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1956 National Convention

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launched Kennedy onto the national stage

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his book Profiles in Courage brought much attention, but his key moment was at the National Democratic Convention in 1956 in Chicago

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Adlai Stevenson was being renominated to challenge Eisenhower again

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Kennedy had hoped to be picked by Stevenson as his running mate

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had a televised spot at the convention

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Stevenson said in a speech at the convention that he would let the delegates choose his vice presidential candidate

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7 out of 34 presidents had served as a result of the president dying or not being able to serve out his term for some reason in office

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the Kennedy for Vice President campaign was launched immediately

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organized overnight

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buttons printed and distributed by next morning

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at convention, Kennedy had a "movie star performance"

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Kennedy appeared to have momentum in field of five candidates

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including Al Gore Sr., father of future vice president

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there were second thoughts about Kennedy's Catholicism

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Estes Kefauver won 755 to 589

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JFK was magnanimous in public, dispirited in private

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Kennedy's loss was a actually quite advantageous

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Stevenson was doomed to a landslide loss to Eisenhower

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instead of bearing part of the blame, JFK based in his newly created national prominence

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by Thanksgiving 1956, Kennedy was already planning to run for presidency in 1960

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because of the 22nd amendment, everyone know that Eisenhower couldn't seek a third term

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there was some optimism that the Catholic issue would somehow dissipate by 1960

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actually it became more powerful