Happy Birthday Harry Truman!

[gblowfish]

Happy Birthday to my favorite president, the Man from Independence.

From Yahoo today:

Harry Truman went from being a county judge to deciding to use atomic warfare at World War II’s end. Here’s a quick look at 10 facts about Truman’s sudden ascendency to the White House—and the deal with his middle name.

Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri. He died at the age of 88 in Independence, Missouri in 1972.

Ten things you probably didn't know about Harry:

1. Truman was a war hero who saw action in battle. Truman wanted to go to West Point, but poor eyesight kept him from the academy. He enlisted in the National Guard and was an artillery commander during World War I.

2. He wasn’t a success in private business. Truman worked at several jobs, including running a sewing supply shop, farming, and clerking at a bank, until he became a county judge in Missouri.

3. Truman wasn’t a first-choice candidate for the Senate. Kansas City political boss Tom Pendergast was turned down by four other possible candidates in 1934 when he sought a candidate to support for a U.S. Senate election. Truman won office by actively hitting the campaign trail.

4. Truman overcame steep odds to win the 1940 Senate election. When Truman’s political ally, Pendergrast, was convicted for tax evasion in 1939, few people thought Truman stood a chance of getting re-elected in Missouri. Again, Truman hit the campaign trail, spoke about his war record and experience as a common man in the Senate, and pulled off another upset.

5. Truman used a key Senate committee to rise to power. At the age of 57, Truman took over a special committee to monitor wasteful spending at business, labor, and government agencies during the World War II. He quickly became a household name as the head of the “Truman Committee.”

6. Truman wasn’t a top candidate for vice president. In 1944, the current vice president, Henry Wallace, was out of favor with many Democrats. Supreme Court Justice William Douglas was FDR’s preferred candidate, and Alben Barkley and James Byrnes were other strong candidates. Truman was a compromise selection who Roosevelt didn’t know well.

7. Roosevelt kept Truman in the dark about war matters. As vice president, Truman had little contact with the president and was asked to mostly deal with matters in the Senate. After FDR died, Truman had to find out the basic facts about the wars in Europe and Asia, and the nation’s secret atomic program.

8. The 1948 election upset wasn’t really an upset. Truman was expected to lose to Republican Thomas Dewey, at least in the eyes of the media. After trailing in public opinion polls, Truman launched an extensive national media campaign that put him back in contention. Before that point, pollsters stopped conducting polls, and didn’t measure the surge for Truman. The rest is history.

9. Truman survived an assassination attempt. Two Puerto Rico nationalists tried to kill Truman in 1950 when he was staying at Blair House while the White House was under renovation. A White House guard died as he killed one attacker. The other attacker was captured. Truman heard the gun fight from his room.

10. Truman had an unusual middle initial. Truman’s parents gave him a middle name of “S” after they couldn’t agree on a middle name as a tribute to relatives whose names both started with the letter “S.” Officially, the “S” is followed by a period: “Harry S. Truman.” That’s because Truman used a period with the letter “S” in his correspondence.

[Donger]

War criminal.

[Chief_For_Life58]

http://static.tumblr.com/fnuhm29/8Wellig0d/applause.gif

[Halfcan]

The Truman Library is amazing. So much history there. Truman was a top 5 president for sure.

[Old Dog]

The Truman Library is amazing. So much history there. Truman was a top 5 president for sure.

Top 10 I would agree with, but not top 5

[Old Dog]

Lincoln
Washington
F. Roosevelt
Jefferson
Jackson
T. Roosevelt
Wilson



Then John Adams, Truman, Eisenhower, and L. Johnson, would battle for the final three spots in the top 10, but well behind Wilson at #7.

[Halfcan]

Top 10 I would agree with, but not top 5

1. Washington
2. Lincoln
3. Jefferson
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. Truman
6. FDR
7. Wilson
8. Andrew Jackson
9. John Adams
10. Alexander Hamilton

[Chief_For_Life58]

1) Bush
2) Bush Sr.
3) Washington
4) Jefferson
5) Truman

[alpha_omega]

9. Truman survived an assassination attempt. Two Puerto Rico nationalists tried to kill Truman in 1950 when he was staying at Blair House while the White House was under renovation. A White House guard died as he killed one attacker. The other attacker was captured. Truman heard the gun fight from his room.

You learn something new every day.

[Dayze]

William Henry Harrison. He was badass for about 45 days.

[Donger]

I'm always amazed when people put FDR anywhere near the top.

