<--PREV Doc #1788  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1790 Document #1789; March 14, 1956 To Edward John Bermingham Series: EM, AWF, Name Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVI - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part IX: "Concerning my political intentions"; December 1955 to April 1956 Chapter 19: The goal: A "durable peace"   Dear Ed: Please tell your friend who is concerned about talk of "dumping" the Vice President that he reads columnists too much and news columns too little.1 I have never heard of anyone in a position of influence who has even suggested such a thing.2 I have gone out of my way on numerous occasions to express my extreme satisfaction in having Nixon as a friend and as an associate in government. I even stated at one press conference that he was highly acceptable to me as a running mate on a political ticket.3 I trust that your own health and strength are improving steadily, and that you will soon be in circulation again.4 My love to K, and warm regard to yourself.5 As ever 1 On March 12 Bermingham had forwarded to Eisenhower a letter he had received from Republican Governor Robert E. Smylie of Idaho (AWF/N, Bermingham Corr.). Smylie had written that the continual talk about "dumping" Nixon was having repercussions in the Mountain West. "Basically the party people, and now I talk of the new party, are not displeased with the prospect of an Eisenhower-Nixon ticket. As a practical matter a change would make the health issue more difficult to cope with," Smylie had written. In his covering note, Bermingham had urged the President to "close the book" on further questions from the press on this issue. 2 Eisenhower had, in fact, been having discussions with his advisers concerning the merits of keeping an Eisenhower-Nixon ticket. At a February 9 meeting, Republican party Chairman Len Hall had broached to Eisenhower a variety of possibilities for vice-president, including Democratic Governor of Ohio Frank Lausche ([Ann Whitman] memorandum, AWF/AWD). The President had told Hall that "I think that at this moment if I could have my favorite fellow, my first choice would be Bob Anderson." In a memorandum of a conversation with Governor Dan Thornton on March 8 (AWF/D), Eisenhower had discussed the options for Nixon, and had noted that "it would be good to have a Vice President from the South if we could" (for background see nos. 1780 and 1782). 3 Eisenhower had attempted to end the discussion of his choice for running mate. Asked at his March 7 news conference about the rumors that his advisers were urging him to dump Nixon, Eisenhower replied, "If anyone ever has the effrontery to come in and urge me to dump somebody that I respect as I do Vice President Nixon, there will be more commotion around my office than you have noticed yet" (Public Papers of the Presidents: Eisenhower, 1956, pp. 266-67, 287, 289. At his March 14 news conference he said: "Anyone who attempts to drive a wedge of any kind between Dick Nixon and me has just as much chance as if he tried to drive it between my brother and me. . . . I am very happy that Dick Nixon is my friend. I am very happy to have him as an associate in government. I would be happy to be on any political ticket in which I was a candidate with him. Now, if those words aren't plain, then it is merely because people can't understand the plain unvarnished truth" (ibid., pp. 302-3). For developments see no. 1845. 4 See no. 1776. 5 On March 15 Bermingham would respond (AWF/N) that Eisenhower's March 14 statement "in behalf of Dick Nixon was magnificent and pulled together instantly our great party." Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Edward John Bermingham, 14 March 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1789. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1789.cfm <--PREV Doc #1788  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1790

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