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==1952 Presidential campaign==

==1952 Presidential campaign==

Eisenhower was convinced that America's own security depended on its commitment to NATO. He was therefore outraged by the isolationism of the leader of the GOP in Congress, Ohio Senator Robert Taft. In February 1951, Eisenhower met privately with Taft, seeking the senator's assurance that he would support America's commitment to European collective security. Taft refused, and the die was cast for Eisenhower's entry into the 1952 presidential contest to stop Taft and guarantee an internationalist commitment.  Numerous Republican politicians in the Northeast, led by New York Governor [[Tom Dewey]] and Massachusetts Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.]], along with media leaders, urged Ike to run, and set up Ike Clubs that sounded a drumbeat of popular demand. Taft was adding delegates; he had about 450 of the 604 needed for the nomination, but Eisenhower delegates were also being elected in the primary, despite the leader's indecision. Finally, with his reorganization of NATO accomplished, Eisenhower entered the race in Abilene on June 4, intending, as he always did, to win. <Ref> Ambrose 1: ch 25-26</ref>  He stood for internationalism in foreign affairs--basically a continuation of the Roosevelt-Truman policies. On domestic affairs he was conservative and pro-business, though he did not attack labor unions the way Taft did. Most of all he stood for new leadership and for a level of competence the nation had been missing for eight years.  After ousting some Taft delegates the convention nominated Eisenhower, who chose young Senator [[Richard M. Nixon]] as his aggressive running mate. Eisenhower and Taft came to terms, and the GOP ran a united campaign.

Eisenhower was convinced that America's own security depended on its commitment to NATO. He was therefore outraged by the isolationism of the leader of the GOP in Congress, Ohio Senator [[Robert Taft]]. [[Image:I-like-ike.jpg|thumb|175px]] In February 1951, Eisenhower met privately with Taft, seeking the senator's assurance that he would support America's commitment to European collective security. Taft refused, and the die was cast for Eisenhower's entry into the 1952 presidential contest to stop Taft and guarantee an internationalist commitment.  Numerous Republican politicians in the Northeast, led by New York Governor [[Tom Dewey]] and Massachusetts Senator [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.]], along with media leaders, urged Ike to run, and set up Ike Clubs that sounded a drumbeat of popular demand. Taft was adding delegates; he had about 450 of the 604 needed for the nomination, but Eisenhower delegates were also being elected in the primary, despite the leader's indecision. Finally, with his reorganization of NATO accomplished, Eisenhower entered the race in Abilene on June 4, intending, as he always did, to win. <Ref> Ambrose 1: ch 25-26</ref>  He stood for internationalism in foreign affairs--basically a continuation of the Roosevelt-Truman policies. On domestic affairs he was conservative and pro-business, though he did not attack labor unions the way Taft did. Most of all he stood for new leadership and for a level of competence the nation had been missing for eight years.  After ousting some Taft delegates the convention nominated Eisenhower, who chose young Senator [[Richard M. Nixon]] as his aggressive running mate. Eisenhower and Taft came to terms, and the GOP ran a united campaign.

[[Image:Ike-shahn52.jpg|thumb|275px|left|Left-wing cartoonist Ben Shahn attacked Ike as a dangerous militarist on horseback--the most common line of attack used by Democrats in 1952]]

[[Image:Ike-shahn52.jpg|thumb|275px|left|Left-wing cartoonist Ben Shahn attacked Ike as a dangerous man on horseback--the most common line of attack used by Democrats in 1952]]

Eisenhower crusaded against the multiple failures of the Truman administration at home and abroad, summed up as "Communism, Korea and Corruption."  His campaign made heavy use of the catchy slogan "I Like Ike"; it became an animated TV commercial produced by [[Roy Disney]] and the Citizens for Eisenhower-Nixon <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archive.org/details/Eisenhow1952|title=Internet archive, Eisenhower Campaign Spots|accessdate=2007-09-11|date=1952}}</ref>.  

Eisenhower crusaded against the multiple failures of the Truman administration at home and abroad, summed up as "Communism, Korea and Corruption."  His campaign made heavy use of the catchy slogan "I Like Ike"; it became an animated TV commercial produced by [[Roy Disney]] and the Citizens for Eisenhower-Nixon <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archive.org/details/Eisenhow1952|title=Internet archive, Eisenhower Campaign Spots|accessdate=2007-09-11|date=1952}}</ref>.  

Truman's popularity had collapsed because of the failure to end the Korean war. Late in the campaign Eisenhower electrified the nation by promising "I Shall Go to Korea" (and thus promising to end the war quickly). This speech is one of the rare instances when a single address is credited with having a decisive effect upon a presidential election. Though Eisenhower's personal stature seemed to validate the promise of his declaration, the public response additionally derived from four elements that formed a major portion of the conceptual, emotional, and interpretive manner by which voters in 1952 perceived and acted upon their world: 1) the Cold War discourse as it had been practiced from 1946 to 1952, making it the nation's greatest challenge; 2) the foreign policy debate discourse, especially as it related to involvement in Asia; 3) the Korean War discourse as practiced from 1950 to 1952, in which the GOP was free to denounce Truman because Congress had never been asked to approve; and 4) the discourse of Eisenhower from 1942 to 1952, portraying the joyful warrior, particularly the 1952 campaign discourse featuring an appeal to character. Because of this complex context, the speech was a decisive event. Once in office Eisenhower threatened to use nuclear weapons unless the Chinese came to terms on the issue of prisoner exchange, which they promptly did.<ref>Martin J. Medhurst, "Text and Context in the 1952 Presidential Campaign: Eisenhower's 'I Shall Go to Korea' Speech" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' (2000) 30(3): 464-484. Issn: 0360-4918 [http://www.questia.com/read/5001083440 online edition]</ref>

Truman's popularity had collapsed because of the failure to end the Korean war. Late in the campaign Eisenhower electrified the nation by promising "I Shall Go to Korea" (and thus promising to end the war quickly). This speech is one of the rare instances when a single address is credited with having a decisive effect upon a presidential election. Though Eisenhower's personal stature seemed to validate the promise of his declaration, the public response additionally derived from four elements that formed a major portion of the conceptual, emotional, and interpretive manner by which voters in 1952 perceived and acted upon their world: 1) the Cold War discourse as it had been practiced from 1946 to 1952, making it the nation's greatest challenge; 2) the foreign policy debate discourse, especially as it related to involvement in Asia; 3) the Korean War discourse as practiced from 1950 to 1952, in which the GOP was free to denounce Truman because Congress had never been asked to approve; and 4) the discourse of Eisenhower from 1942 to 1952, portraying the joyful warrior, particularly the 1952 campaign discourse featuring an appeal to character. Because of this complex context, the speech was a decisive event. Once in office Eisenhower threatened to use nuclear weapons unless the Chinese came to terms on the issue of prisoner exchange, which they promptly did.<ref>Martin J. Medhurst, "Text and Context in the 1952 Presidential Campaign: Eisenhower's 'I Shall Go to Korea' Speech" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' (2000) 30(3): 464-484. Issn: 0360-4918 [http://www.questia.com/read/5001083440 online edition]</ref>

 

==Presidency==

==Presidency==