US Democrats - Adlai Stevenson 1956 Video 1

Stevenson was very slow to embrace the medium of television, as a way of campaigning. It shows here, in his wooden, self-conscious delivery. Ike was so popular though, that Stevenson didn't have a ghost of a chance in 56 anyway.

Stevenson was a liberal and won the South Ike was a Republican and won the Blue states. Times have changed

No politicians were good at television in those days, and Gov. Stevenson in particular didn't have much use for it. The grocery bags were props stuffed with paper. Libertyville was not a typical small town, but a very wealthy enclave north of Chicago. Note the big cars parked on the street. Stevenson had money, but lived very modestly. the home is actually pretty small.

Adlai Stevenson was as wooden as a Cigar Store Indian.

He was an intellectual at heart, not a populist farmer "man of the people." Even then, intellect was something of a liability in national electoral politics.

Of course, Stevenson did the country a favor telling Kruschev where to stick it.

This was en is not the way  to win an election!!

that was electrifying