1956

From the New York Daily News

Jack Kennedy is now running for Vice President of the United states of America
He's running on Aldlai Stevenson ticket
He ends up flying to Chicago with Sarah.
"Sarah we have to take all of our luggage."
"Okay sweetie."
Sarah starts to drag her bags from the terminal into the car with Jack and the drive off of on the cab.
It's a warm sunny day in Chicago and both Jack and Sarah are hopeful. They are hopeful Jack will get the nomination.
"I hope you get the nomination Jack." Sarah whispered in his ear and patted his knee.
Jack leaned into Sarah's shoulder.
"Yes, but I really want you." Jack responded and smirked
Sarah smiled and kissed his cheek
"Patience is a virtue. And you won't regret it." Sarah whispered in his ear and Jack looked into Sarah's eyes and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"You are so beautiful Sarah, so beautiful. I'm such a happy man with you."
Sarah smiled as they reached their destination.
They reached their destination and paid the cab driver.
"I'm hungry." Sarah whispered
Jack looked at Sarah
"Are you hungry? I think there's food in the hotel room."
Sarah nodded
Normally she would pass up food so early in the day but recently she was feeling more hungry than usual and she wasn't sure why. She's also been more tired than usual but just thought it was because she was of campaigning.
They both checked into their room and started putting their belongings away.

The Democratic National Convention 1956
Now introducing the vice presidential candidate for the United States of America John F Kennedy!
Jack rises to the podium and gives his speech:

Fellow Delegates and Fellow Democrats:

We have come here today not merely to nominate a Democratic candidate, but to nominate a President of the United States.

Sometimes in the heat of a political convention, we forget  the grave responsibilities which we as delegates possess. For we here  today are selecting a man who must be something more than a good  candidate, something more than a good speaker, more than a good  politician, a good liberal, or a good conservative. We are selecting the  head of the most powerful nation on earth, the man who literally will  hold in his hands the powers of survival or destruction, of freedom or  slavery, of success or failure for us all. We are selecting here today  the man who for the next four years will be guiding, for good or evil,  for better or worse, the destinies of our nation and, to a large extent,  the destiny of the free world.

I ask you, therefore, to think beyond the balloting of  tonight and tomorrow – to think beyond even the election in November –  and to think instead of those four years that lie ahead, and of the  crises that will come with them.

Of overwhelming importance are the ever-mounting threats of  our survival that confront us abroad, threats that require a prompt  return to firm, decisive leadership. Each Republican year of indecision  and hesitation has brought new Communist advances – in Indo-China, in  the Middle East, in North Africa, in all the tense and troubled areas of  the world. The Grand Alliance of the West – that chain for freedom  forged by Truman and Marshall and the rest – is cracking, its unity  deteriorating, its strength dissipating. We are hesitant on Suez, silent  on colonialism, uncertain on disarmament, and contradictory on the  other major issues of the day. And, I regret to say that once we are  able to cut through the slogans and the press releases and the vague  reassurances, we realize to our shock and dismay that the next four  years of this hydrogen age represent the most dangerous and the most  difficult period in the history of our nation.

And, consider, too, the four years that face us as a nation  at home. For here, too, the absence of new ideas, the lack of new  leadership, the failure to keep pace with new developments, have all  contributed to the growth of gigantic economic and social problems –  problems that can perhaps be postponed or explained away or ignored now –  but problems that during the next four years will burst forth with  continuing velocity. The problem of the nation's distressed farmers –  the problem of our declining small business – the problem of our  maldistribution of economic gains – the problem of our hopelessly  inadequate schools – and the problem of our nation's health – and many  more. Conferences are held, to be sure – commissions are convened – but  no new steps are taken and no bold programs are effected.

These are problems that cry out for solution – they cry out  for leadership – they cry out for a man equal to the times. And the  Democratic Party can say to the nation today – we have such a man!!

We can offer to the nation today a man uniquely qualified  by inheritance, by training and by conviction, to lead us out of this  crisis of complacency, and into a new era of life and fulfillment.  During the past four years his wise and perceptive analyses of the world  crisis have pierced through the vacillations and the contradictions of  official Washington to give understanding and hope to people at home and  abroad. And his eloquent, courageous and experienced outlook on our  problems here at home have stood in shining contrast to the collection  of broken promises, neglected problems and dangerous blunders that pave  the road from Gettysburg to the White House.

Of course, in a democracy, it is not enough to have the  right man – for first he must be elected, he must show the nation that  he is the right man, he must be a winner. And I say we have a winner –  in the man who became Governor of this state in 1948 with the largest  majority in the history of Illinois – in the man who in 1956 has shown  in primary after primary that he, and only he, is the top vote getter in  the Democratic Party today.

And let us be frank about the campaign that lies ahead. Our  party will be up against two of the toughest, most skillful campaigners  in its history – one who takes the high road, and one who takes the  low. If we are to overcome that combination in November this Convention  must nominate the candidate who can best carry our case to the American  people – the one who is by all odds and by all counts our most eloquent,  our most forceful, our most appealing figure.

The American people saw and heard and admired this man for  the first time four years ago, when, out of the usual sea of campaign  promises and dreary oratory and catchy slogans, there came something new  and different – something great and good – a campaign and a candidate  dedicated to telling the truth. Sometimes the truth hurt and sometimes  it wasn't believed – sometimes it wasn't popular – but it was always the  truth, the same truth, North, South, East and West. It was a campaign  that brought home to the American people two great qualities of the  candidate – his natural talent for Government, which had previously been  demonstrated in his able, efficient and economical administration of  the State of Illinois – and, secondly, his natural talent for  campaigning, for meeting people of all kinds, under all circumstances,  with a zest for hard work and a will to win.

These are, as I have said, critical times – times that  demand the best we have – times that demand the best America has. We  have, therefore, an obligation to pick the man best qualified, not only  to lead our Party, but to lead our country. The nation is entitled to  expect that of us. For what we do here today affects more than a  nomination, more than an election – it affects the life and the way of  life of all of our fellow-Americans.

The time is ripe. The hour has struck. The man is here; and  he is ready. Let the word go forth that we have fulfilled our  responsibility to the nation.

Ladies and gentlemen of the convention: it is now my  privilege to present to this convention, as candidate for President of  the United States, the name of the man uniquely qualified – by virtue of  his compassion, his conscience, and his courage – to follow in the  great traditions of Jefferson, Jackson, Wilson, Roosevelt, and the man  from Independence. Fellow Delegates, I give you the man from  Libertyville – the next Democratic nominee and the next President of the  United States – Adlai E. Stevenson.

The whole crowd cheered for Jack and walked back down to meet the Kennedy family in the audience.

They end up counting the ballots and Jack ends up losing and doesn't get the nomination.

Room 437
Jack walks in and Sarah is already there with half of their constituents in the hotel room.
"Jack" they all bellow together and Sarah runs up to him and grabs his hand.
"We're all here for you, we love and support you."
Jack looks at all of them
"Thank you."
Sarah grabs his hand tighter and they both hop on the bed and stand there together
"Speech, speech." They all chant
Jack smiles and starts his speech.

"Thank you for coming today, today we have lost but we will win. The Bible does say those who are last will be first and those who are last will be first, so I do believe this loss will end up in victory. The future holds everything!" Sarah tightens her grip on Jacks arm and everyone cheers for him.