American History TV continues to reair C-SPAN's history series “The Contenders,” which features profiles of key figures who ran for president and lost, but changed political history. This week, we focus on the life and career of Adlai Stevenson. He came from a long line of political figures. His grandfather, Adlai Stevenson I was Vice President during President Grover Cleveland’s second term, his maternal great-grandfather was Abraham Lincoln’s Campaign Manager and his father was Secretary of State of Illinois. After serving one term as Governor of Illinois, Stevenson tried to do what no one in his family had attempted--to become President. He tried twice, in 1952 and 1956, but lost both times to Dwight Eisenhower.
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