In
the election of 1948, incumbent President Harry S. Truman was far behind
Republican nominee Thomas Dewey in polls and popular perception. Fifty
out of fifty political writers confidently predicted his defeat. But
in an aggressive campaign summed up by the legendary phrase "Give 'em
Hell, Harry" Truman took to the rails to cross the country on a whistle
stop tour. The President traveled over 30,000 miles, speaking in person
before, by his own count, more than 15 million people. His election
in 1948 ranks as the greatest surprise in American political history,
and in some ways served as the last hurrah for a style of campaigning
that would become increasingly rare in the television age.
With
an enormous lead in the polls, Dewey followed an extremely cautious
and inoffensive campaign course, perhaps befitting the famous comment
about his bland demeanor that he looked like the "groom on the
wedding cake."
Rosser
Reeves, the advertiser who would later create the "Eisenhower Answers
America" campaign, tried to convince Dewey to film some political
commercials. Although there were fewer than a half million televisions
in use in 1948, Reeves felt that careful ad placement in key districts
could make the difference in a close race. Dewey, not expecting a close
race, dismissed the idea as undignified.
In
the election of 1948, incumbent President Harry S. Truman was far behind
Republican nominee Thomas Dewey in polls and popular perception. Fifty
out of fifty political writers confidently predicted his defeat. But
in an aggressive campaign summed up by the legendary phrase "Give 'em
Hell, Harry" Truman took to the rails to cross the country on a whistle
stop tour. The President traveled over 30,000 miles, speaking in person
before, by his own count, more than 15 million people. His election
in 1948 ranks as the greatest surprise in American political history,
and in some ways served as the last hurrah for a style of campaigning
that would become increasingly rare in the television age.
