National Affairs: The Politic Generalities

Colorado's Senator Eugene Millikin stood at the rostrum reading the 1952 Republican platform. A buzz of conversation rose from the convention floor, and the aisles were filled with milling delegates. Permanent Chairman Joe Martin, accustomed to a high degree of buzz-buzz while platforms are being read, decided that this was too much. He whacked down his big wooden gavel and shouted: "The convention will please come to order. This is an important document . . . The delegates should at least know what they're going to vote on in a few minutes."

Through the...

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