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Presidential Election 1956

Incumbent President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) defeated Adlai Stevenson (D) in a rematch, largely due to a strong economy and Cold War leadership.

Presidential Election 1956

26 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 5 hours, 1801 min)
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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Campaign 1956 AdvertisementAs the first term of Eisenhower was coming to an end, there was talk about his health; given he had just suffered a serious heart attack.  In the years leading up to the next Election the United States saw a progressive decision by the Supreme Court in Brown vs the Board of Education.  A major medical breakthrough in the form of a miracle vaccine against Polio was discovered and it was the patriotic thing to do by taking the vaccine.  But perhaps the greatest achievement for President Eisenhower was the creation of a federal highway system.  The president had a record to run on.

There was a Primary challenge within the Democratic Party in 1956.  Adlai Stevenson, the once hand picked candidate by Harry Truman in 1952 saw the former president throw his support to New York governor Averell Harriman.  Estes Kefauver, a 1952 rival for the Democratic Nomination was again vying in 1956.  Both Stevenson and Kefauver would square off in a Florida Democratic Primary Debate.  But at the convention, Adlai Stevenson was victorious in winning the Nomination for a second time and would face Dwight Eisenhower in a rematch for the presidency.

What came out of the 1956 Democratic National Convention was something that had not been done since.  Stevenson would let the delegates vote on whom they wanted as his running mate.  After a series of “favorite son candidates”, the contest came down to four serious candidates; Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, Senator John F. Kennedy (who would be the Democratic Presidential Nominee in 1960) of Massachusetts, Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (who would challenge Kennedy for the Nomination in 1960, serve as Lyndon Johnson's Vice President from 1965 to 1969, and was the Democratic Residential Nominee in 1968) of Minnesota, and Senator Albert Gore, Sr. (father of future Vice President under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001 and 2000 Democratic Presidential Nominee Al Gore) of Tennessee.

Campaign ButtonFor most of the balloting, Kefauver and Kennedy were the two to beat.  For a brief moment though, Kennedy was within 20 votes of the vice presidential nomination.  Then, Albert Gore, Sr. had withdrawn from the race surrendering his delegates to Senator Kefauver.

In the end, Estes Kefauver won the Nomination.  Joe Kennedy through this whole thing was against Jack Kennedy doing it.  He explained that Stevenson was a loser and had he been on the ticket when they lost Kennedy's Catholicism would be the blame for the loss.  Robert Kennedy saw it differently and was so upset with the Democratic Party not nominating his brother that he cast his vote in the 1956 Presidential Election for Eisenhower and Nixon.

By November 6, 1956, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon won re-election winning 457 Electoral Votes and 35,579,180 or 57.4 percent of the Popular Vote to Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver's 73 Electoral Votes or 26,028,028 or 42.0 percent of the Popular Vote.

But the real winner or the rising star of that election was John F. Kennedy.  By placing Adlai Stevenson's name in nomination and running briefly and coming in a strong second for the Vice Presidential Nomination introduced the 39 year old freshman US Senator to the nation and the Democratic Party, paving the way to run a successful campaign in the Presidential Election of 1960.

Campaign 1956 I still Like Ike

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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    Thank you for providing these compilations of past presidential election campaigns, especially as we face another election season. I wish you had more from this 1956 campaign, and if you find more, I will gladly repurchase. I especially enjoyed the Face the Nation interview with Eleanor Roosevelt and Margaret Chase Smith a few days before Election Day. What a rare find!!