[Prison Bitch]

Wilson?!?!?!? Lmfao

[keg in kc]

Yep, I'm in the midwest.

[Dave Lane]

I'm always amazed when people put FDR anywhere near the top.

FDR was top 5 without question.

[Donger]

FDR was top 5 without question.

Okay.

[Dave Lane]

William Henry Harrison. He was badass for about 45 days.

Gave his inaugural speech in cold weather without an over coat to prove how tough he was that his age didn't matter and then died from it.

Epic fail or epic win?

[Old Dog]

I'm always amazed when people put FDR anywhere near the top.

Yeah, the four term guy who helped lead the country through WWII, and under who the "New Deal" programs were created clearly shouldn't be listed anywhere near the top. /sarcasm

[Dave Lane]

Okay.

Glad you agree now what's your top 10?

[Donger]

Yeah, the four term guy who helped lead the country through WWII, and under who the "New Deal" programs were created clearly shouldn't be listed anywhere near the top. /sarcasm

Well, you listed two reasons why I'd not have him anywhere near the top.

[Old Dog]

Well, you listed two reasons why I'd not have him anywhere near the top.

being intentionally obtuse suits you well

[Dave Lane]

The Truman Library is amazing. So much history there. Truman was a top 5 president for sure.

Top 20 maybe.

[Rausch]

Apparently he also went ape-$#it crazy when people made fun of his fat daughter.

Rage type angry...

[Rasputin]

I did a history report on Harry Ass Truman for history class. Think I got a B or a C maybe an A I don't remember?

[Rausch]

War criminal.

President with fucking testicles that could win a war...

http://www.gifsforum.com/images/gif/gtfo/grand/gtfo-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-2720.gif

[Dave Lane]

1) Bush
2) Bush Sr.
3) Washington
4) Jefferson
5) Truman

ROFLROFL:clap:

[Donger]

Glad you agree now what your top 10?

Washington (not even close).
Lincoln
Jefferson
Eisenhower
Teddy
JFK
Jackson
Reagan
Nixon
Clinton

[Donger]

President with ****ing testicles that could win a war...

http://www.gifsforum.com/images/gif/gtfo/grand/gtfo-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-2720.gif

He didn't know what he was doing, really.

[Donger]

being intentionally obtuse suits you well

There's nothing obtuse about it.

[Dave Lane]

1. Washington
2. Lincoln
3. Jefferson
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. FDR
6. Wilson
7. Kennedy
8. Andrew Jackson
9. John Adams
10. Alexander Hamilton

[Rausch]

Washington (not even close).
Lincoln
Jefferson
Eisenhower
Teddy
JFK
Jackson
Reagan
Nixon
Clinton

Why the fuck would you even consider Clinton or Nixon?

Hell, Reagan actually accomplished $3it and I wouldn't put him in the top 10.

Take the rest of the day off, wash your dirty ass legs, and don't leave your fucking basement until you've finished an old school encyclopedia set...

[Dave Lane]

Washington (not even close).
Lincoln
Jefferson
Eisenhower
Teddy
JFK
Jackson
Reagan
Nixon
Clinton

Nixon top 10 holy mother of god.

ROFLROFL

[Donger]

Why the **** would you even consider Clinton or Nixon?

Hell, Reagan actually accomplished $3it and I wouldn't put him in the top 10.

Take the rest of the day off, wash your dirty ass legs, and don't leave your ****ing basement until you've finished an old school encyclopedia set...

Nixon, besides the whole Watergate thing (and being just generally creepy) did quite well. China and ending Vietnam, namely.

Clinton has grown on me over the years.

Reagan finished the Cold War, although ballooned the debt.

[BlackHelicopters]

Happy BD Harry. Enjoy?

[Rausch]

No one mentions Grant.

Not really all that important a guy.

Helped to win the Civil War, oversaw the fucking 15th ammendment (allowing Geno Smith the right to vote,) and was the first president to actively go after the KKK.

Grant made many advances in civil and human rights. In 1869 and 1871, he signed bills promoting black voting rights and prosecuting Klan leaders. He won passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, which gave freedmen the vote, and the Ku Klux Klan Act, which empowered the president "to arrest and break up disguised night marauders."

There are no records of him slaying vampires. I'll admit to that.

[gblowfish]

If I had to pick top ten, I'd pick the following guys:
Note: I won't put them in order of most important. I think that's hard to do. Each had his own trials and troubles based on his era.

