From 1948 on, Eisenhower developed a posse of wealthy, politically active Republican friends who had made their fortunes in manufacturing, oil, finance, and publishing and who served him as an informal kitchen cabinet. These men, hugely successful in their own right, virtually worshipped Eisenhower and set out to coax him into the political world. They made their considerable resources available to him, helped him develop a network of contacts across the country, and, perhaps most important, provided him with access to the private, elite world of Republican grandees.
