Who said “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal --…”?

Verified

Adlai E. Stevenson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSpeech at the Democratic National Convention (18 August 1956)

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“The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal -- that you can gather votes like box tops -- is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.”
— Adlai E. Stevenson
VerifiedSpeech at the Democratic National Convention (18 August 1956) · evidenceElections

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Speech at the Democratic National Convention (18 August 1956).

APA

Stevenson, A. E. (n.d.). The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal -- that you can gather votes like box tops -- is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14343-the-idea-that-you-can-merchandise-candidates-for/

MLA

Stevenson, Adlai E. “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal -- that you can gather votes like box tops -- is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14343-the-idea-that-you-can-merchandise-candidates-for/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Stevenson, Adlai E. “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal -- that you can gather votes like box tops -- is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/14343-the-idea-that-you-can-merchandise-candidates-for/.

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