speech in which he famously pledged to "talk sense to the American people." Democratic candidates Presidential balloting Kefauver had the most delegates after the first round, but then President Truman weighed into the battle in favor of Stevenson. He persuaded Harriman to drop out and endorse the Illinois governor, thereby pre-empting support for Kefauver and Russell, whom Truman opposed; the President believed that nominating a Southern candidate from a state where Jim Crow laws were in force would forfeit potential support for the Democratic party from African-American and Northern white voters. Stevenson was nominated on the third ballot. This is the last nomination contest of either major U.S. political party, as of , to require more than one round of voting to nominate a presidential candidate. The following table from Richard C. Bain and Judith H. Parris, Convention Decisions and Voting Records. Vice Presidential selection Among those considered for the VP spot by Stevenson included: After the delegates nominated Stevenson, the convention then turned to selecting a vice-president. The main candidates for this position were Kefauver, Russell, Barkley, Senator John Sparkman, and Senator A. S. Mike Monroney. After narrowing it down to Senator Sparkman and Senator Monroney, President Truman and a small group of political insiders chose Sparkman, a conservative and segregationist from Alabama, for the nomination. The convention largely complied and nominated Sparkman as Stevenson's running mate, though nominations were made for two other candidates for the Vice Presidency, Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee India Edwards of California, and District Judge Sarah T. Hughes of Texas. Both withdrew their names in favor of Sparkman. Stevenson then delivered an eloquent acceptance speech in which he famously pledged to "talk sense to the American people." Election outcome Stevenson and Sparkman lost the election to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon on November 4, 1952. Despite the defeat, Stevenson was four years later again selected as the Democratic presidential nominee at the 1956 Democratic National Convention, with Kefauver as his running mate. See also 1952 Republican National Convention 1952 United States presidential election History of the United States Democratic Party Democratic Party presidential primaries, 1952 List of Democratic National Conventions U.S. presidential nomination convention References External links Democratic Party Platform of 1952 at The American Presidency Project Stevenson Nomination Acceptance Speech for President at DNC (transcript) at The American Presidency Project Video of Stevenson nomination acceptance speech for President