Give 'em hell Harry. ------------------------ In the middle of WW2, when Harry Truman became president, people wondered how such an ordinary man could ever become president: "If Harry Truman can be president, - so could my next door neighbor." But, as David McCulloughs wonderful Truman biography explains - there is absolutely nothing wrong about a "common man" becoming president. Quoting Senator Adlai Stevenson: "The 'lesson' of Trumans life, was a lesson about ourselves. An object lesson in the vitality of popular government; An example of society yielding up, from unremarkable origins, the most remarkable man." From sunday school and own reading of the Bible Harry Truman knew many bible passages by heart: "Ye are the salt of the Earth.... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works." And prayers like: "Oh! Almighty and Everlasting God, creator of heaven, Earth and Universe: Help me to be, to think, to act what is right, because it is right, make me truthful, honest and honerable in all things; make me intellectually honest for the sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me. Give me the ability to be charitable, forgiving and patient with my fellowmen - help me to understand their motives and their shortcomings - even as Thou understandest mine! Amen." From what we can gather from McCulloughs biography - Harry Truman actually believed and lived by these words! Words he combined with his midwestern belief in the values of the farmer. Before him, Thomas Jefferson had believed in a nation of farmers - Harry Truman did as well. In Jeffersons words: ".. as long as a country is one of that kind, people are independent and make better citizens. When it is made up of factories and large cities, it soon becomes depressed and makes classes among people." - Still, Truman was placed in a world that was anything but simple. But, it was a world that was in absolute need of his (simple) values and judgement. Trouble was never far away. His wife Bess' father kills himself age 43, by putting a gun to his head, leaving behind 4 children. No reason given, except a drinking problem. Harry Trumans father is not that good with money - So, no college for bright Harry, instead he gets 10 years of hard work on the family farm. His escape - even with a very poor eyesight - is to WW1 France and the war horrors there. Home again he marries sweetheart Bess. And opens a business that fails in 1922. Leaving him broke and strapped for money for 20 years, Eventually, he enters politics - settles as a local Missouri judge, when fortune offers him to run as a US senator - a race which he surprisingly wins 2 times. And in 1944, at the Chicago Convention, democratic bosses selects Truman as VP candidate. Ambassadorships and postermaster jobs etc. are promised around, in order to make the deal go through. However corrupt some of this might seem - somehow it doesn't cling to Truman, who is then elected VP - As always, he escapes intact. So much so, as when asked about his feelings about the current president Roosevelt - Harry Truman answers (obviously not in public) that he has only one objection - that Roosevelt lies. When Roosevelt dies an old man age 63. Truman takes over - a young man of 60. With the remark to reporters : "Boys if you pray, pray for me now." With WW2 still on he offers the 48 presidency to Eisenhower. But still he is the one to make the decisions. And he does nuke Japan - making historians remember that he did use the "n-word" and was not respectful towards chinese back home in Missouri. Still, in Trumans mind that was the only way to stop the war in the east without another million dead american soldiers. Whatever other people said, he was happy about the decision. Afterwards, there was still no lack of problems. The Berlin crisis, the Korean war. etc. And yet reporters remarked that "everyday is a mothers day in the White House under Truman". No matter what goes on in the world, the president never fails to call back to see how things are back home on the farm. Against all odds he is reelected president in 48. Backed by fellow democrats like Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Ronald Reagan (later to become a republican). Standing for a government for the people and against special interest. When MacArthur threathens to go for an all out war with the chinese in Korea he is fired by Truman, who tells the world "that civilian leadership is above military leadership." Almost, always well composed - When assassins from Puerto Rico tries to kill him, and when all leading newspapers are certain that he will loose - Only when a music critic says his daughters singing is no good - Then he explodes. Making the picture perfect of Harry the man, who became president. A real person. Personally, I was amazed when I visited his home in Independence, Missouri in 2002 - that it was actually the home of Harry Truman the president. It somehow seemed to small and humble. After reading the McCullough book I see it fitted the man. Surely, democracy is an amazing thing. In the 48 campaign for presicency someone cheered him on with a "Give 'em hell, Harry". After reading the book you see why people would do that. Review on Amazon: Five stars out of five. - Simon Simon Laub http://home18.inet.tele.dk/silanian Oct 2nd. 2007 Truman David McCullough Simon and Schuster paperbacks. www.simonlaub.net