Barack Obama and Adlai Stevenson
The Two Illinois Candidates Have Contrasts and Similarities
Abraham Lincoln was the only American president elected from Illinois. Here are some comparisons of the state's two latest presidential candidates: Obama and Stevenson.
Illinois’ two most recent presidential candidates, Adlai Stevenson and Barrack Obama, are an interesting mixture of contrasts and similarities.
The contrasts are particularly noticeable in their campaign advertising.
Until 1952, candidates used television primarily to broadcast half hour speeches. But that year the Stevenson and Dwight Eisenhower campaigns pioneered presidential TV commercials, despite Stevenson’s refusal to participate in the spots made for him by the Democratic Party. He said such short spots were similar to soap commercials and they insulted the intelligence of the American people.
In contrast, Obama has flooded television markets with commercials in which he promotes his 2008 candidacy for president. The spots focus directly on him and his often vague but inspirational messages. He appears perfectly comfortable making the spots.
Stevenson Lost Illinois. Obama Won the Illinois Democratic Primary
Stevenson and Obama have other contrasts both in and out of their campaigns: Look at the contrasts:
- Stevenson, unlike Obama, did not have to cope with racial identification or a name problem in his campaign.
- Obama has not had to compete with a man as popular as Eisenhower, who was given much of the credit for winning World War II.
- Obama does not have the administrative and executive experience that Stevenson acquired in several federal government jobs and as governor of Illinois. Obama’s government experience comes from eight years as an Illinois state legislator and three years as a United States Senator.
- Stevenson did not carry his home state in the general election. Obama won the Illinois Democratic primary handily.
- Obama has no political background in his family. Stevenson came from a prominent political family. His grandfather, Adlai E. Stevenson, served as vice president to Grover Cleveland.
- Stevenson was drafted by the Democratic Party as its 1952 presidential nominee. Obama campaigned for the 2008 nomination for months.
- Stevenson in 1952 had the backing of the man in the White House, Harry Truman. Obama uses President George Bush as whipping boy in his campaign, opposing him on almost every major issue.
- Both were impacted by the Kennedy family. Jack Kennedy, a senator at the time, opposed Stevenson’s drive for a third Democratic nomination. In 2008, Senator Edward Kennedy and Jack Kennedy’s daughter, gave Obama crucial endorsements.
Stevenson Dropped Out of Harvard Law School. Obama Headed Law Review
But Stevenson and Obama have their similarities:
- Both grew up in Illinois, but neither is a native of that state. Stevenson was born in Los Angeles and Obama was born in Hawaii;
- Both graduated from Ivy League schools, Stevenson from Princeton and Obama from Columbia;
- Both attended the Harvard Law school, but Stevenson failed some classes and dropped out. Obama graduated and served as the first African-American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review.
- Both practiced law in Chicago.
- Obama, like Stevenson, is considered a devoted liberal, committed to assisting the poor;
- Both attained national recognition by making stirring keynote speeches at the Democratic National Convention;
- Both are known for long speeches. Instead of 30-second commercials, Stevenson prefered to make half-hour television speeches in which he could go into great detail. When given a chance, Obama uses phrase repetition extensively to generate an emotional response from the audience.
- Stevenson was considered extremely smart, as is Obama. Stevenson was recognized as an intellectual with a tremendous wit. He was labeled an "egghead." Obama looks the part and has credentials to qualify as one.
- Both were relatively young when seeking the presidency: Stevenson 52 and Obama 47.
Abraham Lincoln, a Kentucky native, is the only president elected from Illinois.
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Sources:
Notable American Unitarians 1936-1961 by Herbert Vettter, June 7, 2007
Presidential Campaign Commercials
