Truman calls for JFK to step aside

Post by John Corbett
I just posted a video of JFK responding to calls by Harry Truman for him
to step aside prior to the 1960 convention. I just found the address
Truman gave that he was responding to.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=jfk+criticism+by+harry+truma&docid=608006200953539423&mid=21132D83AF776CB27E5A21132D83AF776CB27E5A&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
What I find interesting is that Truman's concern was that there would be a
convention with a pre-ordained outcome. For at least the last three
decades that has been the rule and conventions have become nothing more
than coronations (very boring coronations). That wasn't always the way. It
used to be common for the outcome to be at least somewhat in doubt going
into the convention. The last time that happened was at the 1976
convention when Reagan tried to unseat Ford. Since then without exception,
it has been the rule in both major parties for everyone but the front
runner to step aside for the sake of party unity. Usually that has
happened well before the convention.
It is my hope to at least once before I die to see a brokered major party
convention. Early on it looked like that might happen to the Democrats in
2020 but Biden with the help of the DNC, crushed all effective opposition
on Super Tuesday and the outcome was no longer in doubt. I doubt I will
ever get my wish.

It's pretty stunning to think that a former president would come out at
the start of a convention and openly oppose a candidate for the
nomination. Imagine that today?

I think Truman was opposed to the Kennedys (all of them; he particularly
disliked Joe Sr.) for more than his concern that the nomination was
pre-determined. That was just largely a cover. We had that exchange
earlier about the liberal opposition to JFK with a major part of it having
to do with his (and RFK's) relationship with McCarthy. And Truman, whether
we can call him a liberal or not, was among that opposition. Truman was
incensed that Eisenhower didn't denounce McCarthy enough particularly
after McCarthy accused Marshall of being a traitor, a Soviet agent. I
don't think he liked the ruthlessness of the Kennedys either, particularly
RFKs.

RFK was devastated over JFK's death. That's because in my view he
connected it to the anti-Castro plots that he and his brother were behind.
This defense of them, that they weren't aware of the plots, doesn't have
much merit in my view. They knew what was going on. The Kennedys could be
utterly ruthless if they wanted something. Joe Sr. taught them that way.

John Corbett

2021-01-06 06:05:48 UTC

It's pretty stunning to think that a former president would come out at
the start of a convention and openly oppose a candidate for the
nomination. Imagine that today?
I think Truman was opposed to the Kennedys (all of them; he particularly
disliked Joe Sr.) for more than his concern that the nomination was
pre-determined. That was just largely a cover. We had that exchange
earlier about the liberal opposition to JFK with a major part of it having
to do with his (and RFK's) relationship with McCarthy. And Truman, whether
we can call him a liberal or not, was among that opposition. