Stevenson's biggest problem was the "Egghead" factor. He was seen as a Utopian Intelectual and that gave Vice President Nixon the chance to say that he was like a Communist Professor.
In 1956 Stevenson was just unlucky and he ran an underfunded and dismal campaign. At one point a photo came out that showed Stevenson with a hole in his shoe, then the Eisenhower people made leaflets that showed the picture and a caption that read, "Don't let this happen to you, vote for Eisenhower."
The famous "shoe picture" was staged. It was suppose to show that Stevenson was hard working, just like the "common man."
I believe the character of "President Thompson" in Atlas Shrugged is based on him.
The Dukakis Tank of its day, I suppose.
