Back to Work, 1953

Abstract

Herbert Hoover was an optimistic man in November of 1952. He knew that come January, a Republican would be in the White House and that fact gave him a certain measure of vindication. Perhaps more important, he took great satisfaction in the speech that he had delivered to the nation on October 18. Although he had little to say about the Republican ticket, Hoover had plenty to offer on a whole range of topics. It was as if the dam had burst after 20 years in exile. And, no doubt, Hoover was extremely pleased with the public response to the speech—requests for printed copies poured into his suite at the Waldorf Towers in New York. There is no question that Hoover believed that he had contributed to the Eisenhower victory and Ike did not dissuade the former president in that belief.