[icon color=»Accent-Color» size=»regular» image=»steadysets-icon-chat»] Contexto
La campaña de 1956 estuvo marcada por el favoritismo del Presidente Eisenhower desde un comienzo. El primer mandato había sido tranquilo y sin sobresaltos. El único elemento perturbador fue el ataque al corazón sufrido por el mandatario y del cual, según sus médicos, se encontraba totalmente recuperado. Dentro de los logros de la administración estaba la de haber terminado el conflicto de Korea sin mayor traumatismo para el honor de las trapas norteamericanas. En los días finales de la campaña presidencial manejó dos hechos con tranquilidad: la invasión de Hungría por parte de la Unión Soviética y el ataque a Egipto por parte de fuerzas británicas, Francesas e Israelíes. Eisenhower mantuvo a Norte América por fuera de ambas contiendas lo que se tradujo en apoyo ciudadano. El Presidente no tenia porque mostrar su mano dura pues tenia la percepción de ser el general de la segunda guerra mundial, quizás si hubiera sido un civil habría que mostrar su decisión militar efectiva. Stevenson, por su parte, preconizaba la suspensión de las pruebas atómicas y la terminación del servicio militar obligatorio. El slogan de campaña era: “Paz, Prosperidad y Progreso”. Es curioso que Eisenhower siguiera mostrándose en sus spot como un ciudadano común y corriente, aun cando era el Presidente de los Estados Unidos en ejercicio. Los estrategas decidieron mostrar su personalidad cercana y campechana y no sus realizaciones desde el gobierno. Con el fin de desactivar la acusaciones de que el Partido Republicano era un partido de elites, mientras el demócrata era un partido popular, los spot mostraron, nuevamente, gente común y corriente, como conductores de taxi, trabajadores o amas de casa, estas últimas fueron las que le dieron el triunfo en las elecciones de 1952. La campaña republicana hizo un llamado a los “Votos de opinión” de cualquier coalición política. La idea era persuadir a los demócratas e independientes de votar por los republicanos en forma libre y consciente. Y hay que decirlo que lo lograron, Eisenhower obtuvo el 57.6% de los votos contra el 42.1% de los demócratas. El spot que vemos tiene el siguiente guión en ingles: MUJER #1: This year there are fifty-four million women eligible to vote – two and a half million more women than men, enough to decide the whole election. And, as November 6 draws near, you women are doing a lot of thinking about a lot of important things. For instance, you’re thinking about the cost of living. You want to see living expenses stay at a reasonable level. You want your family budget to be protected against inflation. You’re thinking about your family. You want to be as sure as you can that you will all go on living together in our present happiness and prosperity in an America at peace. You are thinking about your children’s future. You want them to grow up under the best possible conditions, in terms of schools, health, and general welfare. And because they believe he represents their best hope of achieving these things, the women of America are making their choice for president Dwight D. Eisenhower. But suppose we ask some of them what they think about the coming election. MUJER #2: My main reason for voting for Eisenhower is because I believe in his sincerity. I don’t feel that he is furthering his own interests but he is furthering the interests of the country and the people. MUJER #3: I feel he is a very big man which is needed for that position. And also because he has not been and is not what I consider a politician. MUJER #4: I’m interested in Ike and this is my one big reason why I’m interested in Ike. MUJER #5: As a woman and future homemaker and mother in America, the type of man that I want to be president is a man that I and my family and my children and those around me can look up to and respect. I think that President Eisenhower is that sort of man. MUJER #6: Inflation. We’re not going to have that in the next four years if we vote right with Ike. MUJER #7: I’m voting for Ike because I feel that he is a God-fearing man, and I think that’s essential in any leader, especially the leader of our country. MUJER #8: I think that Eisenhower has shown how he feels about the average working man. He’s given us the minimum wage law. The changes he’s made in Social Security. And I think in another four years he’ll do even more than that for us. MUJER #9: I’m going to vote for President Eisenhower because he represents the things in which I believe. I like his philosophy of the dignity of man and I also believe that he is a sincere, honest and high caliber person. MUJER #10: He has a smile that could prove only one thing, and that is honesty. MUJER #1: So much of our future rests with the women of our country. They’re the homemakers. The whole family unit revolves around them. Everything that affects the family’s welfare affects them first, and everything in the family’s life benefits from their influence. They do the family buying, they see that everybody in the family circle is well clothed and well fed, but beyond this, they are the custodian of its values and aspirations for the future. In their hands lies the training of our young people, to whom they pass on the rich heritage of our nation, its love of peace and justice, and its passion for freedom. The women of our country swept Dwight D. Eisenhower into office four years ago. They will probably decide the election this time, and they like Ike. And here’s somebody else they like, too — Ike’s beloved Mamie, whose smile and modesty and easy, natural charm make her the ideal First Lady. Let’s keep our First Lady in the White House for four more years. November 6th vote for Dwight D. Eisenhower. NARRADOR: The national Citizens for Eisenhower/Nixon have presented this message to all thinking voters regardless of party affiliation..