Transcripts For CSPAN3 The Contenders Adlai E. Stevenson II 20240712

And now my friends, that you have made your decision, i will fight to win that office with all my heart and soul. And with the your help, i have no doubt that we will win. Help me to do the job and this autumn of conflict and of campaign. Yeah and we will justify our glorious paths and the loyalty of silent millions who look to us for compassion, for understanding, and for honest purpose. We will serve our great tradition greatly. I ask of you all you have. I will give you all i have. That was our contender this week, Adlai Stevenson accepting the democratic nomination for president in 1952. We are joined by historian Richard Norton smith here in Adlai Stevensons old study in liberty bell, illinois. Richard norton smith, who was this one term governor . Two millions of americans, thats all he was, a one term governor of illinois. They knew nothing more about him. They had never heard a voice like his. They did not know that in some ways, a Political Revolution was being touched off that night, and that for the next decade, Adlai Stevenson would be certainly the voice of the Democratic Party, someone who would transform american politics, even though he was never successful in his quest for the white house. How did he get the nomination in 1952 and 1956 . He is arguably the last candidate to be drafted, the last candidate to require more than one valid at a convention. He didnt want the nomination, is the short answer. Especially if they nominated Dwight Eisenhower, who everyone thought was unbeatable, and who stevenson secretly thought wouldnt be such a bad president. There is a vacuum in the Democratic Party. Harry truman was retiring. There is no obvious successor, and stevenson gave a remarkable welcoming address at the chicago convention. It had the effect, almost, of William Jennings bryant. It touched off this draft, and a couple of days later, he was delivering the speech you just heard. Welcome to Liberty Ville, illinois, and the contenders. This is the ninth an our 14week series looking at the men who ran for president and changed american politics. Tonight, our focus is adlai youing stevenson, 1900 to 1965, for his years of living. We are joined by wellknown author and historian, Richard Norton smith. We are live from liberty, bill illinois about 40 miles outside of chicago at the stevenson family farm. We are in adelaide stevensons old study right now, in the house. In just a moment, we will be joined by newton men, oh who worked and new Adlai Stevenson for years and we are also pleased to tell you that we will be joined by senator Adlai Stevenson the third, the son of Adlai Stevenson and a tenyear senator from the state of illinois. Richard norton smith, before we leave the office here, there are some things sitting around that we want to hopefully learn a little bit more about governor stevenson from. What is this hand, first of all . Stevenson spoke about suffering from a bad case of hereditary politics. There is multiple generations of stevensons that are part of the story. His great grandfather was a man in jesse fell, who actually helped persuade Abraham Lincoln to run for president in 1860. The lincoln connection was a very powerful one with stevenson. This, in fact, is a cast of lincolns hand, part of the famous life cast that was created in 1860. Also on the desk here on the Adlai Stevenson desk is an address book. Some of the names in this address book include Eleanor Roosevelt, walter and jean kerr, Jackie Kennedy, jon stein back, archibald maclean. It hints at the range of his appeal. He was a nonpolitician in many ways. He was lionized by intellectuals and academics, by men and women of letters, and eventually by millions of americans who proudly declared themselves Stephen Sonias. And standing between us is this old office chair. It is a very historic peace. This is governor stevensons cabinet chair. During the Kennedy Administration, we will talk about this later or, he had an historic stint as ambassador to the United Nations. As such, he was made a member of the cabinet. This is the chair that commemorates that. It was a somewhat difficult relationship that he had with the Kennedy Administration. Richard norton smith, you risk for to the stevenson political dynasty a little earlier. Here on the wall are some artifacts. Yes, governor stevensons wife eleanor says that the stevensons all suffered from bad cases of ancestor warship. His grandfather was Vice President of the United States. They had interesting ancestors. He ran again in 1900 under William Jennings bryant, unsuccessfully. This was grandfather stevensons hat. You can see the Campaign Items from the Grover Cleveland campaigns as well. Welcome to you, thank you for joining us for the contenders tonight, live from Liberty Ville illinois. Richard norton smith and i will work our way over to the stevenson barn here on the family farm. We are currently in the house, in the study, but next to it is a barn. This was a semi working farm at one point, with animals, sheep, horses, its set era. We will work our way over there, where there is a new display about Adlai Stevenson, so you can see that as well. First, we want to show you Campaign Commercials so you can see some of the video of Adlai Stevenson. These Campaign Commercials are from 1956 and 1952. In fact, one of them, we will show you, was filmed right here in this study. Its wonderful house sitting right here in my own library, thanks to television, i can talk to millions of people. I couldnt reach them any other way. But i am not going to let this spoil me. I am not going to stop traveling in this campaign. I can talk to you, yes, but i cannot listen to you. I cannot hear about your problems, about your hopes and your fears. To do that, ive got to go out and see you in person, and thats what ive done for the last several years. Ive traveled hundreds of thousands of miles. Ive been in every state, many of them, more than once. And ive met thousands of you, and millions of you have seen me. Its adlai to you, adlai to me, i dont care how you voted. Adlai, adlai, dont pronounce it, just go out and vote it. Stevenson. Id rather have a man with a hole in his shoe than a hole and everything he says. Id rather have a man who knows what to do when he gets to be the president. I love the governor of illinois. I know the governor will bring the dove of peace and joy. The gop double crossed illinois. He was the boy who told all the crooks to get lost. Adlai, love you madly, and what you did for your own great state, you are going to do for the rest of the 48. We will choose the gap of that we love. He is the gave nobody can shove. He is the president of, me, you and the usa. Old mcdonald had a farm back and 31, conditions felt him with alarm back in 31, not a check here or a mood there, just old farmland everywhere. If the farmer doesnt want to go back to the place where there wasnt a quack, to the days of 1930, one when they didnt have, brad when the day was done, farmer mac knows what to do. Election day of 1952, he is going to go out with everyone in the usa to vote for ad lace stevenson, to keep his farm this way. With a vote here and a vote there and a vote for stevenson everywhere, if its good, its good for you and for me. All america loves that farm, vote stevenson today. And if you should elect me or president next november, i shall be the better for having done, it i am sure. Because i know that the strength and the wisdom that i need must be drawn from you, the people. So finally, i hope that the next time we meet, it will be person to person and face to face. Im add Les Stevenson. You and i have been hearing from our republican friends that things are so good, they couldnt be better. Better for whom, i wonder. Do you think that things cant be better for the small businessman, like this one . Small business profits are down 52 . Cant they be better for our farmers . Farm income is down 25 . Are your schools good enough for the richest nation in history . You are schools, like this one, need a third of 1 million more classrooms. And what about money. Are you out of debt . Do you have a comfortable backlog in the bank . Are you paying less for the things that you buy . Or more . Do you really think things cant be better . Of course they can. Working together, we can and will make them better. Vote democratic. The rising cost of farming, you lower farm income. Caught in a squeeze . Then vote democratic, the party for you, not just the few. Vote for Adlai Stevenson for president. But and we are back live in the stevenson farm and Liberty Ville illinois. Richard norton smith and i are now joined by newton mina. You may know him as the former chairman of the federal communications for our purposes, tonight he worked with and was an associate of adelaide stevenson for many years. Newton mindelo, if you can start by telling us, when did you first meet governor stevenson . I was a law clerk at the United States Supreme Court for chief Justice Vince and. One of our law professors came to visit one day. He later offered my coclerk a job as his assistant in springfield as assistant counsel to the governor. It turned out that howard was not interested, but i was. I ended up being interviewed by governor stevenson at 7 am for a breakfast in the spring of 1952. And he said to me, if i hire you, young man, is there any reason why you wouldnt take the job. And i said, if my current boss, chief Justice Vince, and runs for president , and it was rumored in the press that he would be a candidate for president , if he asked me to stay with him, i would do that. The governor looked at me and said, i dont think thats very likely. I then drove him to his next appointment. I went to work at the Supreme Court. I picked up the new york times. It said truman offers stevenson the president ial nomination, semicolon, vincent. Out this was the morning after president truman hugged asked had later run. I was hired. I reported for work and he was the nominated for president. What was he known for as governor . You even as a student, i had worked for his campaign as a College Student in 1948. He was known as being, first of all, totally honest, which was not necessarily a prerequisite for an election in illinois. But he was a different kind of candidate. He was honest, and intellectual, cared deeply about good government, and he brought a whole different culture and tone to the office of governor. Richard norton smith, the u. S. In 1952. Set the stage for us. Politically, one of the reasons, and you would know much better than