Nancy Kefauver

From Time

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,816333,00.html

While Candidate Kefauver was earnestly pumping hands from Massachusetts to Florida last week, the candidate's wife was competently tending the family's political fences back in Washington. Red-haired Nancy Kefauver, slim and trim in a bronze, lowcut, strapless gown, rose before 400 guests at a Women's National Press Club dinner. Her voice trembled a bit as she began her first political speech, and she admitted that she felt like "Alice among the medicine bottles."* But she soon hit just the right note.

As she traveled around the country with Estes, said Nancy, she became convinced that the people want her husband for President and that he understands the people's problems. "Estes seems interested in every man, woman and child," she explained. "He sees in the racketeer someone who might have been a useful citizen, in the underprivileged, someone who might have made the grade if given an even break. He is concerned about the little businessman, the worker, the housewife and the children of America." Added Nancy: "As for me, the prospect of the presidency is not an entirely pleasant one. Does any wife and mother really want to give up the greatest thing in the world—the private joys of regular American family life?"

With that, the crowd gave her the biggest hand of the night. Obviously, much of the applause was for Nancy and her winning ways—not necessarily for what she said. But even the other candidates and their spokesmen on the program seemed to go for this Kefauver. Said Bachelor Dick Russell: "Kefauver's chief accomplishment is that he outmarried himself to such an extent. His wife is his most dangerous secret weapon ... If I were running with Mrs. Kefauver, I'd be glad to accept second place." Ohio's Representative Clarence Brown, on hand to speak for Candidate Taft, beamed fondly across the political fence. Said he: "Now I'm almost convinced that I should support Kefauver—Nancy, that is."

• Said Alice: "It was much pleasanter at home, when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits."