Sarah Palin, John McCain, George W. Bush...Harry S. Truman? Historian Robert Dallek Says No

More on why FDR picked Truman

Read here for more on why FDR picked Truman for his final term.

AND why Palin is no Truman

http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/mccains-maverick-left-eye-a-history-of-presidential-infirmity/

Harry S Truman

Robert Dallek for being a writer of histories of presidents should at least be aware of the glaring error displayed as part of his most recent book publication's title. He and his publishers have spelled the name wrongly. You take what you want from this information, but the correct name of President Truman is Harry S Truman, no Harry S. Truman. I would like to see documentation proving that I am wrong. President Trumans middle name is a single letter, the letter "S".

Truman-A Republican -Ha Ha Ha

What a joke-this idiot knows nothing about the feeling of western Missourians of Truman's generation toward republicans

Education

One of the big secrets in the world today is that a college education is not necessarily worth what you pay for it. Truman's self education is to be admired but let's face it. He was one of our lest popular Presidents. His approval rating was near W.

Sarah Palin is not to be belittled because of her 6 college stint in acquiring her degree, she needs to be belittled because of her general ignorance in regard to everything else in that might considered necessary to being a leader of the free world.

Most politician have the where with all to give safe and non threatening answers to questions they are asked.

I would respect her more if she would just say that the questions don't matter.

Truman told people to go to hell.

She doesn't have the guts for that.

Truman

I think the Republicans should read an biography of Truman before claiming that Palin or Bush are in his likeness, Truman was a champion of Civil Rights and Integrated the Military, He introduced legislation for Universal Health Care for all Americans, he was a crusader against the Military-Industrial Complex and believed that industry needed to be regulated, Korea was attacked by the North and Truman lobbied the UN to halt the aggression. None of these things bear any likeness to the policies of Palin or Bush.

Truman drew a line in the sand for Stalin and went head to head with the unions.Hew as a vigorous proponent of an armed America in a dangerous world and involved the Country in a war that was unpopular and of no immediately obvious import. Naturally, he wouldn't have a hope in hell in to-days Democratic Party that fancies itself as a version of the European center-left.Truman could, today only be a Republican and Mr Dallek's tortured thesis is sophomoric to say the least.

GIVE 'EM HELL SARAH!

Harry Truman appreciated honest, “plain speaking”. I think he would have appreciated Sarah Palin. I don’t think he would have had much use for Obama or Biden. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more mealy mouthed, self serving pair of egoists is my life. But Truman wouldn’t have called them “egoists” he’d just say, “jackasses”.

Trouble is, we’re about to harness two jackasses up and have them haul us into a future that Truman would have despised.

Truman

Mr. Truman was an honest man, first, last and foremost. Honest with himself and with everyone else. McCain and Palin are a couple of deceitful, egotistical wannabes. Palin still hasn't figured this out: McCain is using her. At least that was his intention. It may have backfired.

There are Indeed Similarities.

The whole point is Truman wasn't popular in his time and elites didn't care for him. Sounds like President Bush. Nobody is saying their policies were the same, simply the electoral circumstances they found themselves in.

Let's be clear on who Robert Dallek is. Like many academics, he's a liberal (as you can clearly deduce from his books), which is fine. But he is a partisan playing the role of historian. And here, he simply did his part for the liberal cause by writing a campagn piece.

And by the way, Elizabeth of VA, if you don't want someone at the bottom of his class leading you, take a look at Joe Biden's standing in law school (81 out of 90 or something like that). Colin Powell was also at the bottom of his class in college. Are those two people really disqualified because of that? It's what you do after school that matters.

Truman was a failure in his time

Truman was considered a failure in his time and contemporaries of his laughed at his policies, lack of polish and downright closed-mindedness. Sounds a lot like Bush. Yes, there are differences, but similarities exist, too.

Only time will tell how Bush is judged in 50 or so years. He has about as much of a chance of getting rehabs from historians as Truman did when he left office. Put this post in your favorites and re-visit it in 2064. Then we'll know if Dallek is right. It is more likely than not that Dallek will be proven wrong, many times over.

One thing where Obama and Truman are similar -- they are both products of corrupt big-city political machines. Truman was the puppet of the Kansas City machine of his time and Obama is a puppet of the Chicago Dem machine of today. I admire Truman on many levels, including fighting the corruption of FDR's administration, but he also had failings due to his political upbringing in maching politics.