Having bonded over both struggles and victories, Hoover and Truman’s political alliance transitioned into a lifelong friendship. On the other hand, some presidential relationships followed a contrary trajectory-from friendship to enmity. For instance, Eisenhower and Truman were initially congenial companions, both having undergone the burdens of a difficult position-Truman as president and Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander. Yet the public did not hesitate to distinguish the two. Eisenhower was exalted as a hero, whereas Truman was perceived as an accidental president. In the 1948 Democratic presidential primary, party leaders incited a “dump Truman” (Duffy and Gibbs 65) movement, aspiring to elect Eisenhower in his stead. While Truman
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One such President was Kennedy, and he took full advantage of the Club. Kennedy’s presidential campaign was distinguished by his youthful optimism. Many of the Club’s members perceived this confidence as naïveté; finding Kennedy inexperienced and mediocre, they supported the opposing Nixon-Lodge ticket. Despite the closeness of the election - which lent itself to a recount controversy - Kennedy won. His relationship with Eisenhower had a complicated beginning. Kennedy’s staff and agenda were quite different from Eisenhower’s plan. Thus, coordinating his presidential staff with his predecessors’ was like mixing oil with water. Yet these early tensions were soon overshadowed by the Bay of Pigs fiasco. While the Bay of Pigs was originally Eisenhower’s plan, Kennedy had mutated it. The secrecy involved meant not involving enough US support forces, which consequently resulted in its failure. Eisenhower’s advice to Kennedy allowed the latter to move forward; as well as reestablish a number of Eisenhower’s committees. They were divided briefly once more by the 1962 midterm election, but the development of the Cuban Missile crisis made it an “improper [time] for partisan attack” (Duffy and Gibbs 148), according to Eisenhower. This time around, Kennedy followed Eisenhower’s approaches; in taking his counsel, the Bay of Pigs crisis was soon
One such President was Kennedy, and he took full advantage of the Club. Kennedy’s presidential campaign was distinguished by his youthful optimism. Many of the Club’s members perceived this confidence as naïveté; finding Kennedy inexperienced and mediocre, they supported the opposing Nixon-Lodge ticket. Despite the closeness of the election - which lent itself to a recount controversy - Kennedy won. His relationship with Eisenhower had a complicated beginning. Kennedy’s staff and agenda were quite different from Eisenhower’s plan. Thus, coordinating his presidential staff with his predecessors’ was like mixing oil with water. Yet these early tensions were soon overshadowed by the Bay of Pigs fiasco. While the Bay of Pigs was originally Eisenhower’s plan, Kennedy had mutated it. The secrecy involved meant not involving enough US support forces, which consequently resulted in its failure. Eisenhower’s advice to Kennedy allowed the latter to move forward; as well as reestablish a number of Eisenhower’s committees. They were divided briefly once more by the 1962 midterm election, but the development of the Cuban Missile crisis made it an “improper [time] for partisan attack” (Duffy and Gibbs 148), according to Eisenhower. This time around, Kennedy followed Eisenhower’s approaches; in taking his counsel, the Bay of Pigs crisis was soon