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    26 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 1801 min
    26 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 5 hours, 1801 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 26 shows – total playtime 5 hours, 30 minutes
    2. 19550411 Overa Culp Hobby Leonard Scheele Spcl Rpt Polio.mp3
    3. 19551116 Adlai Stevenson Announce Candidacy.mp3
    4. 19560000 General Motors Give Yourself Green Light.mp3
    5. 19560304 John F Kennedy Health President.mp3
    6. 19560521 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver FL Dem Prim Dbt.mp3
    7. 19560813 CA Delegation Caucus Civil Rights Pltfrm.mp3
    8. 19560813 Harry Truman DNC Speech.mp3
    9. 19560813 John F Kennedy Pursuit Happiness.mp3
    10. 19560814 Averell Harriman Statement at DNC.mp3
    11. 19560814 David MacDonald Edna Kelly DNC Speech.mp3
    12. 19560814 Estes Kefauver Statement at DNC.mp3
    13. 19560814 John F Kennedy Adlai Stevenson Nomination Speech.mp3
    14. 19560815 Estes Kefauver Acceptance Speech DNC.mp3
    15. 19560815 John F Kennedy Concession Speech DNC.mp3
    16. 19560823 Richard Nixon Acceptance Speech RNC.mp3
    17. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Faith in Future.mp3
    18. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Means Peace.mp3
    19. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Peace is Nonpartisan.mp3
    20. 19561001 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver Role Vice President.mp3
    21. 19561001 John F Kennedy Campaigning at Dallas Love Field.mp3
    22. 19561028 John F Kennedy Meet Press Interview.mp3
    23. 19561029 Dwight Eisenhower Miami FL.mp3
    24. 19561104 Eleanor Roosevelt Margaret Chase Smith Face Nation.mp3
    25. 19561106 CBS Election Night Coverage.mp3
    26. 19561106 Dwight Eisenhower Victory Speech.mp3
    27. 19570121 Dwight Eisenhower Inaugural Address.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    26 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 1801 min
    26 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    151 MB – total playtime 5 hours, 30 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 26 shows – 151 MB – total playtime 5 hours, 30 minutes
    2. 19550411 Overa Culp Hobby Leonard Scheele Spcl Rpt Polio.mp3
    3. 19551116 Adlai Stevenson Announce Candidacy.mp3
    4. 19560000 General Motors Give Yourself Green Light.mp3
    5. 19560304 John F Kennedy Health President.mp3
    6. 19560521 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver FL Dem Prim Dbt.mp3
    7. 19560813 CA Delegation Caucus Civil Rights Pltfrm.mp3
    8. 19560813 Harry Truman DNC Speech.mp3
    9. 19560813 John F Kennedy Pursuit Happiness.mp3
    10. 19560814 Averell Harriman Statement at DNC.mp3
    11. 19560814 David MacDonald Edna Kelly DNC Speech.mp3
    12. 19560814 Estes Kefauver Statement at DNC.mp3
    13. 19560814 John F Kennedy Adlai Stevenson Nomination Speech.mp3
    14. 19560815 Estes Kefauver Acceptance Speech DNC.mp3
    15. 19560815 John F Kennedy Concession Speech DNC.mp3
    16. 19560823 Richard Nixon Acceptance Speech RNC.mp3
    17. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Faith in Future.mp3
    18. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Means Peace.mp3
    19. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Peace is Nonpartisan.mp3
    20. 19561001 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver Role Vice President.mp3
    21. 19561001 John F Kennedy Campaigning at Dallas Love Field.mp3
    22. 19561028 John F Kennedy Meet Press Interview.mp3
    23. 19561029 Dwight Eisenhower Miami FL.mp3
    24. 19561104 Eleanor Roosevelt Margaret Chase Smith Face Nation.mp3
    25. 19561106 CBS Election Night Coverage.mp3
    26. 19561106 Dwight Eisenhower Victory Speech.mp3
    27. 19570121 Dwight Eisenhower Inaugural Address.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    26 recordings on 5 Audio CDs. Total playtime 5 hours, 30 min
    26 recordings on 5 Audio CDs
    total playtime 5 hours, 30 min

    Presidential Election 1956 Disc A001

    1. 19550411 Overa Culp Hobby Leonard Scheele Spcl Rpt Polio
    2. 19551116 Adlai Stevenson Announce Candidacy
    3. 19560000 General Motors Give Yourself Green Light
    4. 19560304 John F Kennedy Health President

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Presidential Election 1956 Disc A002

    1. 19560521 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver FL Dem Prim Dbt

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Presidential Election 1956 Disc A003

    1. 19560813 CA Delegation Caucus Civil Rights Pltfrm
    2. 19560813 Harry Truman DNC Speech
    3. 19560813 John F Kennedy Pursuit Happiness
    4. 19560814 Averell Harriman Statement at DNC
    5. 19560814 David MacDonald Edna Kelly DNC Speech
    6. 19560814 Estes Kefauver Statement at DNC
    7. 19560814 John F Kennedy Adlai Stevenson Nomination Speech

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Presidential Election 1956 Disc A004

    1. 19560815 Estes Kefauver Acceptance Speech DNC
    2. 19560815 John F Kennedy Concession Speech DNC
    3. 19560823 Richard Nixon Acceptance Speech RNC
    4. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Faith in Future
    5. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Means Peace
    6. 19560901 Adlai Stevenson JFK Peace is Nonpartisan
    7. 19561001 Adlai Stevenson Estes Kefauver Role Vice President
    8. 19561001 John F Kennedy Campaigning at Dallas Love Field
    9. 19561028 John F Kennedy Meet Press Interview

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Presidential Election 1956 Disc A005

    1. 19561029 Dwight Eisenhower Miami FL
    2. 19561104 Eleanor Roosevelt Margaret Chase Smith Face Nation
    3. 19561106 CBS Election Night Coverage
    4. 19561106 Dwight Eisenhower Victory Speech
    5. 19570121 Dwight Eisenhower Inaugural Address

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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