JFK+50: Volume 5, No. 1762
CHICAGO TRIBUNE SAYS DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Sixty-seven years ago today, November 2, 1948, despite a premature newspaper headline, President Harry S Truman defeated Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey in what was to go down as the greatest upset in presidential election history.
By the Fall of 1948, Mr. Truman, who took office on the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, was even unpopular in his own Democratic party.
Unwilling to "dump" Truman at the 1948 Democratic Convention, some delegates wore buttons which read: "I'm Just Mild About Harry." a play on the popular song of the day "I'm Just Wild About Harry."
President Truman, woefully behind in all the polls, had gone on a whistle stop campaign across the nation. At many of his stops, speaking from a platform on the rear car of his train, Truman said:
"Any working man or farmer who votes against the Democratic party ought to have his head examined."
Apparently, many voters changed their minds in the voting booth.
The final totals were...
Electoral Votes: Truman (D) 303
Dewey (R) 189
Thurmond 39
Popular Votes: Truman (D) 24,179,347
Dewey (R) 21,991,292
Thurmond 1,175,930
Truman on Whistle-Stop Campaign
Truman Library Photo
