A book from 2001 on changing presidential campaigns, after-the-jump …
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I’ve often wondered about how different this 2020 campaign will be seen in history (and perhaps as a watershed) with stark changes. It might do well (if only for a sense of relief) to look at a famous election representing an end of an era.
This was chronicled in a 2001 book entitled The Last Campaign: How Harry Truman Won the 1948 Election by Zachary Karabell. And while most political junkies read it for the second part of the title …. I was drawn to it by the first part of the title. (You may well find it at your public library or available on interloan).
The notion of a “last campaign” came to Karabell during his research, where he saw (in hindsight) that 1948 was the end-of-an-era of presidential campaigning. Not something one could sense right away …….. but with the passing of time, it was clear that the 1952 election was different. Some of the changes he noted:
1) 1948 was the last time a presidential race would be dominated by radio and print media. Television was still an infant technology (only beginning to emerge in 1952) and thus Truman could tailor his hard-hitting message to the town/city he was speaking in, without being spread to a town … in which the message may not have played so well in. By contrast, for his opponent: reporting on one of his speeches, one of the reporters said something like, “Mr. Dewey announced that he was for prosperity and peace. And though he didn't say so specifically, it can safely be assumed that he is also against sin”.
TV ads began to play a role in 1952 (not to mention the famous VP candidate Richard Nixon’s Checkers speech.
2) 1948 was the last campaign where the railroad “whistle stops” were the prime means of travel. Air travel began to become more important by 1952.
3) The 1948 conventions marked “the end of a particular type of back-room politics, the end of the hidden convention.” The smoke-filled rooms began to fade with the increasing importance of the party primary system. For example, the first New Hampshire primary was in 1916, but it wasn’t until 1952 that it really attracted attention: when the candidates’ actual names were listed on the ballot (unlike before when only unknown party reps were listed). Turnout more than doubled in 1952 and the results were announced on national TV.
4) 1948 was the last time progressive and far-Left viewpoints in presidential candidates were openly debated and covered in the mainstream press, before the Cold War consensus placed an entire spectrum of political views beyond the pale. Henry Wallace was the candidate of the Progressive Party, the governor of South Carolina (Strom Thurmond) was the candidate of a party that was referred to as the Dixiecrats, a Prohibition candidate (who did well in a number of states) and also on the ballot (in a lot of states) was the old-time Socialist, Norman Thomas.
5) Finally, 1948 was the last time the pollsters so miscalled a presidential election (with Gallup closing-up-shop early, missing some late swings in the electorate). Modern polling was born in the wake of that election, and 1952 was the first year in which a computer — a UNIVAC— was utilized to make predictions.
Let’s close with a contemplative tune played by George Thorogood.
Now, on to Top Comments:
From Youffraita:
In the front-page story about the visitor to last night’s debate — zenvegan had a great zinger ... and in the diary by Bob Johnson about you-know-who’s rant on Maria Bartiromo’s show this morning — exlrrp had a terrific zinger.
From Gaelsdottir:
In the diary by prizmordial about a contributor to the Fox networks (and president of a consulting company which claimed major corporations as clients) who tweeted a nasty comment about Sen. Kamala Harris — an excellent comment from howd that is pithy and perfect.
From Paul A:
In the diary by Cmae about the extended hospital stay for Chris Christie— I nominate mr crabby's advice … concerning not only the former governor.
Highlighted by jefecuatro:
In the front-page story about the White House lack of transparency about covid testing — I really, really want to triple-upvote this comment made by pimin.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the front-page story about the blow-back that Marco Rubio received from his tweets about last night’s debate — MessagingMatters offers some comforting thoughts about the voting in one part of Florida, while ornery dem says that one part of Nevada offers at least some hope.
TOP PHOTOSOctober 7th, 2020 Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo.
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And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
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