Harry S. Truman: America's last great leader?

• Author: Roschwalb, Susanne A.

ON APRIL 12, 1945, Harry S. Truman became the 33rd president of the United States. The key drama in the choice of Truman as Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt's vice-president took place in Chicago Stadium, July 21, 1994, at 8:17 p.m. It was not a smooth beginning.

Historian Robert H. Ferrell's book, Choosing Truman, explains how the man from Missouri, whom Roosevelt barely knew and who had not sought the nomination actively, became the President's running mate. As a leader of national stature, Truman agreed to make the nominating speech for one of the other candidates for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination. When he was told that Roosevelt wanted Truman himself to accept the nomination as a compromise candidate, Truman replied: "Tell him to go to hell; I'm for Jimmy Byrnes." At the convention hotel room, however, a prominent group of Democratic kingmakers sat down to twist Truman's arm. In the middle of their harangue, the President called. FDR always spoke loudly over the phone, and the Democratic national chairman, Robert Hannegan, held the receiver so the others could hear.

"Bob," the President said, "have you got that fellow lined up yet?"

"No, Mr. President," Hannegan replied. "He is the contrariest Missouri mule I've ever dealt with."

"Well, you tell him that if he wants to break up the Democratic Party in the middle of a war, that's his responsibility."

Hannegan hung up the phone and turned to Truman. "Now what do you say?"

"My God," Truman mumbled. The next day, he was nominated for vice-president by Sen. Bennett Champ Clark (D.-Mo.).

According to Ferrell, the selection of Truman was very strategic. As Roosevelt's health deteriorated in the months leading up to the Democratic National Convention of 1944, the party's leaders confronted a dire situation. Given the apparent inevitability of FDR's death during a fourth term, the choice of a running mate was of profound importance. The Democrats needed a man they could trust.

After Truman had won, political columnist Alistair Cooke, standing below the auditorium at a lunch counter, suddenly heard the voice of the convention chairman say, "Will the next Vice-President come to the rostrum?" Cooke was standing next to a man with very shiny glasses, a very pink face, an almost electric blue polka-dot bow tie, and a sky-blue double-breasted suit. The man was holding a paper cup of Coca-Cola and was about to bite into a hot dog. The voice repeated: "Will the next Vice-President come to the rostrum? Will Senator Truman come?" The man next to Cooke said, "By golly, that's me!" and dashed off. The Roosevelt-Truman ticket swept to victory in the November elections.

On April 12, 1945, after spending the day presiding over the Senate, the Vice-President strolled over to Speaker Sam Rayburn's office. It was there that he received the message to come right over to the White House to Eleanor Roosevelt's suite on the second floor. Upon his arrival, he was ushered into Mrs. Roosevelt's private study. "Harry," she said, "the President is dead." For a moment, Truman was too stunned to speak. He finally managed to choke out, "Is there anything I can do for you?" She replied, "Is there anything we can do for you? For you are the one in trouble now."

At 7:09 p.m., Truman took the oath of office in the Cabinet room of the White House. The next day, he summed up his feelings upon assuming the presidency. "Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now. ... When they...