THE VICE-PRESIDENCY: Unanimous Choice

Only a flat, last-minute, wildly improbable turndown by the top man could have beaten him, but Richard Nixon was taking nothing for granted last week in his campaign for vice-presidential renomination. Chigger-bitten by Harold Stassen, stung by California Governor Goodwin Knight's bumblebee efforts against him (TIME, Aug. 27), Nixon spread political balm in San Francisco with a soothing hand. Like a busy doctor, he moved from room to room of his Mark Hopkins Hotel suite to talk to delegations—and before long, the traffic was so heavy that the only way the delegates could leave was by the interior fire stairs.

On his first full day in the convention city, Nixon received a silver candlestick and an endorsement from the Young Republicans, saw delegations from Michigan, Wisconsin, New York (where Tom Dewey had given him an unqualified, effective endorsement), Pennsylvania and Missouri (where Delegation Chairman Elroy Bromwich remained a feeble flicker of anti-Nixon sentiment). Next day came eight more delegations, and the day after that, nine. Also on the program: a trip to the International Airport to greet Dwight Eisenhower.

"Cussed & Discussed." Nixon used much the same polished, effective script in his approaches to all the state delegations. The Republicans, said he have "something better to offer than smear and vilification. We have the record of the Eisenhower Administration." (Cheers.) The Democratic nominees are "dedicated men—they are probably the best their convention could select." (Somber silence.) The "greatest danger is one of complacency." (Uncomplacent looks.) As for his own candidacy, the convention was "going to have a little voting tomorrow, and regardless of how the voting comes out, I'm going to be pitching for you." (Loud cheers.) In any event, Nixon concluded, "I have been cussed and discussed—but everybody pretty well agrees that Pat's all right." (Pat Nixon blushed prettily, delegates rose cheering, headed happily for the fire-escape exit.)

Between delegations on Monday, Nixon managed to find time for a luncheon trip to Fisherman's Wharf with newsmen and Dan Gainey, Minnesota jewelry manufacturer who backed Harold Stassen in 1948 and 1952 but has grown increasingly cool toward Childe Harold. No sooner had Nixon left his car for the block-long walk to the Exposition Grotto than a crowd began to gather. Nixon showed all the pump-handle efficiency of an Estes Kefauver in shaking hands with cab drivers, tourists, shopkeepers, cops, and everyone else he could reach.

Bad News. On roll-call day—Wednesday—Nixon had planned to see nine more delegations—but news from his home in La Habra, Calif, forced a cancellation. To Nixon's suite came a call from his brother Don: their father, Frank Nixon, 77, had suffered a partially ruptured abdominal artery, and seemed near death. The light went out of Dick Nixon's triumphal march to nomination: before 8 a.m., he and Pat were on the way home.