Draft Eisenhower movement
only successful 20th century political draft of a private citizen to the Oval Office
The Draft Eisenhower movement was a widespread political movement that eventually persuaded Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Chief of Staff of the United States Army, to contest the presidency of the United States.
During the 1948 presidential election, despite being asked repeatedly by various organizations and politicians, including former president Franklin D. Roosevelt's son James, Eisenhower rejected all requests to enter politics. Even after his refusal, Democratic state organizations in Georgia and Virginia openly endorsed him. A week before the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Roosevelt sent telegrams to all 1,592 delegates voting for the party nomination, asking them to arrive in Philadelphia two days early for a special Draft Eisenhower caucus attempting to make a strong joint appeal to Eisenhower. Despite attempts by several prominent Democratic politicians, Eisenhower refused to accept the nomination, which went to incumbent President Harry S. Truman.
Amid Truman's low popularity, the Draft Eisenhower movement re-emerged in 1951 in both the Republican and Democratic parties, as Eisenhower had not yet announced any political party affiliation. Several Republican politicians endorsed him, while Democrats continued to assure him that he could win the presidency only as a Democrat. Republican senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. became the campaign manager for the Republican Draft Eisenhower movement and placed Eisenhower's name on the New Hampshire Republican primary ballot. Eisenhower agreed to contest the presidency and subsequently won the New Hampshire primary.
“Draft Eisenhower movement” enters the record as only successful 20th century political draft of a private citizen to the Oval Office. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Draft, Eisenhower and movement can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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