1956: Nixon vs. Stevenson
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  Presidential Elections - Analysis and Discussion
  Election What-ifs?
  Past Election What-ifs (US) (Moderator: Dereich)
  1956: Nixon vs. Stevenson
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Question: Who would you vote for/Who would win?
#1
Nixon/Nixon
 
#2
Stevenson/Stevenson
 
#3
Nixon/Stevenson
 
#4
Stevenson/Nixon
 
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Total Voters: 14

Author Topic: 1956: Nixon vs. Stevenson  (Read 2659 times)
Robespierre's Jaw
Senator Conor Flynn
Junior Chimp
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« on: September 14, 2006, 10:12:49 PM »

What if President Eisenhower died of a heart attack in 1955 leaving Vice President Richard Nixon to become America's 36th President.  At the 1956 GOP convention in San Francisco, President Nixon selects Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen as his running mate. While at the Democratic Convention in Chicago, Adlai Stevenson selects young Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy as his running mate. Would President Nixon be elected to his first full 4 year term? Would Stevenson be able to capitalize on Nixon's inexperience as President? Maps please?
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Dr. Cynic
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« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2006, 11:12:20 PM »

I think Stevenson would clearly have an edge on Nixon at that point. Adlai was an eloquent and witty campaigner, and very intelligent. He could easily have portrayed Nixon as secretive and suspicious at that time as well.
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Lincoln Republican
Winfield
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« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2006, 11:50:26 PM »

Stevenson makes it closer than against Ike, but not nearly close enough.  America had already had 20 straight years of Democratic administrations, and the Republicans had only been in power since 1953. 

Nixon wins a comfortable mandate, promising to carry on the work begun by the enormously popular deceased President, Eisenhower.

No way the voters turn out the Republicans after just one term, following 4 terms of Democrats.

Stevenson was simply not going to become President.   

Nixon/Stassen            337
Stevenson/Kennedy   194

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True Democrat
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Junior Chimp
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« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2006, 05:51:56 AM »



328-203
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adam
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« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2006, 07:19:45 AM »

I really like Stevenson, but he just couldn't hack it. He was quite the sacrificial lamb.
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DWPerry
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« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2006, 10:44:16 AM »

That would be interesting, maybe Watergate never happens, Nixon never resigns and no Jimmy Carter Presidency.
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Fmr President & Senator Polnut
polnut
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« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2006, 10:57:38 AM »

I think it would've been close.



Nixon/Stassen - 287
Stevenson/Kennedy - 244
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johnpressman
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« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2006, 03:22:41 PM »

Easy win for Nixon, though I doubt he would have chosen Stassen as his runningmate.  Stassen was the prime mover behind the "dump Nixon" attempt that same year.   Besides, Harold was already considered a has been and/or a political outsider by 1956.

By the way, How do you folks get hold of the maps and how does one customize them re. elections?
 
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Lincoln Republican
Winfield
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« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2006, 10:24:31 PM »

I agree, no way Nixon picks Stassen for Vice President.

How about Nixon makes a bold, unexpected pick, like, for example

Senator Margaret Chase Smith, one of the most successful politicians in the history of Maine, who had served as a Congresswoman from 1940 to 1949, and had been serving as a U.S. Senator since 1949.  In 1956, the choice of a woman for Vice President would have turned a lot of heads.  In this case, she would have had an excellent chance, perhaps an almost certain chance, of being elected Vice President.  Nixon and Smith would have been far ahead of their time.

Or maybe

Sinclair Weeks, successful businessman, briefly served as an appointed Senator from Massachusetts in 1944, and had been Secretary of Commerce in the Eisenhower administration since 1953.  This would have given Nixon a Vice President with excellent business credentials and economic skills.

Or maybe

Venerable Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen, Congressman 1933 to 1949 and U.S. Senator since 1951.  He was a favorite of Republicans everywhere, and well thought of in the nation in general.
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Robespierre's Jaw
Senator Conor Flynn
Junior Chimp
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« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2006, 10:41:14 PM »

Well Stassen was only an idea peoples.
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Lincoln Republican
Winfield
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« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2006, 01:12:51 PM »


Yes, and a good idea at that.

I was only speculating on who some of the outside,  in fact virtually impossible, VP nominees could be.   
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johnpressman
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« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2006, 07:34:55 PM »

Yes, Dirksen!  OK, why wasn't ol Ev considered for VP in 1960?  He is a heck of a campaigner, and would have added Illinois and maybe Michigan and Missouri to Nixon's total.  Picking Dirksen for VP could have given Nixon the presidency! Hey, NO ONE was a worse campaigner that Henry Cabot Lodge who added 0 to the ticket, so anyone short of an Eagleton/LeMay disaster would have tipped the balance in close states such as the above three.  Texas was also super close but I don't count Everett's charm being a big factor in LBJ's home state.

As for Nixon vs Stevenson in 1956, the sympathy vote for Ike and the desire to let the GOP have a full 8 years would have given Nixon a victory similar to Ike's in 1952.  He might have added another Southern State or two and lost Pennsylvania, for instance.
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