Mark Malcomson
Nixon and Eisenhower: Unlikely Bedfellows
Summary
Two of the most consequential Republicans in the post-war period were the long-serving General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the young Senator Richard Nixon. In picking Nixon as his presidential running mate, Eisenhower shaped America far beyond his own presidency.
Mark Malcomson
Mark Malcomson has been principal of City Lit since 2011. Previously, he was the Director of Executive Education at London Business School and president of the New York Institute of Finance. He possesses a bachelor of laws from the University of Edinburgh; a diploma in legal practice from the University of Strathclyde; and a masters in international relations from the University of Kent. Mark was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to adult education.
They very much had a political relationship, but up until they kind of became competitors, they did have a friendship. They travelled around America as new congressmen, they would share train carriages, sleeping car compartments together. I think Kennedy mattered more to Nixon than Nixon mattered to Kennedy.
That’s actually part of the Checkers speech. There’d been a scandal in the Democratic party about somebody’s wife having a mink coat that was bought illicitly. He makes a nod to that saying, “My wife hasn’t got a mink coat, she’s just got a good Republican cloth coat.” It was the idea that they’re from poor stock. By the way, Pat finds the whole thing mortifying.