Adlai Stevenson, too, was nominally drafted by his party that year. But he never had a chance against Ike's smile. The general, who only appeared naive, took an early lead by avoiding anything so mundane, if germane, as a discussion of political issues. And he pretty much stuck with that winning strategy right through election day. Some would say right through two highly successful administrations.
Nothing succeeds in American politics like no politics.
It certainly drove Ike's critics crazy, or at least those who were not already around the bend to begin with. For all his eloquence, Adlai Stevenson never laid a simioe on him. It's a tradition by now. Politicians have been getting away with issueless campaigns in American elections at least since Washington. It's called character.