i, that entered into his hesitation, at least, about seeking the presidency, was the sense that the democrats have been in power for 20 years. Even the most partisan democrats, who thought there had been 20 glorious years, thought that the party as well as the country would be well served by a change. But the great issue was, which Republican Party would replace harry truman, if harry truman were to leave. Would it be the isolationist, conservative, midwestern party of bob taft . Or would it be the internationalist, if you will, modern, republicanism of Dwight Eisenhower . And stevenson, among other things, had to calculate the chances of which party he might be running against. He was very reluctant to run. He did not want to run, and who could have picked Dwight Eisenhower . It was like running against jesus christ. It was an impossible thing to win. And as richard said, he got it exactly right, if it had been robert taft as the opponent, i think adlai would have relished running, because there would have been a clear difference in philosophy about americas place in the world. But youve got to remember, the democrats tried to draft generalize and how are. The democrats try to get eisenhower to run as a democrat. Eisenhower was a candidate of both parties. Newton minow, when Adlai Stevenson gave the welcoming address at the Democratic National convention in chicago in 1952, was he a nationally known figure at the time . Was he considered a candidate . He was not that well known. I remember the first time he appeared on National Television was that spring. He was on meet the press. That was the first time he was ever on National Television, and adlai was never any good on television. If you are with him, he was a lot of fun. He had a great personality. You always went away feeling better about yourself. When you watched him on television, he was either nervous, but never himself, but the country didnt know him. So, he gives the welcoming address and essentially gets drafted. He winds on the second or third ballot. Is that correct . Thats right. And it was really unfortunate for him, because the timing was wrong. If he had run for president against a Dwight Eisenhower, he probably could have won. And remember just how different the Democratic Party was in 1952. Who does he picked for running mate . John spark men, a senator from alabama. It is still the solid south. And in fact, he needs to worry about keeping the solid south solid. Exactly. And it also taught me a lesson about how we pick Vice President s. John sparkman was picked at the last minute. Did he have a relationship with John Sparkman . No, not really. And the way we do things in this country, its amazing weve been so successful for a couple hundred years. Did Estes Kefauver want to be on the 1952 ticket . I think Estes Kefauver was always interested in running for president. Adlai did not like Estes Kefauver at all. The senator of kentucky, Estes Kefauver, who ended up, of tennessee, excuse me, who ended up being the Vice President ial candidate in 1956. Who harry truman wanted to call cow fever. Well Richard Norton smith and then newton minow, harry truman in 1952, and his relationship with Adlai Stevenson. Truman, who today is regarded as a great president , someone we all look up to for his decisiveness, for his ability to make big decisions. The fact is, at the time, truman was a very unpopular president. The korean war was an unpopular war. He had fired douglas mcarthur, which again, today, basically, there is a consensus he did the right thing for the right reason. But at great political cost. And harry truman had been in power seven years. He had decided seven years was enough. He had the power to prevent cow fever from becoming the nominee. He probably had the power to make Adlai Stevenson the nominee, but with that power went, in some ways, the deadweight of the truman administration. And my sense is that truman and stevensons relationship never quite recovered from that fact. I think it was worse than that. There was another factor, a lot of corruption in the Democratic Party. There had been a scandal with one of president trumans assistants. It was not a happy thing to become the democratic candidate for president in 1952. Especially if you had Harry Trumans emperor mater on you. As i left the Supreme Court to join the campaign, i went to say goodbye to the chief justice, and he was very close to president truman, chief justice vinson. And he said to me, your guy is not going to make it. I said what. He said no, i was with the president last night. He told me that he has lost patience with adlai. He doesnt say yes. He doesnt say no. He wanted barkley. Alvin barkley was then the Vice President of the United States. Age 74. Right, and they actually tried to get it for barkley, but everyone said hes tool. So that opened it up again, and then stevenson was drafted. We are live from libertyville, illinois, the stevenson family farm, about 40 miles outside of chicago. The phone numbers are on the screen, because we want to hear from you as well, especially if you remember Adlai Stevenson as a candidate. The results in 1952, by the way, that election was held 59 years ago tonight, november 4th 1952. Adlai stevenson one 27 million votes. He got 89 electoral votes, and he won nine states. Dwight david eisenhower, 442 electoral votes. He won 34 million votes, and he won the rest of the states, which would have been 40 some at that point. 41 states. The one thing to keep in mind about that election is to compare it to 1948. In losing, governor stevenson got 3 million more votes than harry truman had, winning, three years earlier. Dwight eisenhower got 12 million more votes than what you had was the largest turnout of Voter Participation in 30 years. You had two outstanding candidates, each in their own way, who are able to excites the electorate in a way that i dont think weve seen in this country in some time. Here is a little bit more badly stevenson at the 1952 convention. What does concern me uncommon with sinking partisans of both parties is not just winning this election, but how it is one. How well we can take advantage of this great quadra any ill opportunity to debate issues sensibly and soberly. I hope and pray that we democrats, win or lose, can campaign not as a crusade to oppose the other party, as our opponents seem to prefer, but as a great opportunity to educate and elevate a people whose destiny is leadership. Lets talk sense to the American People. Lets tell them the truth. There are no games without pain. We are now on the eve of great decisions. Newton minow, where were you 59 years ago tonight . I was in the governors mansion, and i think one thing that really taught the American People about governor stevenson was the way in which he conceded defeat. He gave the most graceful, patriotic, talk ending with a pledge to support the newly elected president , eisenhower,. And he ended with a story that he remembered from Abraham Lincoln. It was a story they spent much time attacking nixon . And in 1946, what could he focus on, besides nixon making the election closer, on farmers more, or should he have focused on war and peace issues . And such thing . Thank you very much. Thank, you paul. Thank, you lets start with newton. 1956 campaign, 1956 campaign in my opinion was not as stellar as the 1952 campaign wise. The reason for the emphasis on nixon, in 56, was the fact the president eisenhower had suffered a bad heart attack. He had some bad health problems, there were great concerns in the country for what would happen if president eisenhower was reelected, but done he died during the second term, and then nixon became president. So there was a very good reason to go after nixon, because nixon would not, as it turned out, later sadly, he did not have the character to be president. Yeah, i would actually say that i think the 56 campaign, stylistically, i am senator from new we are coming from, but from a historical standpoint in some ways, its the campaign that in many ways laid the groundwork for the new frontier of the great society. And specifically, thats the campaign, paul when Adlai Stevenson, against considerable laws, for example, with a Nuclear Test Ban treaty, thats a campaign where stevenson endorsed amendment where 18yearold could vote. I mean, in terms of foreshadowing policy to come, 56 turns out to be a falcon ahead of ideas. But you are right, the last speech on election eve, where he said that basically the medical evidence suggested a real possibility in the next four years that Richard Nixon will be president , remember that is something that tom dewey had done in 44, under somewhat similar circumstances, with fdrs health its just something you didnt go there. And i think in some ways he paid the price for that. Well, youre right. Their nuclear tress ban, was very unpopular point of view, to take a 1956, but he took it very courageously and i remember, someone asked what the weapons would be in a world war for. And he said, there will be sticks and stones. And he made his point. Newton may know, between 1952 and 56, was Adlai Stevenson angling to get the nomination again. Id have to answer that with a yes, and a nail. I think, he would hope that he might someday be president , but he also knew if he ran against the president eisenhower again, that the odds were very much against him. I was one of the few people around who emerged after that time, in 1956. And he fill an obligation to the Democratic Party. Heres a little bit of Adlai Stevenson at the 1956 convention, also held in chicago. I come here, on a solemn mission, i expect your nomination and your program. And i pledge to you, every resource of mine and instinct, that i possess, to make your needs today a good one for the country, and for our party. Four years ago, i stood in the same place, and uttered those same words to you. But four years ago, i did not seek the honor that you have bestowed upon me. This time, as you may have noticed, it was not entirely unsolicited. [laughs] and theres another big difference, that time we lost, this time we will win. Newton minow started laughing, when you listen to that video. When he said it was unsolicited, he reminded me in 1955, governor stevenson gave a speech at the university of texas, and i was asked to go with him. And it was right after president eisenhower had suffered his heart attack. Lyndon johnson, the leader of the senate, had also suffered a heart attack. And we were to spend the night, in londons watch. We drove in the car, with sam rivers, the speaker of the house, got their late, mrs. Johnston