Evening star., 1960-11-13
LETTERS TO THE STAR
Reflections on the Election

needing change is the method
Of nominating candidates.
Why not require each party
to nominate three candidates
at their conventions instead
Of one? The Democrats. for
instance. could have nomi-
mated Mr.. Kennedy, Mr..
Stevenson, and. Mr.. johnson.
The Republicans, Mr.. Nixon,
Mr.. Rockefeller, and Mr..
Goldwater.
In the national election,
the voter could have indi-
Gated the party Of his choice,
with the first and second
preference marked. The party
receiving the largest popular
vote would have been the
winner and the two candi-
dates in the winning party
with the highest votes Sc
lected President and Vice
President.
This would not require a
national primary nor would
it even change the present
system other than selecting
the winner on a popular vote
basis instead of an electoral
vote count.
Paul McIlvaine.
The hectic pace OF the
campaign was over. The
faithful stood among the
debris and the inevitable
tears welled up in their eyes
as they surveyed the reports
that were being beamed at
them over the all revealing
television eye. Yes, it was
close but the record was being
written slowly but surely sec
ond by second and hour by
hour. They had. even as their
champion, been working long
and hard to achieve this goal
that was now slipping away
vote by vote.
1t had been a hard-fought
and exhausting campaign.
The man of their hour ap-
peared with his wife in order
to make a statement at the
late hour and over the alter
mating cheering and objec-
tionS stated that they were
going to retire and if the
trend continued his opponent
would be elected. The next
day, after his defeat was cer-
tain, his press secretary re-
leased the message Of con-
gratulations which had been
sent to his conqueror.
When he left California
later in the day for Washing
ton. many Of the faithful were
there to see him off. which
fact, together with the close
ness of the election, must
have helped him feel a little
better. If such things can
ever ease the pain that he
must have felt at that mo-
ment. This feeling was soon
dissipated. for 5000 miles
away a decision was made to
take another extended golfing
vacation. With the full know
ledge that the weary Stand
ard-Bearer" was to arrive
early in the evening, Mr..
Eisenhower decided not to be
here when he arrived.
One need only remember
that as the campaign started,
Mr.. Eisenhower went to
Friendship Airport to make
a great show Of support for
the eager campaigner but
when the same man was to
return, beaten to be sure but
not decisively, he was not to
be there to extend his hand
in meaningful friendship and
understanding. Was this a
general who had lost the
battle and he was now looking
down his nose at him? Is
there no room for defeat in
the Presidents eyes? This
was the man whom the Presi-
dent praised so highly to the
American people in the last
five days Of the campaign.
Was he inSincere? Did the
rejection of Mr.. Eisenhower's
plea for continuation of his
Crusade" so unnerve him
that he could not face this
man who failed? Was he so
hurt that he could not have
compassion for someone who
was more hurt? Is the fact
that he ran from this un-
pleasant situation to golf
symptomatic of his approach
to life-to the presidency? He
would merely have had to
wait a few hours to see him.
I, for one, did not dream
that Mr.. Eisenhower could be
so heartless as to not welcome
back the man who cam.