Comments on: American History: Harry Truman and the 1948 U.S. Presidential Election http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Wed, 22 May 2013 17:59:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: The 2012 Free-for-all Begins | TaylorMarsh.com http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-783288 The 2012 Free-for-all Begins | TaylorMarsh.com Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:13:37 +0000 #comment-783288 [...] the real appearance of outsider candidates that could put the 2012 race into a 1912 Bull Moose or 1948 Strom-Dixiecrat – Wallace-Progressive Party free-for-all territory.Rocky Anderson is [...] [...] the real appearance of outsider candidates that could put the 2012 race into a 1912 Bull Moose or 1948 Strom-Dixiecrat – Wallace-Progressive Party free-for-all territory.Rocky Anderson is [...]

]]> By: valleyforge http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780488 valleyforge Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:04:16 +0000 #comment-780488 This article doesn't even give a nod to the economic situation in 1948, which at the time of original publication in 2000 was believed to have been sluggish at best, hence the poor outlook most contemporaries gave Truman reelection chances. But recent revisions show that the economy was growing at a 6.4% clip for most of 1948, which under almost any political economy model would have the incumbent winning in a landslide. Consider that Gallup and others didn't poll in the few months leading up to the election and you have a case of a completely predictable result being seen as extraordinary by contemporaries who didn't have the data to measure it or put it in context. This article doesn't even give a nod to the economic situation in 1948, which at the time of original publication in 2000 was believed to have been sluggish at best, hence the poor outlook most contemporaries gave Truman reelection chances. But recent revisions show that the economy was growing at a 6.4% clip for most of 1948, which under almost any political economy model would have the incumbent winning in a landslide. Consider that Gallup and others didn't poll in the few months leading up to the election and you have a case of a completely predictable result being seen as extraordinary by contemporaries who didn't have the data to measure it or put it in context.

]]> By: IronKnuckle http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780468 IronKnuckle Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:11:28 +0000 #comment-780468 I might suggest a parallel to Hillary Clinton's win over Barack Obama in the 2008 New Hampshire primary. Absolutely everyone expected Obama to win the NH primary; every poll said Obama was up. Which can have the effect of maximizing turnout of the "losing" party's base as well as making front-runner-loyalists think hard about whether they're solidly behind their candidate. I might suggest a parallel to Hillary Clinton's win over Barack Obama in the 2008 New Hampshire primary. Absolutely everyone expected Obama to win the NH primary; every poll said Obama was up.

Which can have the effect of maximizing turnout of the "losing" party's base as well as making front-runner-loyalists think hard about whether they're solidly behind their candidate.

]]> By: Jerry M. http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780453 Jerry M. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:35:14 +0000 #comment-780453 George Soros and Bill Gates are Maobama's Eisenhower, willing to give him as much cash as he thinks he needs to weasel his way back into office for another 4 years of catastrophic destructive hope and change! Won't work-he's shrimp-fried toast! Plan your summit in Plains with Jimmah-NOW! George Soros and Bill Gates are Maobama's Eisenhower, willing to give him as much cash as he thinks he needs to weasel his way back into office for another 4 years of catastrophic destructive hope and change! Won't work-he's shrimp-fried toast! Plan your summit in Plains with Jimmah-NOW!

]]> By: Mark http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780452 Mark Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:29:20 +0000 #comment-780452 Robert Kennedy said that "Six months is an eternity in politics." Nobody yet knows what will happen in November 2012. What is known is that the economy is down now, people like Obama personally even if they doubt his ability to lead out of the mess and the Republicans have an exceptionally weak field of candidates and seem to be reaching for the weaker ones. But nobody knew even a few days before election day that 1) Truman would win in 1948 or that 2) Ronald Reagan would win a big landslide against Jimmy Carter in 1980. We're still a year away. Robert Kennedy said that "Six months is an eternity in politics." Nobody yet knows what will happen in November 2012. What is known is that the economy is down now, people like Obama personally even if they doubt his ability to lead out of the mess and the Republicans have an exceptionally weak field of candidates and seem to be reaching for the weaker ones.
But nobody knew even a few days before election day that 1) Truman would win in 1948 or that 2) Ronald Reagan would win a big landslide against Jimmy Carter in 1980. We're still a year away.

]]> By: Bill Clinton http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780450 Bill Clinton Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:43:06 +0000 #comment-780450 I know of such a man. His wife ran for president a few years back... I know of such a man.