was very upset because doctor had told her that lyndon should be sleeping, but he waited up until very late at night, like two in the morning, for us. And, on the way home, just two of us were traveling, and as i said, sam and lyndon said that if i want a nomination ex year, ill have to run in the primaries. I said, there are right. If president eisenhower, because of his health, doesnt run, every democrat is gonna want the nomination. And you will have to fight for it. If president eisenhower does run, you have to forget about it. And he said, well, im not gonna run those primaries, im not gonna be a candidate like im running for sheriff, or one of those Shopping Center things. Im not gonna do it. Of course, he ended up doing it, because thats the way the system operator and came actually won the nomination. After winning a couple of the primaries. Joe, los angeles, we are talking about Adlai Stevenson tonight on the contenders, go ahead with your question or comment. Yes, i just want to jump ahead to the 19 sixties, specifically, what you thought stevensons relation with the kennedy jack and bobby was. I know he had ran for president , or was nominated, in the nomination convention, because there were old feelings with jack kennedy, and he was my secretary of state. What would happen if adlai have been made secretary of state and if the situation in vietnam had been different . Lets start with Richard Norton smith said the state here. Thats a very white subject, i know we have so material for later on. I will talk about senator stevenson, and who was there. It is certainly true, that there was not a warm relationship between the candidates and governor stevenson. In 1956, stevenson had done something no one else had done, he had thrown the nomination for the vice presidency open. He let the convention decide. And jack kennedy came within an eyebrow of winning that nomination. And in the end, probably to stevensons regret, managed to get a victory. , all basically, canada not being on the ticket was the best thing that couldve happened, and introduce him to the country, paint the way for his campaign in 1960. It is also, safe to say, and i would refer to all this, that the way in which government stevenson flirted with the draft in 1960, and held back, in fact, one of the distinguished visitors who came to the house one day, was Jackie Kennedy, who very much wanted Adlai Stevenson to join him. But he didnt get it, he did not go away with his aberration of the government at hand. And if he ever was going to be secretary of state, i think that possibility probably went down the drain. And we will talk a little bit later about the kennedy relationship, and he is hears as un ambassador. But, the results in 1956, Adlai Stevenson one 73 electoral votes, he won seven states in 1956, he won nine in 1952. He got 26 million votes, about 1 million less than he got four years earlier. Dwight eisenhower, 457 electoral votes, he won 41 states, which was the last election where there were only 48 states in the nation. And, Dwight Eisenhower won about 35 million votes, about 1 million more than he had won four years previously. Our next call, akron ohio, kurt, youre on the contenders, hi. I thank you, again, this is a great honor to be watching this type of program. I have a comment, and a question, really. Richard northern smidge, first of all, i want to talk about the 1915 six convention, and jack kennedy. But one of my favorite comments about stevenson was something that harry truman had said, about stevenson, that he spent more time about what he was gonna do rather than doing it. And he said that he spent a lot more time talking to College President s, saying the cabdrivers did a lot more than president s. But anyway, in 1956, Richard Norton smith made comments to Adlai Stevenson doing something unprecedented, which is, holding the convention to pick the Vice President nominee. Jack in any and Estes Kefauver being the other one. But very few people really know unless they studied this, there were two other candidates in contention for that position. He rehumphrey of minnesota, and the senior tennessee as well. My question then, is, seen as how jack kennedy was out of it, and Estes Kefauver became the nominee, for the Vice President , with that ticket have been a little bit better, had he been a senior, or humphrey had won over kefauver . Also, i guess i was gonna say you know what, lets leave it there occurred. Thats a lot of questions, and were gonna let newton, whos all actively involved in the 1960 campaign. Mr. Minow . Well certainly, kefauver didnt help. I dont know who would have given the fact that, again, eisenhowers at the top of the ticket. But, i think what richard said about kennedy was exactly correct. The opportunity to be at the convention in and be seen as a Vice President ial possibility introduced jack kennedy to the country. And, i remember a few years later, i saw him out of dinner and i, said you know, we call them jack, then jackie are still in, you can get the nomination for Vice President next time. He looked at me and said, Vice President . Vice president . He said, im gonna run for president. He was only 39 years old. But he had made up his mind. Can i ask you, the color raises a point that im sure governor stevenson heard who many times during his lifetime. This notion that he talked over the heads of people. What was his reaction to that, what is your reaction to that . I think he did not talk over the heads of the people. They used to call him an egg head, they called his followers egg heads, and he used to make fun of that. He said egg heads are the were of the world unite, you have nothing to do lose but your yokes. I think he reached people, get a great sense of humor. One time he gave a speech, in san francisco, and a woman came up to him after the speech and said governor stevenson, after that speech every thinking american is going to vote for you. And he said, well thank you madam, unfortunately i need a majority. So he knew what the situation was. Next call for our guests, comes from nashville, tennessee, hi martin, youre on the contenders. Hi, hi, thank you, a great show. I was gonna touch on this intellectual, thing because my father was an academic, and i grew up in washington d. C. , a child of the sixties. And i remember how my father talked about how great Adlai Stevenson, what a brilliant man he was, and what an intellectual, and how great he was for the country. Of course, he never won. But the reason im calling, is i was struck by the 1952 electoral map. And i noticed, that it seems like the strategy want, as he got all of those 30 southern states. But strangely all of, he did not win tennessee, a key southern state, and he did not get his own state. What to make of that, that reminds me of the 2000 . Richard norton smith . Again, newton would know, better but i think it certainly paint him that neither of those president ial elections he won illinois. Remember, he had been elected governor of illinois 1948 by the largest margin of the history of the state. What was that, a conservative isolationist state, elected this new deal liberal, democrat. And it was not surprising, i assumed, he thought he counted on winning it. In 52. He did, and for example, if he had run for governor in 1952, even with president eisenhower running on the republican, he wouldve won the governorship again, by a larger margin than anyone in 48. Newton minow today we talk about taxes, spending, social programs, social security, some of the president ial issues that we look at during this campaign. 1952, 1956, what were two or three of the main issues that were talked about on this campaign, and that Adlai Stevenson stressed . 52, the big issue i think, helped president eisenhower, was korea. We were back down, president is an hour said i have a plan, i will go to ria, the country in which he ended up winning the war in korea. Those important. The other big issues, were the same as, before that divided the country back in the fifties, the role of education, the economy was better than then it is now. I think there was less unemployment. But i think this country is equally divided, if you look at the last president ial elections, with the single exemption i think of johnson, and goal water in 1964, with that exception, theyve all been decided by a few points. Country is basically equally divided. In 1956, heres a little bit of idly stevenson talking about the democratic platform. We are on the threshold of another great decisive era histories long course, has brought us a republic, i believe, to the threshold of a new america. To the america of the great ideals, and you visions. I need america recovery is abolished, and our abundance hes used to enrich the lives of every family. I mean my friends, they knew america, where things are made real for all. We want economic conditions. I mean a new america which everlastingly attacks the ancient idea that men can solve their differences by killing each other. These are the things i believe in. These are the things i will work for with every resource i possess. And, we are live in libertyville, illinois, at this stevenson farm. Boston, youre on the air, go ahead. Hi, how are you . Hello . Good, were listening, please go ahead. Okay. I was very young during the era of president kennedy, and Adlai Stevenson, and i want to share with you an emotional emotional thing, that i will probably take to my grave. In 1960, a couple of weeks before his assassination, Adlai Stevenson went to texas, where he was in a convention, he had the wrong convictions, because he threw oranges at him to him, from the balcony. And he called president kennedy and told him not to come to texas, at least, get a bulletproof car, which he didnt do. On the other side of the equation, i believe president kennedy, and his brother, had some football days, they had a bit too much ego, and if Adlai Stevenson knew that, then he wouldve probably tea treat it his demeanor coming down to jack demeanor, and he wouldve tried to do more listening to save his life. Were gonna get an answer from both our guests, because both started nodding their heads. Richard norton smith. I think it was a united day event in dallas in which he spoke to, and after was struck by some protesters outside. I think he was actually spattered, in a classic stevenson rejoinder, afterwards, when he suggested he said i want to prosecute them, i want to educate them. Newton minow . I think he was very aware of the dangers, but i dont think it goes as far as the question did about it. And i think president kennedy had