Washington
Jefferson
Jackson
Polk
Lincoln
Teddy Roosevelt
FDR
Truman
Ike
JFK

Polk is my sleeper. The greatest land addition in territory to the USA happened under Polk, not under Jefferson.

[gblowfish]

No one mentions Grant.

Not really all that important a guy.

Helped to win the Civil War, oversaw the ****ing 15th ammendment (allowing Geno Smith the right to vote,) and was the first president to actively go after the KKK.

Lincoln gets all the kudos for the Civil War. But Grant helped stabilize the country, as Lincoln's VP Johnson was the first Prez to get impeached.

Grant helped bring a sense of order and calm to the beginning of reconstruction. The thing that hurt Grant was corruption in his cabinet and underlings. He was a lot like Ike. Much better (and happier) as a military man than an administrator.

[Prison Bitch]

Yeah, the four term guy who helped lead the country through WWII, and under who the "New Deal" programs were created clearly shouldn't be listed anywhere near the top. /sarcasm

But they failed. Why should he be credited with installing failing programs, just because they were made into law?

[Rausch]

Lincoln gets all the kudos for the Civil War. But Grant helped stabilize the country, as Lincoln's VP Johnson was the first Prez to get impeached.

Grant helped bring a sense of order and calm to the beginning of reconstruction. The thing that hurt Grant was corruption in his cabinet and underlings. He was a lot like Ike. Much better (and happier) as a military man than an administrator.

Grant almost openly allowed business to run as it wanted and business then was as corrupt as it could get.

He weighed his options and made a decision...

[gblowfish]

Of the top ten presidential "scandals", Grant had three of them -according to this website, anyway...

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/uspresidents/tp/presidential_scandals.htm

[Donger]

No one mentions Grant.

:spock:

Didn't you just give me a hard time for putting Nixon in my list?

[Halfcan]

Washington (not even close).
Lincoln
Jefferson
Eisenhower
Teddy
JFK
Jackson
Reagan
Nixon
Clinton

ROFL

Two presidents that had sex with women in office- 1 that was impeached and considered the worst crook ever- and Reagan an actor who pretended to be a president.

[Donger]

1 that was impeached and considered the worst crook ever

Who?

[Titty Meat]

Truman sucked.

[Halfcan]

Who?

oh sorry - resigned and then pardoned-lol

[Sully]

I'm not sure #2 on the OP list is correct.
In his biography, iirc, Truman was doing pretty well as a banker (I think he was just a teller), and was very happy in that job, and making good money, but his father forced him to leave to help on their farm down in Grandview.

[gblowfish]

I'm not sure #2 on the OP list is correct.
In his biography, iirc, Truman was doing pretty well as a banker (I think he was just a teller), and was very happy in that job, and making good money, but his father forced him to leave to help on their farm down in Grandview.

Harry worked as a teen at Clinton's Drug Store on the Independence Square. He also was co-owner of a men's clothing store with his army buddy Eddie Jacobson in downtown KC. He also speculated in oil when he was a young man.

He married waaaaaay above his station in life. His wife to be Bess Wallace came from one of the wealthiest families in Independence. Harry got into politics mainly because he wanted to be a respectable husband for Bess, and have a job worthy of her family's place in society.

[Dave Lane]

Who?

That would be Clinton and Nixon I believe.

A paranoid sociopath is the only way to describe Nixon.

[Donger]

That would be Clinton and Nixon I believe.

A paranoid sociopath is the only way to describe Nixon.

Nixon wasn't impeached.

[Pepe Silvia]

My Dad said when he was a kid Harry Truman used to go to most of the sporting events at municipal auditorium, he used to be able to go up to him and shake his hand and have a few words with him. In those days they weren't surrounded by as much security, pretty cool.

[Spott]

Didn't realize there were this many people on CP that were old enough to have been alive when Truman was president.

[gblowfish]

Nixon wasn't impeached.

He certainly would have been if he had not resigned. He resigned because the votes were secured for successful impeachment.

[Donger]

He certainly would have been if he had not resigned. He resigned because the votes were secured for successful impeachment.

I know.

[FD]

I'm 2/3rd of the way through the McCullough biography right now. He was a very fascinating individual and a great president.

[Nzoner]

Best movie I've ever seen about a President was HBO's Truman starring Gary Sinise,he even won best actor at the Golden Globes for a tv movie.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fpW_uth2sCE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[OrtonsPiercedTaint]

The Wilson love is a surprise. Teddy had some huge balls.