The Eisenhower Years Section 16.3 Smiling Ike

Why was Eisenhower an unusual presidential candidate? Ike, ecstatic, in victory parade

Why was Eisenhower an unusual presidential candidate? Supreme Allied Commander in Europe –Led D-Day invasion –Had never seen combat Never voted Only began to study US history/economics after the war Handpicked by Republicans because he was popular Above: Ike exhorts the troops; below: Ike the candidate emerges from the campaign plane

Who was Ike’s Opponent in the 1952 presidential election? Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois –A liberal intellectual –Eloquent speaker but seemed out of touch with common people –Called “egghead” by Republicans –Tainted with Truman’s unpopularity Above: Adlai Stevenson; below: Stevenson accepts his party’s nomination

Who was Ike’s Running mate and what was the “Checkers” speech? Richard M. Nixon Experienced politician and reputation of communist fighter –Pumpkin Papers Accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions which paid for a luxurious lifestyle Nix went on TV and denied accusation Admitted to accepting one gift –A dog named Checkers Convinced Americans that he would be an honest vice president Above: Nixon giving Checkers speech; below: Nixon with Checkers

Checkers Nixon giving Checkers speech

Describe Ike’s Campaign. Organized and efficient Speeches full of platitudes –We’re going to “clean up the mess in Washington” Promised to end Korean War “We Like Ike” Won a landslide victory Above and below: Ike campaign posters

Eisenhower Wins!

Describe Eisenhower’s style of management. Consensus decision making –Based on group (cabinet) decisions, not just his own Delegated –Ike only focused on big picture issues –Left the details and execution to others Admired Business Principles –Corporate execs appointed to key posts –Somewhat laissez-faire Privatization –Tried to turn government control of TVA to private business –Atomic Energy Act of 1954 Allowed private companies to operate nuclear power plants Above: Cabinet meeting in Eisenhower administration; below: nuclear power plants

Ike as President Capture: Huge crowd for Ike

Describe Ike’s Second Term. Democrats regained control of Congress (’56) Launched Explorer I (1/31/58) –4 months after Sputnik Created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) National Highway Act (’56) –Costs $80 billion Extended Social Security and Unemployment insurance Increased minimum wage (.75 to $1) Above: U.S. rocket; below: incredibly aged and sad Eisenhower

Ike’s Second Term Ike waves and smiles over economic policy

Ike’s Farewell Address Farwell address warned against the influence of the military industrial complex 2007 $626.1 billion –Includes military budget of Department of Defense –War in Iraq –Nuclear weapons research –Infrastructure of military bases 47% of the World’s Total military spending Graph shows growth of government

Who were the candidates in the 1960 election? Richard M. Nixon –Republican –Protestant –Came from Common background –anticommunist politician –War hero –Experienced politician John F. Kennedy –Democrat –Catholic –Came from wealth and privilege – anticommunist –War hero –Seemed much younger

Why were the Nixon-Kennedy Debates important in the 1960 election? 1 st presidential debate ever Kennedy looked better on TV –Wore make-up –Looked polished Nixon –Sweating problem, leg injury Radio listeners thought Nix won Closest election in history –Kennedy won by about 100 thousand votes (69 million casts) Above: Nixon shakes JFK’s hand before debate; below: during one of the debates

The Election of 1960 JFK campaigns