made that commitment, and he wanted to keep it. I do remember, him talking about the relationship of and adlai president kennedy. During the 1916 campaign, peel, a leading protestant clergymen, organized a group of clergymen and they said that jack kennedy was unqualified to be president , because of his religion. And adlai was asked about it, and he compared peele to st. Paul, and he said, i find st. Paul appealing, and Norman Vincent peel appalling. And he could always make a joke, or good humor, out of it. Politics today has no humor. I dont see, with the exception of one person, i dont see any politician today, either party, who really has a good sense of humor. Do you think theres any way he worked against stevenson . Some people thought he was not as serious of a person, because he always had these wonderful quips . Well his answer to that was that Abraham Lincoln went around telling stories all the time. And i dont think it heard, and i think people liked to have someone who had a sense of humor. Next call, on Adlai Stevenson, here on cspan contenders. From new york, nick, good evening. Hi, id like to, know and stevenson was a child, what was the incident in which he accidentally shot his friend, how does that influence his president ial campaign in the future . Newton minow did he ever talk to you about the fact, about what theyre this man is referring to . There was a tragic accident in his childhood, when there was a loose gun in the family and they accidentally shot and killed another child. I never heard him say a word about it i never saw any evidence that affected him, but im not who knows. He was 12 years old at the time. And, when did get the sense that the family, kind of moved on. It was not something that they dwelled on. And i think years later, he was surprised, expressed surprise, that his wife knew about the incident. That suggests that he really kept it very close to his vast. Who was his wife . His wife was a woman who came from a very fine upper class family. She was not very interested in politics, and in fact disliked politics. When adlai went into politics, i dont think she was very happy about it. And that was in 1949, after he had run for governor. Before the divorce. And then they divorced. Did that hurt him in the 1952 and 1956 president ial campaigns, being a divorced man . I was talking about this with my wife. Years ago, people thought a divorced man could never be elected president. Now, president reagan was divorced, today Public Officials are living without marriage with someone else and no one raises a fuss about it. I think theres been a vast cultural change here. Is that one more instance of stevenson being ahead of his time . [laughs] it could be. We are live from Liberty Ville, illinois. About 25 miles away is north, brooke illinois. Theodore is on the line. I appreciate the program very much. I am a senior in a nearby senior retirement community. Participating in a memoir group, we have been asked to write what good thing from the fifties should be carried into the 21st century. I had been present at his 1952 election where he voted in a little township buildings next to a congregation all church. I chose that as the icon. My question, is what significance do you place to the hole in had Les Stevenson, and how would you summarize what good things came from Adlai Stevenson that could be carried into the 21st century. Lets start with Richard Norton smith. Stevenson, whatever you think of his politics, stevenson was a man who inspired intelligence. He spoke up to. Us he was arguably the last national politician. I think you could say it about Barry Goldwater who believe that a president ial campaign was first and foremost an educational exercise. What do you mean by . That he literally believed, for example, television, he was forever running out of time. They would cut him off in the middle of a speech. He couldnt believe that people wouldnt take a sufficient amount of time to educate themselves, to listen to thoughtful, sober, substantive, issue oriented appeals from candidates on both sides. Thats how he approached running for office. Thats how he approach to governing illinois. I have heard him say more than once that a campaign is an educational exercise, not only for the public, but also for the candidate. It was an opportunity for the candidate to educate himself or herself about the country and about the people. And he believed that. I also heard him Say Something i dont hear any politician say today. There are worse things that can happen to someone losing an election. Richard norton smith, what is a Stephen Sonia . That is an egg head. Probably someone entertaining a certain nostalgia for a level of political discourse, they civility, and urbanity, a wet, self deprecatory, someone who has very little patience with political claptrap that handlers and spin doctors have foisted upon us. I cannot imagine Adlai Stevenson being bothered by such individuals. I once was a member of an american delegation to a conference in japan, and in the delegation was donald rumsfeld, who was then a member of congress. We were having dinner, and i said why did you go into politics. He said it was all because of a speech given to my graduating class at princeton. I said, were you in the class of 1954 . And he looked at me and said, how did you know that . I said, i know the speech. Its the best speech Adlai Stevenson ever gave in his life. It was a speech about why everyone should devote some of their life to public service. Donald got up, stood up, and gave me a paragraph, by memory, verbatim, of the speech. He then pulled out his wallet and took out a torn, tattered copy of the speech he carries around in his wallet. I said, thats why you went into politics . I said thats why i went into public service. And if you read his new book, he starts off by quoting from that speech. So adlai, i would say his biggest contribution was making politics respectable and honorable. Jack kennedy used to say politics was an honorable profession. I think he got that from Adlai Stevenson. Adlai and Alan Stevenson had three sons, adlai the third, borden, and jon fell. Adlai the third was a marine in 1952, but here is a little bit of a news real. Governor stevenson takes time out from his strenuous campaign to attend the graduation of his son, adlai the third, from the marine officer Candidates School in virginia. He presents his son with a sheaf of commissions for the entire platoon. Its a proud father and an equally proud son on the occasion that they both vote. Now, live on your screen is senator Adlai Stevenson the third. He is in his fathers study here on the stevenson farm in libertyville, illinois. Senator stevenson, first of, all thank you for opening up this facility for us. Secondly, what was your role in the 52 and 56 campaigns . As your remarks indicate, i was in the marine corps in 1952. I didnt know, it but on root for korea. I did not have a role in that campaign. We were involved in the 56 campaign. I was a driver in the 48 campaign, which was sort of the beginning of my introduction to politics. What role did korea play in your fathers campaigning in 1952 . What was his position on korea, with you over there . As newt mentioned, korea became an issue. But i dont think it really was an issue. It adversely effected my fathers campaign. He was advised to say, if elected president , i will go to korea. Thats exactly what generalize and how are said. My father refused to do that, because he felt that if he made that commitment to go there and settle and arrange a truce, that he would be weakened. And fact, the Eisenhower Administration was weakened by this commitment of eisenhower to end the war. I dont think my involvement had any effect, but his integrity had an adverse effect on his campaign, because of korea. Adlai stevens in the third, served in the u. S. Senate from 1970 to 1981 for the state of illinois. He voluntarily stepped down in 1980, ran for governor twice from this state. Senator stevenson, what made you enter the Family Business . I was just born with and in terrible, hereditary case of politics. Its my business, my career. We never really thought of it as a business. By the, way i am paraphrasing my father, because he was asked the same question. And of course, the first adlai stevenso served as Vice President , the second of secretary of state for illinois, and then we had adlai, the governor, and now we are joined by senator stevenson, who is adlai the third. He is in his fathers study in the home, the stevenson family home, here in libertyville. We are over in what used to be the barn, and its right next door. It is now set up with an exhibit, senators stevenson, what is going on here what is being set up where we are . You know this, home, its really become our base over the year. We served in washington, london, springfield, everywhere. Its now the home of the Adlai Stevenson center on democracy. Where we try to bring people together from all parts of the world, to address 16 make witness weaknesses in democratic systems, and to continue these stevenson legacy. This was the home, but it really became a base, for my father, for the way he arranged to world, not only to serve, in springfield, and so on, but also to study in the world. He traveled and studied the world from underground, he never stopped trying to learn about the world from within it. In the market places, and the universities, and ministries, trying to see the world from within. And the United States from without it. And i think that lifetime on the ground, study of the world, with a perspective from no ivory tower really helped to create the record and make him an electrifying figure. Not only at home, but in the world. Which ultimately led, of course, to president kennedy appointing at the ambassador of the un, where he represented the United States. We have one more, in the container, Adlai Stevenson is our focus, our guest, senator Adlai Stevenson their third, newton minow who worked for years with and for Adlai Stevenson, and was former federal Communications Commission chairman, under jfk. And of course, wellknown author and historian Richard Norton smith. Were gonna take this call from sally, in chicago. Hi sally. Hi. Let me correct something, i was born and raised in chicago, but i live in california. Im calling, because Adlai Stevenson in 1952 election, was my first president ial in other words i was eligible to vote. So i went door to door and did whatever i could, i would crush that he didnt win. But in retrospect, i thought, he would contribute so much more on the world stage as a