In America, anybody can be president. That’s one of the risks you take. -Adlai Stevenson II, statesman (Feb 1900-1965)
Some of you may be wondering just is Adlai Stevenson II? Though he was born in Los Angeles California and died in London England he chose Bloomington Illinois as his place of burial. The odd thing about his quote above, is that he was nominated for president two times and sought the nomination a 3rd time. With all his effort he did not get the opportunity to be president. We remember him today because he was born on February 5, 1900. I have a short bio of him printed below.
He was the 31st Governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953 and received the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in the 1952 and 1956 elections.
In both 1952 and 1956, Stevenson was defeated in a landslide by Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination for a third time at the 1960 Democratic National Convention but was defeated by Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. After his election, President Kennedy appointed Stevenson as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.