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In view of unsettled conditions at home and abroad, Truman's election
in
1948 was a minor miracle of U.S. politics. In 1946, victory of the
Republicans in both houses of Congress had been interpreted as a
repudiation of his policies. Furthermore, powerful influences within the
party, including political professionals and liberals, wanted to
sidetrack
him in favor of General Eisenhower.
The election of Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York, the Republican nominee, was forecast by almost every public opinion poll and political prophet. But Truman made what he called a "whistle stop" campaign, appearing before thousands of voters in every section except the South. |
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He assailed the Republicans as reactionaries and isolationists.
His most effective sally, perhaps, was his reiterated declaration that
"any
working man or farmer who votes against the Democratic party ought to
have
his head examined."
Truman received 320 electoral votes and Dewey 189, with 39 going to the States' Right Democratic ("Dixiecrat") ticket, which was entered in the race as a Southern protest against the strong civil rights plank in the Democratic platform. The "Dixiecrat" ticket was headed by J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. |
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On November 1, 1950, President Truman was the object of an attempted assassination. He escaped unharmed. One attacker was killed and the other wounded; one White House police officer was killed and two others were wounded. The would-be assassins, Griselio Torresola (who was killed) and Oscar Collazo, were Puerto Rican nationalists.
Truman's seizure of the steel industry on April 8, 1952, sought to avoid a strike. This action precipitated a grave constitutional issue which was settled only when the Supreme Court, by a vote of six to three, ruled that the seizure was unconstitutional. Truman announced March 29, 1952, that he would not run for the presidency again, although he made another "whistle stop" tour in support of the unsuccessful Democratic nominee, Adlai F. Stevenson.
Next: After Retirement From Public Life
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