Adlai E. Stephenson was a former governor of Illinois when he ran against Dwight D. Eisenhower for president in 1952 & again in 1956 losing both times. It was thought that he was too intellectual for the time with the 1950s being between two wars and IKE appeared more paternal to the average voter as well as a war hero. Later JFK appointed him as U.N. ambassador where he confronted the Russians during the Cuban missile crisis.
Stephenson's wit and erudition was in evidence after giving a speech one evening on a subject that escapes me but whatever the content it provoked a comment from the audience asking him to compare Norman Vincent Peale, a Manhattan minister, to St. Paul.
When asked his opinion Stephenson replied - "Frankly, I found Paul appealing and Peale appalling." This without benefit of speech writers, handlers or P.R. men. Today's politicians confuse buzzwords with wit.
teejay8232@aol.com
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