1954 - It's a squeaker, but William Proxmire pulls it off in the end, defeating incumbent Walter J. Kohler to become Governor of Wisconsin.
April 1960 - Governor Proxmire, who has remained a popular figure despite / because of his outspoken liberal views, campaigns on behalf of Senator Kennedy in the Wisconsin primary.
July 1960 - Nominee Kennedy offers Proxmire the Vice-Presidential nomination, balancing the ticket with a Midwesterner with executive experience.
November 1960 - The Kennedy/Proxmire ticket wins with 286 votes to the Republican 232.
December 1960 - Richard Paul Pavlick, a 73-year-old retired postal worker, rams the President-elect with his car as he leaves his Palm Beach home. The car - which was wired with dynamite - explodes, killing Kennedy as well as his wife and child, who were just inside the building.
January 1961 - In a muted ceremony, William Proxmire is sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. During his administration, Proxmire will institute the Second New Deal, a far-reaching package of social programs and modifications to the tax system. The Second New Deal was also funded by cutting what Proxmire called "Golden Fleece" programs - supersonic jet research, various military and scientific research projects, space exploration (which Proxmire found particularly useless, personally ensuring massive reduction in funding), and "wasteful foreign adventures" such as American involvement in Vietnam.
April 1960 - Governor Proxmire, who has remained a popular figure despite / because of his outspoken liberal views, campaigns on behalf of Senator Kennedy in the Wisconsin primary.
July 1960 - Nominee Kennedy offers Proxmire the Vice-Presidential nomination, balancing the ticket with a Midwesterner with executive experience.
November 1960 - The Kennedy/Proxmire ticket wins with 286 votes to the Republican 232.
December 1960 - Richard Paul Pavlick, a 73-year-old retired postal worker, rams the President-elect with his car as he leaves his Palm Beach home. The car - which was wired with dynamite - explodes, killing Kennedy as well as his wife and child, who were just inside the building.
January 1961 - In a muted ceremony, William Proxmire is sworn in as the 35th President of the United States. During his administration, Proxmire will institute the Second New Deal, a far-reaching package of social programs and modifications to the tax system. The Second New Deal was also funded by cutting what Proxmire called "Golden Fleece" programs - supersonic jet research, various military and scientific research projects, space exploration (which Proxmire found particularly useless, personally ensuring massive reduction in funding), and "wasteful foreign adventures" such as American involvement in Vietnam.