On Tuesday, November 4, 1952, Americans go to the polls to elect the next president of the United States to succeed Harry S. Truman, who decided against running for re-election.
Republican candidate General Dwight D. Eisenhower receives over 34 million popular votes (55%) as compared to the 27 million (45%) for the Democratic candidate, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson.
However, as we know, popular votes do not directly elect a president. Eisenhower wins 39 states giving him 442 electoral votes, far more than the bare majority he needs to be elected under the US Constitution.
Stevenson wins only 9 states (West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas) and 89 electoral votes.
Obviously, Harvey is ecstatic with the result. Eisenhower is the first Republican president in 20 years, since Herbert Hoover.
On the other hand, Burt is glum. But, maybe all is not lost.
Burt turns on the TV. NBC commentator John Cameron Swayze reports that, as a result of his tremendous victory in Monday night's presidential debate, Stevenson garnered 266 electoral votes, the bare minimum necessary to win. He will be inaugurated as the next president on January 20th, 1953. Now Burt is ecstatic.
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