"SENATOR KENNEDY SLIPPING AS NOMINATION NEARS"

JFK ARRIVES IN L.A. AS FRONT-RUNNER
  
Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) On July 9, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts arrived here in Los Angeles as the clear front-runner for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

Despite that fact, JFK still faced competition in the balloting from several other Democrats including Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas.

In addition, former President Harry S Truman expressed reservations about a Kennedy nomination and had asked JFK to "step aside" for a more experienced candidate.  

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt also balked at the prospect of Senator Kennedy being the party's nominee.  She would give a seconding speech for Adlai Stevenson and in her memoirs expressed misgivings about the primary system.  She wrote...

"the candidates spend their time running down their rivals in the same party (and) furnish a large amount of ammunition to the opposition party."

Future Watergate Committee chairman Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, a delegate at the 1960 Democratic Convention, expressed distaste of a prospective Kennedy nomination by holding up a July 13th late edition of the Los Angeles Herald which read...

"SENATOR KENNEDY SLIPPING AS NOMINATION NEARS"


SOURCES

"The Democratic Convention of 1960," The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, the Eleanor Roosevelt papers.

"1960 Democratic National Convention," www.wikiwand.com/

"1960 Democratic Convention (Sam Ervin)," www.dc.lib.unc.edu/

Senator Kennedy Arrives in Los Angeles

July 9, 1960

JFK Library Photo

KENNEDY SLIPPING AS NOMINATION NEARS

JFK ARRIVES IN LA FOR 1960 DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) The song goes "California, here I come, right back where I started from," but while Senator John F. Kennedy's political career began in Massachusetts, it was here in Los Angeles where he arrived on July 9, 1960 as the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party for POTUS.

Despite being the favorite, JFK still faced strong opposition within his own party.  Other candidates included Edmund G. Brown, Sr. of California, Michael V. DiSalle of Ohio, George H. McLain of California, Wayne Morse of Oregon, George Smathers of Florida, Adlai Stevenson of Illinois and Stuart Symington of Missouri.

In addition, former President Harry S Truman had expressed reservations about a Kennedy nomination and had, in fact, asked the young Senator to step aside for a more experienced candidate.  

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt also balked at the prospect of Senator Kennedy being the party's nominee.  She would give a seconding speech for Adlai Stevenson and in her memoirs expressed misgivings about the primary system in place in 1960.  She wrote...

"the candidates spend their time running down their rivals in the same party (and) furnish a large amount of ammunition to the opposition party."

Three of the Democratic candidates had not entered any of the primaries.  They were Lyndon Johnson, Adlai Stevenson and Stuart Symington.   LBJ's supporters, including John B. Connally of Texas, brought up the issue of JFK's health saying that the young Senator suffered from Addison's Disease.

Future Watergate Committee chairman Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, a delegate at the 1960 Democratic Convention, expressed the distaste of a prospective Kennedy nomination by holding up a July 13th late edition of the Los Angeles Herald which read...

SENATOR KENNEDY SLIPPING AS NOMINATION NEARS,  SOUTH ANGRY AT CIVIL RIGHTS

The Democratic Platform included planks on civil rights, immigration, foreign aid, the economy, and labor and tax reform.

Despite the opposition, JFK was nominated on the 1st ballot with 806 votes. LBJ received 409 votes.  JFK became the first US Senator since Warren G. Harding in 1920 to win either party's nomination.

SOURCES

"The Democratic Convention of 1960," The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, the Eleanor Roosevelt papers.

"1960 Democratic National Convention," www.wikiwand.com/

"1960 Democratic Convention (Sam Ervin)," www.dc.lib.unc.edu/

Senator Kennedy Arrives in Los Angeles

July 9, 1960

JFK Library Photo

JFK ARRIVES IN LOS ANGELES

SENATOR KENNEDY ARRIVES IN LOS ANGELES AS FAVORITE 

Los Angeles, California (JFK+50) Fifty-five years ago today, July 9, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, having won all primaries he had entered, arrived here in Los Angeles for the 1960 Democratic National Convention.

Despite being the favorite, Senator Kennedy still faced strong opposition within his own party.  Other candidates included Edmund G. Brown, Sr. of California, Michael V. DiSalle of Ohio, George H. McLain of California, Wayne Morse of Oregon, George Smathers of Florida, Adlai Stevenson of Illinois and Stuart Symington of Missouri.

In addition, former President Harry S Truman had expressed reservations about a Kennedy nomination and had, in fact, asked the young Senator to step aside for a more experienced candidate.

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt also balked at the prospect of Senator Kennedy being the party's nominee.  She would give a seconding speech for Adlai Stevenson and in her memoirs expressed misgivings about the primary system in place in 1960.  She wrote...

"the candidates spend their time running down their rivals in the same party (and) furnish a large amount of ammunition to the opposition party."

Three of the Democratic candidates had not entered any of the primaries.  They were Lyndon Johnson, Adlai Stevenson and Stuart Symington.

LBJ's supporters, including John B. Connally of Texas, who would later be seriously wounded while riding in President Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas,brought up the issue of JFK's health saying that he had Addison's Disease.

Future Watergate Committee chairman Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, a delegate at the 1960 Democratic Convention, expressed the distaste of a prospective Kennedy nomination by holding up a July 13th late edition of the Los Angeles Herald which read...

SENATOR KENNEDY SLIPPING AS NOMINATION NEARS,  SOUTH ANGRY AT CIVIL RIGHTS

The Democratic Platform included planks on civil rights, immigration, foreign aid, the economy, and labor and tax reform.

Despite the opposition, Senator John F. Kennedy was nominated on the First Ballot with 806 votes.  His closest rival, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, received 409 votes.  JFK became the first United States Senator since Warren G. Harding in 1920 to win either party's nomination.

SOURCES

"The Democratic Convention of 1960," The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, the Eleanor Roosevelt papers.

"1960 Democratic National Convention," www.wikiwand.com/

"1960 Democratic Convention (Sam Ervin)," www.dc.lib.unc.edu/

Senator Kennedy Arrives in Los Angeles

July 9, 1960

JFK Library Photo