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Eisenhower "I do not want to be president of the United States, and I want no political office or political connection of any kind," said General Dwight David Eisenhower to a stream of prominent visitors to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe, near Paris during the last half of 1951. Despite Eisenhower's often-repeated declaration against holding political office, American business leaders and politicians continued to urge him to run for the White House. They told him that …

…ded in disarray after the Soviets shot down an American U-2 spy plane over their territory. Eisenhower's influence in Congress evaporated as Democrats- and even some Republicans- voted to increase spending to improve their chances in the fall elections. The final disappointment occurred when Vice-president Richard M. Nixon lost his bid to succeed Eisenhower in the White House. A year that began with hopes of peace ended with renewed cold war tensions, recession, and repudiation.