statesman, and in a way, he did. But i will never forget, how disappointed we were. One other thing, being from chicago, i worked at the caribbean tower, when the dewey truman election result. And you never saw such panic in your life, as was in the chicago tribute. I will let you go, and get your responses on air. Thank you. I think we can talk to sally all night. Senator stevenson if we can start with, you you heard the emotion in her voice. Good to talk about his campaign style, a little bit . Well, id like to amplify, i think newton has done a perfect job, going back to 52 he was also reluctant to run for president. Because, he had been elected governor of a state which we love, and we are deeply indebted to. And it succeeded in corrupt republican administration. He reached out, and he recruited the best qualified professionals that he could find. It wasnt paid to pray in those days, it was sacrifice to serve, they were reforming state governors. And he wanted to finish the job. Newton and richard are right, he was also reluctant because eisenhower, the returning war hero, would be very hard to defeat. And i think, secretly, and not so secretly at home, he wasnt convinced that perhaps it was time for a change. I remember, he started that 52 campaign, he was drafted, he started that campaign at the convention, with absolutely no program, no money, no staff and it went on to electrify the world. For him, and i may be repeating, but for him democracy was not a dividing system for declaring power, it was a system for informing the people so they can make a sound judgment. He said, trust people with the truth, all the truth. What winds is more important than who wins. So in response to the 56 campaign, it was really more substantial, because he had more time than in the 52 campaign. But he used the campaign as statutory leader of the party, we dont have those kinds anymore, and Advisory Councils delayed what was called the problematic foundations for the new frontier and the great society. In fact, i heard the late and famous historian, who is very close to newton, also to jack kennedy, here in illinois, he once called jack jeanyves kennedy the executor of the stevenson revolution. But those campaigns were aimed at the American People, and he used half hour blocks of time for eloquent substantive speeches. They were also aimed at the world. Now, senator stevenson, you talked about the 52 and 56 campaigns, your father lost about 1 million or so votes between those and a couple of more states. What did he not do as well in 56, or what would you think did he make mistakes . Oh, first of all, eisenhower was enormously popular. These were years of Economic Prosperity and growth. He was popular with the war, i can remember when exactly, but that we can leader, in korea. No, what happened, one of the things that happened, he wouldve gotten relate to probably anyway, it was the uprising and hungry, and the invasion of suez by friends, britain, and israel. These International Crises who rallied the country, as they always do, behind the president. And you know, from then on, there really wasnt much to go on for the outcome. Richard norton smith . I try to go back to the 52 campaign and senator stevensons point, which is absolutely accurate. That he started out with nothing. In fact, there was a debate over whether it were to have the political headquarters, truman expected to be in washington, while it was in springfield. But the story is told, and you can tell me if its true or not, story is told that he couldnt expected to be publicized, which again, is revealing. That one night, very shortly after the convention, he came back to springfield, and conscious of these crushing responsibilities that had just been handed to him, he left the executive branch one night, by himself, without guard, entourage, and walked to the lincoln home, jackson and eighth street, knocked on the door, the custodian recognized in, it was not then a National Historic site, and he sat, by himself in the lincoln parlor, for some period, reflecting, meditating, on a man who had confronted even more responsibilities, 100 years earlier. But the interesting thing about that story is not only that it happened, but that stevenson did publicize it, he did not expect anyone to know about the story. Is that accurate . Its true. In fact, none of us knew about it until later. Years later, i read this i asked him if it was true and he said yes. But he didnt talk about it. You have to understand, this story, the families involvement goes back to five generations, ive tried to recorded two american politics and history as we knew, it in the black book. It begins with lincolns patron, jesse, lincoln was a constant presence in this family, right here. Lincoln was an inspiration, will draw wilson, former president , of princeton where my father was a graduate from 1922, wilson was an influence also, the enlightened internationalism. Wilson heavily influenced my father. But lincoln, who might never have been president without this citizen who among other things proposed his, debates lincoln was an inspiration. And for ever a presence in this family. And, our next call, for our three guest talking about Adlai Stevenson comes from north carolina, jimmy, please go ahead. Thanks for taking my call. I am a world war ii vet who was part of the army, but i didnt feel like at the time and for north carolina, which you see was a blue states, in those headlines at the time, and we felt that adlai was a politician and he was able to handle the political play, and general eisenhower was more of a military person. I was wondering what you all think, how would the United States have changed, if Adlai Stevenson had been a president rather than eisenhower . Senator stevenson, lets start with you. You know, eisenhower has been quoted, first by donovan, and recently by member of his family, as saying that if he had known stevenson was to be the democratic candidate, he would not have run for president. I think on the Large International issues it was not not a great deal of difference, between the two. One thing my father really felt strongly about, Richard Nixon was loathe by everybody and in washington, in this was at the grassroots. And you know, after the checker speech, and eisenhowers retention of nixon on the ticket, i think that caused some doubts on his mind about eisenhower, but he respected eisenhower. And my father was such a figure in the world, that john dallas, perhaps reluctantly, made him an official ambassador of the administration, so he could officially represent the United States around the world. If there had been a difference, and the real differences then between democrats and the eisenhower winner of the Republican Party, for the taft wing. Eisenhower his problems were with taft, and the conservative wing of the Republican Party. If my father had been a president , he probably wouldve had a new friend here in the great society, and medicare, federal aid to education, others which programs take effect earlier. As it was, much of it didnt take effect until after the assassination of kennedy, when johnson very shrewdly, i remember him consulting my father, he said what do i do now . You, should be in the shoes, but you are not, so what is your advice . And my father was taken back, and he said well i guess you should take some time, now put your program in your administration, together, and he said, this is my moment. And within 100 days, the program was all through congress. He knew timing, he was a real politician. But that program had been developing over since to 52 campaign, and might have been accelerated it a little had my father won, in 52 or 56. Newton minow . I think he had it exactly, but i would add one thing, i think because adlai was so committed to getting read rid of nuclear war, i think we might have had faster progress, then actually occurred later. In dealing with the russians, and in dealing with nuclear disarmament. I think that was such a passionate believe, that i think he wouldve given much more attention and persuasion to it than occurred. And i also think that the, we would have had more friends throughout the world than we ended up with at that time. Its interesting. It is hard to imagine, and thats what we are doing, imagining, but its hard to imagine president stevenson sending that you two plane in may of 1960, on the eve of a great summit. One quick thing, i do think they had real respect for each other. I also think, as most political adversaries were to discover the weaknesses of one another. I suspect eisenhower, overtime, grew rather resentful of the implication that stevenson was the only word smith, the only great, eloquent, persuade are in american politics. He once said the death words are all that matter, the American People can vote for earnest hemingway for president. I think that was a veiled criticism of stevenson. The next call for our three guests on the contenders comes from portland, oregon. Hi, joe. Thank you for taking my call. In 52, i was a High School Kid living in a republican household. In 56, i had spent the previous summer as an intern for wayne morrison. I remember well how in 56, there was a kind of disappointment at the convention, because there wasnt really a contest like there wasnt 52. I wonder if you could elaborate more on how the decision was made to throw it open to the convention. Was it really just so that everyone could have a good time . Or was it to be able to dodge the animosity of all the candidates who didnt get it . Newton, if you can start, and then senator stevenson. I think adlai felt that he had seen firsthand, the Vice President getting picked in 52, so casually done. He realized it needed much more attention. He also was under a lot of pressure. He was fond of hubert humphrey. He didnt like kefauver, even though kefauver had been in the primaries. He thought jack kennedy was very promising, but was too young, and too inexperienced. So he also decided he would give a lot of excitement to the convention, which had been pretty much prearrange to as his own nomination. So he decided to open it up, and i think it turned out to be, as he predicted, an exciting contest. It introduced jack kennedy to the country. There were a lot of good things from it. New tacit right. The outcome of the president ial balloting was a foregone conclusion. So to create some excitement and interest, he decided to throw open the balloting for Vice President. Quietly, we were all rooting for john f. Kennedy, but we had but i remember at the state house and at the convention, when the balloting