His wife ran for president a few years back…

]]> By: McGovern72 http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780449 McGovern72 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:06:00 +0000 #comment-780449 The Obama Optics are nothing like what Truman faced in '48. for example: - Obamacare melts down in 2012, Supremes 'dance it out of existence' - Solyndra and the solar industry job creation machine is exposed as a 'money pit' like no other in history - study that fact Mr Spengler! - Fast and Foolish shows us just how incompent the WH really is in dealing with a BIG F Deal ;-) ......and, WH staff email show that they went to 'yahoo.mail' to keep their conversations off the books! surprised? - Joey 'the Mouth' Biden on the ticket - can you imagine him in any debates with the GOP VP candidate? priceless! - 'Can't Wait' Mr Obama? how about 'STILL WAITING' for a budget from you OR the SENATE Dems! Mr Spengler, when this is all down in early November 2012 - I look forward to a follow up story from you - on how Obama was Carter-esque in his campaign ;-) The Obama Optics are nothing like what Truman faced in '48. for example:
- Obamacare melts down in 2012, Supremes 'dance it out of existence'
- Solyndra and the solar industry job creation machine is exposed as a 'money pit' like no other in history – study that fact Mr Spengler!
- Fast and Foolish shows us just how incompent the WH really is in dealing with a BIG F Deal ;-)
……and, WH staff email show that they went to 'yahoo.mail' to keep their conversations off the books! surprised?
- Joey 'the Mouth' Biden on the ticket – can you imagine him in any debates with the GOP VP candidate? priceless!
- 'Can't Wait' Mr Obama? how about 'STILL WAITING' for a budget from you OR the SENATE Dems!

Mr Spengler, when this is all down in early November 2012 – I look forward to a follow up story from you – on how Obama was Carter-esque in his campaign ;-)

]]> By: IMOO http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780448 IMOO Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:25:17 +0000 #comment-780448 Insightful argument, however it leaves out one HUGELY important fact. While Eisenhower refused the nomination, due to the fact that he was too honorable and loyal to Truman, he stumped for Truman pretty consistently during the campaign. Having the man who "won WW-II" on his side, was a huge factor in Truman's re-election. Obama has no such supporter. Insightful argument, however it leaves out one HUGELY important fact. While Eisenhower refused the nomination, due to the fact that he was too honorable and loyal to Truman, he stumped for Truman pretty consistently during the campaign. Having the man who "won WW-II" on his side, was a huge factor in Truman's re-election. Obama has no such supporter.

]]> By: MTB http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780443 MTB Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:49:54 +0000 #comment-780443 Practically all of the journalistic history telling of the '48 election of late has been for the obvious reason to draw hope-filled parallels between Truman and Obama's reelection campaign. Thank you, Mr. Spengler, for being one of the few to point out a most important factor in that election-- that Mr. Dewey was largely responsible for his own defeat. I look forward to the 2012 election, if for no other reason than we will be able to put the 1948 election back into moth balls where it belongs with others of the unimportant elections in our nation's history. Practically all of the journalistic history telling of the '48 election of late has been for the obvious reason to draw hope-filled parallels between Truman and Obama's reelection campaign. Thank you, Mr. Spengler, for being one of the few to point out a most important factor in that election– that Mr. Dewey was largely responsible for his own defeat. I look forward to the 2012 election, if for no other reason than we will be able to put the 1948 election back into moth balls where it belongs with others of the unimportant elections in our nation's history.

]]> By: Paul Spengler http://www.historynet.com/american-history-harry-truman-and-the-1948-us-presidential-election.htm#comment-780439 Paul Spengler Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:30:43 +0000 #comment-780439 Truman pulled off his upset partly because the Republicans were complacent in 1948, which they will not be in 2012. Truman also won because the memories of the Great Depression were still very fresh in people's minds in 1948 and people felt the Democratic Party had saved them from the Depression. Truman looked like a common man and could speak like a common man. He could express real indignation. In 2012, people blame both parties for their country's economic problems. Obama doesn't look like or talk like the average voter, nor can he express real indignation. People see him as professorial, like Woodrow Wilson or Adlai Stevenson, not as a tribuen of the common man, like Harry Truman. Truman could blame the GOP's 80th Congress for not doing enough. Today, people are afraid the government will do too much. Truman pulled off his upset partly because the Republicans were complacent in 1948, which they will not be in 2012. Truman also won because the memories of the Great Depression were still very fresh in people's minds in 1948 and people felt the Democratic Party had saved them from the Depression. Truman looked like a common man and could speak like a common man. He could express real indignation. In 2012, people blame both parties for their country's economic problems. Obama doesn't look like or talk like the average voter, nor can he express real indignation. People see him as professorial, like Woodrow Wilson or Adlai Stevenson, not as a tribuen of the common man, like Harry Truman. Truman could blame the GOP's 80th Congress for not doing enough. Today, people are afraid the government will do too much.

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