William H. Milliken, Jr. - The See-saw Election of 1960

The See-saw Election of 1960

When Congress adjourned in August, 1960, many of its members undoubtedly rushed home to campaign for reelection. Bill Milliken was no exception. By the fall, Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy were locked in an extremely close race that would have serious implications for the rest of the Republican ticket across the nation and in Delaware County. One major factor was the mild recession of 1960, aggravated by Eisenhower's insistence on balancing the budget so soon after the 1958 recession.

By October, the unemployment rate had reached 6.3% and the chances of the Republicans winning the election diminished accordingly. Also, Kennedy and the Democrats hammered relentlessly at the administration's foreign and defense policies, citing a "missile gap" that left the U.S. at a disadvantage against the Soviet's ICBM forces. This charge was proven untrue the following year. Also, the collapse of the 1960 summit between Eisenhower, Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev, French President Charles de Gaulle and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, over the downing of an American U-2 spy plane over Soviet territory provided Democrats with ample ammunition. In addition, on August 24, Eisenhower made what some consider the worst gaffe of his presidency by responding to a reporter's question about the contributions of Vice President Nixon to major decisions: "If you give me a week, I might think of one. I don't remember." Gallup tracking polls showed the lead changing several times between Nixon and Kennedy.

Locally, with Delaware County's heavy Catholic and working class population, it was obvious that Kennedy would take a sizable portion of the normally Republican vote and could cause the rest of the GOP ticket considerable difficulty with the "coattail effect". Congressman Milliken, running for a second term against Democrat Henry Gouley, campaigned vigorously. On October 7, he charged that rumors that the Philadelphia Mint would be closed or moved were false. He charged that Philadelphia Mayor Richardson Dilworth circulated the story "to scare people in the Philadelphia area during the election campaign" and that an act of Congress was required to approve such plans.

On October 22, Nixon visited Chester and spoke to a crowd of about 8,000 well-wishers at Market Square. Said Nixon: "I told Bill (motioning on the platform to Milliken) I really didn't think we should schedule a meeting in Chester on a Saturday morning. But I see some of you made it out here." Almost as if to predict the upcoming Vietnam War, he stated: "Our most important duty is to keep the peace for the U.S., as Dwight Eisenhower had done. What happens in Washington in the next four years is going to affect the future of every young person in America today."

At Twentieth and Providence Avenues, the Nixon motorcade suddenly stopped and Nixon strode across the street to greet John McClure, who was recovering in a wheelchair from a hip fracture. "They (the Secret Service) didn't want me to stop, but I just couldn't pass you up." They both chatted for a few moments, then Nixon and his motorcade continued up Route 320, stopping in Swarthmore, the Springfield Shopping Center, Lawrence Park, Newtown Square, West Chester, before stopping in Paoli. Seven days later, Senator Kennedy appeared in Chester at Sixth and Penn Streets, drawing the largest ever crowd in the city, some 15,000 to 20,000. He continued to hammer away at the themes of America's lagging prestige abroad and lagging economy at home. "I want the U.S. to meet its responsibilities at home and abroad and the U.S. to move forward", he told the crowds. "This is more of a contest between the comfortable and the concerned - those who are satisfied with things as they are and those who want to move forward." Two days earlier, Kennedy had declared: "I say we can't afford another recession."

Eisenhower, sufficiently angered by Kennedy's relentless attacks, made some belated appearances to defend his administration's record in office. At a dinner in Philadelphia, the same day of Kennedy's visit to Delaware County, Ike said: "I hear that one candidate says he will act first and act fast. America needs a man who will think fast, and then act wisely".

The President touted the administration's foreign policy successes, such as ending the "costly and futile Korean War", "a decent solution to the Suez affair", forging "new ties with our neighbors to the south." Referring to Kennedy's new proposed domestic programs, Ike raised the specter of inflationary spending increases: "We know they could not pay for them with high hopes alone. But if they would pay for these programs by deficit spending, raising the debt of our children and grandchildren, and thereby debase our currency, let them so confess."

Meanwhile, Milliken did some campaigning of his own, appearing at the Marcus Hook fire company meeting hall on October 27. He attacked JFK and other Democrats who said that the nation's popularity was at an "all-time low". During Eisenhower's administration, Milliken countered: "The U.S. has never been beaten on a single UN vote" and made a point that U.S. popularity had "undoubtedly suffered in some areas abroad because of continuing Democrat attempts to downgrade America." State Senator Bell also spoke, emphasizing American air power, naval strength, outer space vehicles and hydrogen bombs. The same day, at the Springfield Lions Club meeting at the Deville Diner, both candidates for the Seventh congressional district met. Milliken was introduced by Springfield GOP chairman, Lawrence G. Williams, while Gouley was introduced by Joseph Helwig, the township's Democratic leader. Milliken attacked "extravagant spending by the Democrats" in Congress. His opponent, Gouley, issued a rebuttal, stating that under Eisenhower, spending increased 46% in the past eight years and was 68% higher than under the Roosevelt administration, reaching a record total of $579 billion.

Election night was indeed suspenseful for the presidential candidates, as well as many local ones. As the votes were counted, Kennedy's early lead shrunk as Republican votes from the Midwest and west flowed in. But, by after midnight, it appeared that the trend in the results was in Kennedy's favor and Nixon told his supporters: "If the present trend continues, Senator Kennedy will be elected the next President of the United States". When the critical states of Texas and Illinois had swung into the Democrats' column, Kennedy was able to declare a victory later than morning. And a razor thin one it was. He squeaked through in Illinois, 2.377 million votes to Nixon's 2.368 million. In Texas, the Senator gathered 1.167 million to the Vice President's 1.121 million. California eventually wound up in the Nixon column, 3.259 to 3.224 million, but Nixon still needed 50 electoral votes, which Illinois and Texas would have provided, with one to spare. As it turned out, Kennedy won by 303 electoral votes to Nixon's 219, with conservative Senator Harry Byrd of Virginia receiving 15 (8 from Mississippi, 6 from Alabama and 1 from Oklahoma). In the popular vote, Kennedy won only 34.227 million to Nixon's 34.108 million, the closest election since 1888.

Pennsylvania was carried by the Democrats by a narrow margin, 2.556 million to 2.439 million. With Nixon's weak showing in the suburbs and Kennedy's huge two to one sweep of Philadelphia, the latter's margin in the five county area was 237,000 votes.

In Delaware County, with the Democrats having a record 59,500 registered voters and Kennedy's strong appeal, Nixon carried the county by only 135,672 to 124,629. With some ticket-splitting, Milliken's plurality was slightly larger than Nixon's, 136,021 to 120,839, but the outcome of one legislative district, where Kennedy had carried four of the six towns, was in doubt until all absentee ballots were counted. Only then could incumbent Republican state representatives Clyde Dengler and Mae Kernaghan be declared the victors.