was seesawing for Vice President and kennedy was ahead, running downstairs to kennedy sweet, where sergeant shrivers brother in law was guarding the door, jack kennedy was pulling up his trousers running in, shook his hand and congratulated him. By the time i got back to my fathers sweet, i saw him lose to kefauver. All of us were reading for jack kennedy, but newton is absolutely right. This brought kennedy to the nations attention, and it also spared him involvement in a failed campaign for president and Vice President. Lets move four years ahead to the 1960 Democratic Convention in los angeles. Senator stevens, how would you describe the relationship between your father and jack kennedy in 1960 . I think the relationship between my father and jack kennedy was close. I know my father respected kennedy, and i believe it was mutual. But there was a very protective circle around john f. Kennedy, which was always fearful, always resentful. In this case, it was concerned that stevenson was a threat. People were pouring in from across the country by the tens of thousands. They were literally hammering on the doors, in some cases knocking down the doors, at the convention to demand another nomination for their candidate. Eleanor roosevelt was there. Jean mccarthy gave a brilliant nominating address for stevenson. And this caused a little anxiety in the kennedy camp, and it probably cost a bit on my fathers part, that may be of things deadlocked, he could still win a nomination. He felt that as leader of the party, and out of loyalty to Eleanor Roosevelt and his other supporters, he really should be neutral. If he had a chance, maybe he thought neutrality was the best way of getting their. The former secretary of labor, also involved in the state administration told me he was in my fathers sweets on the eve of the balloting. My father said when Bobby Kennedy calls, tell him ive gone to bed and left instructions not to be woken. Sure enough, Bobby Kennedy called, and he said ive got to talk to the governor. He said im sorry, hes gone to bed. Well, you just tell him, this is his last chance, and he had better talk to me or he wont be secretary of state. He responded im sorry, but he has instructed me to tell you that he has gone to bed. So that was the end of any chance of secretary of state, but it signifies something about the relationship, not with jack kennedy, but the very protective circle around jack kennedy. And that would come back to create other problems, like during the cuban missile crisis, when my father was vilified. We will get to that in a moment. But we will play two pieces of video here. We will start at the 1960 convention. I had Les Stevenson at the podium. Here it is. I wanted to take a moment to say how grateful i am. Grateful for this tumultuous and moving welcome at the 1960 Democratic Convention. [applause] [applause] i have, however, an observation after getting in and out of the built more hotel and this haul. I decided that i know who you are going to nominate. It will be the last survivor. The details of my participation have not been worked out, but i told senator kennedy i would gladly campaign where he wanted me to. I suspect that will be in the west and east and possibly in between. Governor stephens, and do you think you can convince your followers . I hope so. What will you do about it . How you go about it . I hope by this participation in the campaign. I havent had much doubt they would support the ticket and i hope they will support it vigorously and in the same manner that i do. I hope they will follow you as vigorously as they did in los angeles, governor. I hope they will follow you as vigorously as they followed me in los angeles. And we saw a little bit from the convention, and then we saw a press conference after jfk got the nomination. I had the most extraordinary experience involving both Adlai Stevenson and jack kennedy. It was on may 29th 1960. That was Jack Kennedys birthday. It was the day after the last primary in oregon. Jack kennedy was flying from oregon for a family birthday party. And bill blair, our law partner, had suggested that he stop in chicago and that bill and i would pick him up, drive him here to the farm, and he would have lunch with adlai a do we were hoping, because bill and i had both concluded that it was impossible to be nominated again, we were hoping they would come to some terms and adlai would support kennedy. We got in the car, drove out here, and in the course of, it below is driving. Jack was in the front seat. I was in the backseat. Jack kennedy said, do you think i should talk about secretary of state. Bill is smarter than i was. He didnt say anything. I couldnt stand the silence. I said i wouldnt do that if i were you. And he looked at me and said why. I said, well, ad lay will be offended. Second, you ought to decide yourself who you want if you are elected. We came out here and adlai three and nancy were here. They managed to get the two of them alone into adlais study. And the minute they came, out i could see it hadnt gone well. We were getting back in the car to go back, and i was dying of curiosity. I said jack, did you Say Something about secretary of state . He looked at me with a steely eye and said you told me not to. I said what have i done. So as soon as i got home, i called him and told him the entire, thing from beginning to end. He said you did the right thing. He said i would have been very offended. And he said, besides, he should decide who he wants. That i decided i had better talk to the kennedys. Jack hadnt arrived. Yet i got bob and i told him exactly what i told adlai. I felt i had a clean conscience. I had not screwed it up. Can i ask you a question . We saw that clip from the 1960 convention, that rather lame joke that stevenson made from the podium, at a moment of maximum suspense. The scene was memorably described as being stevensons moment and he threw it away. He was in a position with the right remarks to have taken that convention away. Is that unrealistic . Was that convention Jack Kennedys, no matter what happened, or can you see a scenario in which stevenson, at the peak of his form, might in fact have set something on fire . I think he knew that it wasnt going to happen. I think he had talked to richard daily, the mayor, who had told him the illinois delegates were going to vote for kennedy. I think he knew at that point. One other thing, adlai, i have always thought that Jean Mccarthys speech was insincere. I felt he was working for lyndon johnson, because he had never been that close to governor stevenson. And i just finished reading Jackie Kennedys tapes. She says jack kennedy said the same thing. So theres two people who thought that Jean Mccarthy was lets let counselor stevenson get in on this. I dont think i want to attribute that motive to Jean Mccarthy. The gossip, that i hate to repeat, at the time, was that jean was just jealous of jack because it was that catholic instead of this catholic getting the nomination. I think thats on worthy of Jean Mccarthy. Number one, newt said vice was absolutely right. My father would have resented it. I dont think there is a chance at that convention of his winning the nomination. He had encouraged everybody to go out and support the candidates of their choice, including Richard J Dailey of illinois, the illinois delegation was pledged to john f. Kennedy. You make a pledge. You dont break it. The nomination was sewed up, and yet, there was a lot of tension, a lot of fear, and a lot of dynamism in the works. After the convention, my father campaigned strenuously, all over the country for john f. Kennedy. And Bobby Kennedys first stop on the campaign trail was right here. Right here at the home, where we had a great rally out on the lawn for Bobby Kennedy. Now, newton minow referred to Jackie Kennedy, the new book put out by caroline kennedy, historic conversations on life with jfk. There was some audiotapes attached to it, i believe taped with mrs. Kennedy, it shortly after. Shortly after the assassination, correct. And they were just released. Here is Jackie Kennedy talking about Adlai Stevenson and jfk. And then the big thing with governor stevenson, telling you that he wanted to have the un, i can remember jack telling me about that. The dead give him a lot of difficulty . It was unpleasant, i mean he didnt like it, having to do it or anything. But he was glad to give it the state department. And the earliest times when we spoke of it, can you that governor stevenson would give him in the un, not the steak he wanted, but its pleasant to tell someone that. And i remember the conference on the doorstep, were rather vague, where stevens and said he didnt have anything to say, or something funny. What do you suppose they decided not against the state . Enable him to help him. There wasnt bitterness and that but he knew that he that men had a real disease of being unable to make up his mind. Stevenson got bored having him around every day complaining to the secretary of state about something. It wouldve been an awfully difficult relationship. Senator stevenson, can we get your reaction . Well, unfortunately i couldnt hear it. Ive known Jackie Kennedy, and i can tell you that i dont think she was political at all, in fact, she was very artistic, an intellectual woman, who used to leave washington on weekends, she would sometime spent it in her home playing football, she was not athletic, but you go to new york to the theater, with my father. And from all i can see, they had a very good relationship. And, he gave her an escape from washington. Ive heard about these comments, not just these, all over comments, and she was critical just about everybody, so i dont know their credibility to place on on that. From what i could see, her relationship with my father, was very good. And in some ways, closer than to some of the kennedys, in some ways. Minow could you hear the audiotape and Jackie Kennedy . I think i was with, adlai and jackie, not often, but sometimes. I think they had a very good relationship. What about jfk and Adlai Stevenson . Jfk and adlai, i have a very important experience about that. I had a very minor role in the cuban missile crisis. But i was involved a little bit. And when it was over, there was an article in the saturday evening post, written by stewart and charlie, and in it, there were some critical comments, not attributed to any single person, about what adlai had proposed, which is actually what the United States did. We closed our missile headquarters in turkey and greece, in exchange for the bargain that was reached about cuba. But