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

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I realize that this post is a year late, but I have to speak to the passionate Jeff. I had the considerable privilege of studying under Professor Dallek at UCLA, in undergraduate and graduate courses. He was also my advisor for directed studies in American diplomatic history. I have read all of his books and scholarly articles. i am always delighted when I see him as part of political commentaries on the events of the day. Mr. Jeff, do yourself a favor, shut up, study and then present your fair conclusions. You have insulted one of the great historians of all time.

John Potter UCLA 1972,1975 of NY 11:05AM September 11, 2009

GB

John of WI 10:52AM February 19, 2009

Republicans are reaping the rewards of greed when they let ceos of hugh banks do whatever they wanted. McCain doesn't have a clue.

jhanken of SC 12:19PM October 22, 2008

Jeff: Re: Your questioning of Robert Dallek's pedigree. I met him many years back, when I decided to return and get my graduate degree. Anyone with any knowledge of presidential historians of the 20 century, knows Dallek and his 15+ books on the subject. I guess prior to McCain's choice of Palin, you obviously knew more about her and her secessionist husband, then the rest of us? I take offense to your typical GOP sentiments on Truman, because Dallek's article is spot on. Truman had cred's and wasn't afraid to buck the system. He definitely would've had the brains to keep us out of Iraq, but then I guess that's your cross to bear. As a 2 tour Vietnam veteran, it will be a cold day in the innermost (9th) circle, before I would consider voting for McCain the party maverick. Besides, his temperament, his VP choice of Palin sealed the deal.

Nic Altiero of LA 8:13PM October 20, 2008

Harry Truman had only "S" as a middle initial without a period

kim h of FL 11:12AM October 20, 2008

DEAR READERS-
MANY THOUGHT TRUMAN UNABLE TO BE PRESIDENT. DALLEK ( A KNOWN HISTORY WRITER ON U.S. AFFAIRS) IS CORRECT. WHY F.D.R. CHOOSE HIM IN 1944 NOT LIKING HARRY TRUMAN TOO MUCH. HE DID WELL ON F.D.R'S DEATH. GOV. PALIN FITS THE SAME BILL IF NEEDED IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN!
ROBERT JONES
U.S.HISTORY MAJOR

ROBERT JONES of IL 1:18AM October 20, 2008

...is Robert Dallek anyway? I mean, really. Listen, Bob, kiddo, get a grip. In what kind of fantasy world do you live? Truman would have looked at Barack "Do you have any idea who I think I am?" Obama and slapped him upside his punk ass, if you'll forgive my use of the vernacular. He would have seen him for the snake-oil salesman that he is. And I'm pretty sure from watching this wretched, unchecked media coronation he would be doing double back flips in his grave. He was not the great (read: slick) orator that Obama is, and is best remembered for his folksy colloquialisms. Sound like anyone? Darn right. And he improbably came from behind in his re-election bid, some say because the polling was flawed. Again, could this be history repeating itself? And remember, Bob, that the Democratic party in the late 40's was anything but your "Great Society" failure of the late 60's. The closest thing to Harry and Barack was support of the labor unions (which were actually useful in that very narrow economy) and a support of universal health care. Oh, and their political careers were born of notoriously corrupt Democratic machines. Other than that, he would have had Barack Obama pegged for what he really is: an empty suit with nothing to say but empty, populist/socialist platitudes: "Hope...Change...Hope...Change". Oh, Harry would have loved that. About as much as a pencil in the eye. If he was still around I could imagine him waking up on November 5, 2008 and saying, "Are you kidding me? You elected that idiot? Are you serious? Or insane?"
As far as your ridiculous "containment" policy, are you a moron outright, or just pretending to be one for the hell of it? He started, unilaterally, the Korean War, because he knew the U.N. would be too impotent, out of their own self interests, to act. If he hadn't, that wacko up in North Korea would have had one really big, really dark country instead of what he has now. And for people to complain that the Iraq War has been going on a while, technically The Korean War is still going on. Seriously. Think about. Besides that, the DMZ situation is, has been and always will be tenuous at best, until somebody with the stones decides otherwise. So, most of your observations are patently untrue. If you want to write a responsible op-ed piece, do some research, you hack. I would start with "Dear Bess: The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman" or either one of his memoirs, both good reading. However, if you want to be an cheerleader for this piece of will turn out to be a useless hack of a president (and yes, I used a small "p" on "p"urpose, and I will use that small "p" until he's out of office, if he makes it to the finish line - oh, that's been bought and paid for, so never mind), go work for Keith Olbermann.

Jeff of IL 2:43AM October 19, 2008

I READ TRUMANS BOOK, HE DEEPLY ABHORRED REPUBLICAN DILETTANTES LIKE PALIN. HE SAID SUCH CHRACTERS WERE GOOD FOR NOTHING.
HE WAS AS FRANK AND HONEST AS OBAMA. HE WAS NOT PERFECT, BUT IN POLITICS NO ONE IS.
IT SEEMS MCCAIN EXPECTS A LAST MINUTE REVERSAL LIKE THE ONE TRUMAN PULLED. BUT TRUMAN WAS RATHER POOR BEFORE HE GOT INTO POLITICS. INSTEAD MCCAIN WAS BORN AND GREW UP RICH. HE IS STILL A MULTIMILLIONAIRE. HE KNOWS LITTLE OF LIVING POOR.
PALIN LIVES IN LUXURY TOO. SHE IS NO MIDDLE CLASS WORKER. INSTEAD OBAMA KNOWS WHAT GROWING UP POOR IS LIKE. HE SHARES THAT WITH MOST AMERICANS WHO STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE, EVEN MIDDLE CLASS WORKERS WHO HAVE TO PAY EXHORBITANT PRICES FOR DAILY EXPENSES WHILE THEIR SOLDIERS ARE KILLED ABROAD.

TSCHRNY WOLF of MD 4:57PM October 18, 2008

SARAH PALIN, TRUMAN? HHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HE WAS A MAN, SHE IS A WOMAN! OR SHE/HE IS A TRANSVESTITE? PLUS TRUMAN WAS A DEMOCRAT,NOT A REPUBLICAN. HOW MENTALLY LIMITED IS SHE? WILL SHE NEXT TIME CLAIM SHE IS QUEEN MARY? :)))))))))))))))))))))))

TSCHRNY WOLF of MD 4:39PM October 18, 2008

Truman is the first president I remember.
I have a degree in Social Science so I think I can comment on President Trumans grasp of history.
It was tremendous, with a grasp of ancient Greek History that transcends mine. I doubt that I would bow to the expertise of Govenor Palin.

larry jackson of IN 9:42PM October 17, 2008