# Harry Truman's 1945 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201 "2016-10-11T00:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/1 "2016-10-11T00:58:30Z")
I am reading a volume of Harry Truman’s autobiography, _1945._ Was he the brilliant self educated historian and politician that he describes, or a red neck Senator who lucked out when FDR picked him for Vice President? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/2 "2016-10-11T02:59:32Z")
Yes. Although “redneck” might be a wee bit harsh. His advocacy for things like civil rights and some form of universal health care were genuine. I happen to be reading a biography of Lyndon Johnson right now and the author goes into some detail about Truman’s involvement in the 1952 and 1956 campaigns (after he left office.) Roughly paraphrasing, it seems that many Democratic politicians felt that Truman wanted to be acknowledged as the foremost Democratic authority on practically everything. There’s no disputing that Truman was a product of a political machine who got elected to the Senate because the Kansas City machine was better organized than the St. Louis machine. There’s also no disputing that he rose above it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/3 "2016-10-11T12:57:30Z")
Of all the Vice Presidents who took over as President, I am not sure how he ranks in terms of intelligence. John Tyler Millard Filmore Andrew Johnson Chester Arthur Theodore Roosevelt Calvin Coolidge - was this guy smart? I know he’s unpopular Harry Truman Lyndon Johnson - intimidating, aggressive. Smart? I’m ignorant of his history. Gerald Ford - portrayed as a goof. Obviously pretty smart, though. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/4 "2016-10-11T13:21:08Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Calvin Coolidge - was this guy smart? I know he’s unpopular He was very popular in his era (it helped that it was an economic boom time) and he certainly was a master of a subtle joke. Andrew Johnson was fairly smart, but his personality and political stances were a disaster for the country and he is clearly the worst president, mostly because the things he did in his presidency have ramifications we’re still trying to deal with. Given the list, though, TR would have to be on top, following by LBJ. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/5 "2016-10-11T14:36:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Andrew Johnson was fairly smart, but his personality and political stances were a disaster for the country and he is clearly the worst president, mostly because the things he did in his presidency have ramifications we’re still trying to deal with. Being a Southerner with a rapidly anti Southern Congress after the death of Lincoln does not make for success. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-trumans-1945/768201/6 "2016-10-11T15:55:28Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Being a Southerner with a rapidly anti Southern Congress after the death of Lincoln does not make for success. Being a Democrat didn’t help either. In the 1864 election, the Republicans renamed themselves the National Union Party and formed a coalition with pro-war Democrats. To promote this coalition, Lincoln, a Republican, named Johnson, a Democrat, as his running mate. But when the war ended, the coalition fell apart. And then Lincoln was killed and Johnson became the Democratic President in charge of a Republican administration.