it was critical. And i knew adlai was upset by it. And early in the, morning one day, president kennedy called me at home. And he said will you tell your leader, thats what he referred to adlai when he talk to me, tell your leader that i did not leak that story. He said, there is this room around that im the one who leaked it, i did not leak. It well i called adlai and i had his number, and i got him on the phone in five seconds, he picked up the phone, in the embassy in new york, and he said i cant talk to you im on my way to the today show to be interviewed. And i said will give me one second, i said, the president just called me, and told me to tell you he did not leak that story to the saturday posed. He didnt say anything, 15 minutes later i turn on the today show, and he gave jfk holy hell about the episode and got it off his chest. Later, jfk wrote in a letter apologizing, saying he didnt do it, that he made it clear that what adlai contributed to the cuban missile crisis solution was indispensable. We have got about 25 minutes left, and our callers have been very patients. Bill, thank you for holding, please go ahead with your question or comment about Adlai Stevenson. Can you elaborate on the influence of richard daily, the mayor of chicago, and the influence he had on stevensons rise in illinois politics . Senator stevenson can we start with you sir . Its the other way around. My father got daily started in politics. As i mentioned earlier, my father reputed these extraordinary professionals, and they came without the endorsement of political leaders, and campaign contributors. But there was one partial expression, and that was richard dailey, who had been a state senator, and maybe did have the amber segment of some chairs. And he served with great distinction in my fathers cabinet, as the director of the department of revenue. He was really of and later, my father supported richard daily, when he contested for mayor of chicago against an incumbent mayor of that city. This is incredible. The governor of the state siding with the incumbent governor. So, my father had a lot to do with the rise of richard daily, it wasnt the other way around, at all. Washington, d. C. , go ahead dave, were talking about Adlai Stevenson here, on the contenders. Hi, thank you for taking my call. I just want to tell my story. Hi congressman, how are you. Everybody know the congressman former congressman . I just want to tell a story about athlete stevenson in the madison wisconsin, in a campaign. I was i was a student at the university of wisconsin, and adlai had come to madison to give a speech around roundtable, afterwards, he was scheduled to appear with then governor nelson, at the old park hotel. And we had a large crowd of democrats gathered. They were all over an hour late, and the crowd was unrest. Finally they assured stevenson to the front of the room, gave him a mic, and he said folks im sorry were so late, but there were a lot of questions at the roundtable, so we said i have to get the governor over the mansion to bed, he has a long day tomorrow. And so, it will be one of my typical short speeches. And adlai but in and settled one of my typically long ones. And they said they were going to leave without, him and adlai said go ahead, and he said lets see the cloud follows. And the crowd erupted in laughter. He was very quick on his feet, adlai, and he was very clever, he could make the audience feel good, he was my hero. Congressman, there will be a lot of talk this evening about the fact that Adlai Stevenson was the architect of the later great society, would you agree with that . I think hes certainly defined it, in the 66 campaign. What most of the issues later became part of the Democratic Party, for which we stood for four years. He really set the agenda for that campaign. That was congressman dave, longtime congressman from wisconsin, democrat, thank you for calling answer, we did not know you are going to. Call seattle, richard, hello. Richard . Hi, im the author of a book that was just published last year, and i would like to remain one of the anecdotes from the campaign trail. This one was a favorite of the campaign team, and then give you a little comment from that about adlai. This incident is about a club woman who came up to him after a speech, she said hello mr. , stephen your speech was superfluous. To which he replied, ive been thinking about having a published posthumourously. Well that would be sooner than later. [laughs] senator stevenson i know youre in your dads office, over there, and there is a set of books of his speeches, and they were actually bestsellers, correct . Yes, and incidentally, my own focus here. Which i tried to recorded american politics, as we knew them over those five generations, including the humor. Which enriched our politics. And could be used, to really good effect, you could for example use it to denigrate an opponent without being mean spirited. But the memories of the experience, i tried to recorder these five generations, starting with late gain, and in dealing with the life cycle of nations in some empires, it seems to recall what were doing tonight. Their value that created this country, and contrast with those im afraid are undermining it today. And we talked a little bit about this, hand Richard Norton smith i want to get your reaction. The key will missile crisis, Adlai Stevenson was u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Yes, but remember, it didnt happen that. A year earlier, we talked about this strain relationship with the white house. The kennedy admitted illustration, in fact, had port its a massacre in a humiliating position, at the time of the bay of pigs. And so, a year later, a year and a half later, in the fall of 1962. We have a situation in which there is irrefutable evidence, that the soviets are in fact installing offensive Nuclear Missiles on castros cuba. And what transpires, the great paradox, i cannot think of a less soundbite political figure then Adlai Stevenson, and yet, if you go on you to today, he is immortalized by one of the great soundbites of the 20th century. And were gonna listen to, it right now. Let me ask you one simple question, do you, ambassador, deny that the uss are has placed, and is placing, medium and intermediate range missiles on site . Yes or no . Dont wait for the cancellation, yes or no . Mr. Stevenson, would you continue or statement please. You look and you will get your answer in another way, with another question. I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over, think your decision. Richard norton smith. Until hell freezes over, one of the great soundbites of 20th century. And afterwards, one of the candidates, maybe the president , im not sure who is allegedly to have said, i didnt know adlai had it in him. Thats true. Well you know, you mentioned the bay of pigs earlier, he was said a great deal of misinformation which can be related to the Security Council that came out of course, this information was false. And he felt very embarrassed, that it was a candid the administration, and he was embarrassed. Nobody doubted my fathers integrity, and newton alluded to the bay of pigs earlier, the bay of pigs proposal by the Kennedy Administration was exactly what my father had namely creating off obsolete bases in turkey, for withdrawal of the missiles. But the Kennedy Administration insisted on keeping the deal secret. My father didnt want to be secret, because he did not want to embarrass khrushchev, he wanted him to give an opportunity to retreat. And that did not happen. And of course, khrushchev was an embarrassed, just as my father feared, he fell, he was succeeded, by your group from which emerged the hardliners and cold war escalation. Because the Kennedy Administration had to be tough, instead of compromising and giving khrushchev an easy way out. Well, one of the goals of the contenders is to figure out how the contenders changed their respective parties, highly changed american politics. And after we take this caller, were gonna move into that topic area. By routes down, ohio, duncan please go ahead. On at least stevenson. Thanks for having me. I was just curious as to whether or not youve ever heard of an organization for build a bird and if he had ever attended the conference before. Thank you for your call. Go ahead senator stevenson. This fall Adlai Stevenson has been to a build a bird conference. I dont know about my father. I dont know how far back that goes. They were conferences of senior figures around the world which they got together to discuss the problems facing the world. That is nothing sinister about them. Yes, this ad late stevenson has been to a couple. I dont have my father ever was or that the even existed in his time. We are here in the stevenson barn while senator stevenson is in his father study. The stevenson barn is a new exhibit about add late stevenson. There is a photograph, you and i looked at it before we started, this is in 1945. The un formation. Do you remember that photograph over there around the table . You were commenting about the different players in the photograph. I do. I dont have it in front of me so im not sure. Its remarkable. You have john foster douglas, you have a governor stevenson before the governorship. Nelson rockefeller. Yes, young nelson rockefeller. You have the secretary of state at the time was about to be fired. So what was Adlai Stevensons role in the founding of the un . Do you want to take that he was also a delegate to the conference in san francisco. At which the United Nations was adopted, or approved. But by late 1945, we were living in london where he was the u. S. Delegate to the preparatory commission. It laid the foundation. It actually started putting the Building Blocks together including the location in new york. He represented the United States at that commission were great man from all over europe and canada. They used to assemble at our home at night because we had access to the commissary. An Extraordinary Group of people. He was in on the birth of the United Nations, and incidentally, he died 20 years later just a few blocks from our home in london in 1945. 