Norman Thomas and Sonia Maria Sotomayor

My Dad was a devoted FDR Democrat. 

Only twice did he vote for non-Democratic presidential candidates.

In 1948, he voted for Socialist Candidate, Norman Thomas. 

And in the 1950s, he voted for Republican Dwight Eisenhower.

Dad very much admired Ike's Democratic opponent, Adlai Stevenson, who was more like my father than any Democratic politician in my lifetime. He thought, however, that Stevenson was too intellectual to be a good executive.

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Three Stevenson vignettes: 

When a woman called out "Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person," Adlai replied, "

That's not enough Madam, I need a majority."

On another occasion Stevenson observed: 

"Saskatchewan is much like Texas — except it's more friendly to the United States."

(Some things "never" change.)

"The whole notion of loyalty inquisitions is a national characteristic of the police state, not of democracy. The history of Soviet Russia is a modern example of this ancient practice. I must, in good conscience, protest against any unnecessary suppression of our rights as free men. We must not burn down the house to kill the rats." Voicing opposition to the McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950.

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