism and opposition to Civil Rights legislation.
Nixon was able to successfully present himself as a bridge between these 2 wings of the party however. He was a well-known anticommunist, acting as prosecutor in the trial of Alger Hiss in 1949. At the same time, he was able to steel some of Stassen’s thunder regarding Civil Rights, with his announcement that he wished to push forward legislation if he was re-elected.
The sympathy he gained from succeeding a hugely popular president also cannot be underestimated, a key reason he was able to clinch renomination easily.
Nixon selected Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen as his running mate, a well-liked elder statesman of the Republican party who could provide unity to the ticket.
In the end however, Nixon’s prediction that “This convention won’t be about me, Stassen or Knowland, it’ll be about President Eisenhower” came to pass.
The convention took place at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California and opened with a film about Dwight Eisenhower’s life.
In a speech given on the first convention day, former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower reiterated how proud her husband was to be the standard-barer for the republicans 4 years earlier.
The republicans came out of the 1956 convention seemingly united.
Ever the opportunist, Nixon captured the emotion of the convention with his acceptance speech. The one line that stood out was “Let’s win this one for Ike”, a reworking of a line originally used on the day of his inauguration. It would catch on and would be used extensively in the election of that year.
The election results came as a surprise to few, as president Nixon won a landslide victory over his democratic opponent, Adlai Stevenson, who’s comments regarding Nixon’s inexperience still seemed in bad taste amongst the electorate.
Richard Nixon/Everett Dirksen: 435 EV, 56 % PV
Adlai Stevenson/Estes Kefauver: 95 Ev, 42 % PV