65 and still serving the United Nations and his country. We want to talk about head late stevenson and his effect on the Democratic Party. Here he is in 1952 talking about the Democratic Party. I have been heartened by the conduct of this convention. You have argued and disagreed because as democrats you care and you care deeply. But you have disagreed and argued without calling each other liars and thieves. Without the spoiling our best traditions. You have not spoiled our best traditions in any naked struggles for power. And you have written a platform that neither equivocates, contradicts nor evades. You have restated our record. Its principles in language that non can mistake. Norah and my friend to the Democratic Party is old and fat and indolent. After 150 years, it has been old for a long time. And it will never be indolent as long as it looks forward and not back. As long as it commands the allegiance of the young and the hopeful who dream the dreams and see the vision of a better america and a better world. You will hear many sincere and forceful people expressed concern about the continuation of one party in power for 20 years. I dont see little this attitude, but change for the sake of change has no absolute merit in itself. The people are wise, wiser than the republicans think, and the Democratic Party is the peoples party, not the labour party, not the farmers party, not the employers party, it is the party of no one because it is the party of everyone. Newton minow. I think adlai contribution to the country was too, he hoped campaigns would educate people and he succeeded. He succeeded in teaching all of us that politics was something all of us should be involved in. I recently met the governor of indiana. [inaudible] mitch daniel . Mitch daniels. I said im sorry your not running for the presidency. He said why do you say that . I know youre a democrat. He said i learned from my boss Adlai Stevenson, that the best people in both parties should run, not the worst people. And i believe that. And i think adlai to that all of us and i think thats a legacy to be extremely grateful for because his contribution is enjoying today. Yeah, i think historically, of course, hes a bridge between the new deal and a new frontier really. He holds aloft the banner of liberalism in the fifties. A difficult era, but its an interesting kind of liberalism. He believed in american exceptionalism every bit as much as many other right do today, but it was an exceptionalism that was about ideas and ideals. It was leading by example. It was not an exceptionalism enforced by military force. Of course, the other thing was he brought a whole generation of young people who were inspired by his words, by his example, by his approach. His very unorthodox approach to politics. We only have a few minutes left. Carey joe from more head, minnesota. We want to hear from you. Please go ahead. In 1952, when i was 13 years old, i was privileged to meet Adlai Stevenson. He came to the hotel ward where my mom and dad owned the hotel and i was privileged to wait tables for him. We kids grew up in the hotel and after meeting him, i and mired him the rest of my life. I am now 72 years old and i am still just so admiring this wonderful democratic person. Im just so thrilled that he was a man of morality and he was a man that fought for the working people. We need more Adlai Stevenson in this world right now. Im just so happy that i met him and the rest of my life. All right, thank you for that call. Lets let you talk to in Adlai Stevenson. Senator . Well you know, the question we are left with is is Adlai Stevenson possible today in this money drenched corrupt dysfunctional politics . Would he even compete . Could he compete for president of the United States . Going from stand to stand and raising money from interests and jingles on television. The half hour blocks of time would be impossible. Im not sure that he would be possible today, let alone a franklin roosevelt, it would not have been physically possible for him. Thats why we have created the Stevenson Center to try to address the systemic weaknesses in democratic systems that might make in Adlai Stevenson possible. We try, as we do in my book, to recall these values, this history that created this country and contrast them with our politics today. Can i politics as corrupt it is our speaks backed it to purify . To reform itself . I think thats the issue we are left with. I dont worry about the American People because i have enormous faith in the American People. But they are left with a process that represents everybody else. Senator stevenson, as Adlai Stevenson the third, if you have to go to a store or short your name somewhere, to people react . The old folks, some of the old folks. I was in the store the other day and i saw a young woman at the counter looking at my credit card. She was looking at my name and i said is that name familiar to you . She said, no, but its cool. I think we are forgotten, i think our politics have largely been forgotten as well. This is a Wonderful Program for the opportunity to recall another politics and another america. Jim in new jersey. Please go ahead with your question or comment. Yes, gentlemen. I would like to ask the group to reflect on an event late in the governors life. I recently reviewed several hours of cbs News Coverage of the events of november 22nd, 1963. Throughout the afternoon, walter cronkite, harry reason or, continuously refer to governor stevenson visiting dallas a few weeks earlier and being accosted and warning the president not to go there. I researched that and it seemed like an airport event of a woman who struck governor stevenson over the head with a placard. It seemed a little more than that, but i wonder if the panel could reflect on that. Any regrets from the governor . All right, jim. Richard norton smith, you talked about this earlier, the situation. Yes, very briefly. He had gone to dallas i believe for a United Nations day event and had been confronted by this lot of angry people, including the woman with the sign, and she did indeed i think he was spat upon and was struck and left with a vivid sense of the potential dangers that the president might encounter. Manno, do you know did he call the president and worn him . Or was that just a thought . I dont know the answer to that, im sorry. Senator stevenson, do you know the answer to that question . Now, my recollection is, first of all, somebody said after he had been he was asked if he wanted this woman who hit him over the head with a placard to be prosecuted. He said no, i want are educated. My recollection is that he did not warn the white house and deeply, deeply, deeply regretted afterwards that he had not. Though im sure had he called and described his experience, it wouldve had no effect, but he felt very guilty for not having done more or anything to try to prevent the president from going to dallas. Weve got time for about one more call. Richard norton smith, i want you to think about what we have not talked about tonight that we needed to bring out. You think about that and we will take this call from philip in texas. Hi, philip. Good evening, the contenders is one of the great series that cspan it has done. I really appreciate it. I grew up in the 1960 election i was 12 years old. So i grew up during the fifties and while im a conservative and have always been so and i doubt mr. Stevenson and i have would have a green and very much, i have been exposed to his speeches, his rhetoric, a lot of the things he said, and i am of the opinion that he is one of the last really great political speech makers in our age. We were speaking a moment ago about shingles and things like that. I saw him making that speech, he was taking some of it from his notes, but it wasnt just coming it wasnt just coming off the paper. He knew what he was saying. It was coming from his heart. Ive always admired his speech making abilities and i just dont see that in our political process today. He had something to say. He took a little time to say it at times, but he was a man who knew what he wanted to say and said it well. Noon minow. He took great effort in most speeches. Heat work on the speeches himself hour after hour. He was criticized by the politicians for spending so much time on the speeches, but in some ways thats his legacy. As we wind up down the program, i have to say one of the biggest surprises in my life was when he died so suddenly. And, adlai the third called me to tell me that he and i were coexecutors of this will. I didnt know anything about that before he passed on. But that was, to me, a very touching thing of our relationship. But i think, as we wind up the program, he was one, even though he did win, he won the hearts of millions and millions of americans. And he won a great place in history. He raised the standards. The one question i think i would love to ask senator stevenson, because at the end of his fathers life, it has become kind of a full core that ambassador stevenson was seriously contemplating resigning from the United Nations, encouraged to do so by his liberal friends who were opposed to lbj vietnam policies. And i wonder if you discuss that with his dad and what his stance is of his dad with this. Yes, first, i think these labels, conservative and liberal liberal, can be very harmful. They used to call my father a conservative, when he what he had was integrity, he was a creature reason. When i talk to the, senate were not democrats, we work for the country, not for the right or left. Products of the enlightened men, ideology, it didnt play much of a role. But, to your point, he did not discuss this with me, but i did hear from a very close friend, that he was planning to resign. From the United Nations, at the end of the year. Largely, because he was very uncomfortable advocating policies that he didnt support, and by that i mean you know, vietnam. And he of course, died in june of 65, in july 65, before he could resign. But i think he was planning to resign. Quietly, no protest. That would not have been, you know, his way at all. But because he couldnt continue to advocate policies. And that will have to be the last word. Adlai stevenson the second, is buried in booming tin, illinois. Senator Adlai Stevenson the third, thank you for being with us this evening, Richard Norton smith, newton minow, this has been a contenders, and we leave you from this weeks contenders the 1956 convention. I say, trust people. Theyre good sense, their decency, their fate. Trust him to make great decisions. I say, it is time, to take this government away from men. Who only know how to count. And to turn it back, to men and women, who care. Now, on American History tv, bell Adlai Stevenson speech accepting the nomination for president , 1952. A moment in the life of Adlai Stevenson. Hes getting a tremendous ovation after that introduction, by president truman. You can see the president , seated in the back, making it easy and waiting for the speech to be in. Mister president ,