‘Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary that Launched a President and Changed the Course of History’ by B.J. Hollars

Expand

Wisconsin for Kennedy by B.J. Hollars

Used to be that presidential nominees were not decided months in advance of their party’s convention. Usually it was a horse race, complete with dark horse candidates—or a poker game played in back rooms by power brokers. The DNC and RNC weren’t pep rallies for the chosen ones, rubber stamps for their agendas, but forums for argument and negotiation. 

Wisconsin for Kennedy is a reminder of those days. John F. Kennedy’s ascent to the presidency was aided by many factors. One that is mostly forgotten was his hard-won victory in the 1960 Wisconsin primary. His success in the Dairy State showed party leaders that he could overcome what they saw as his two liabilities: age (he became America’s youngest president) and religion (only Protestants occupied the White House before Kennedy).

An English professor at UW-Eau Claire, B.J. Hollars conducted extensive research into the 1960 Wisconsin primary, focusing less on Kennedy than the Badgers who boosted him, driving him on icy roads to events—“the kind of Wisconsin welcome Kennedy had come to expect, less a red carpet than a white one.” Milwaukee civil rights activist Vel Phillips endorsed Kennedy, as did future Wisconsin Gov. Patrick Lucey and an array of characters including Philleo Nash, a Ph.D anthropologist and onetime Truman advisor-turned-cranberry farmer.

Kennedy squeaked out a win in the Wisconsin primary, “hardly the decisive victory the campaign had wanted” but enough to add momentum toward the DNC and his eventual election as president.

B.J. Hollars will discuss Wisconsin for Kennedy at 6:30 p.m., March 19 at Boswell Books.

Get Wisconsin for Kennedy at Amazon here.

Paid link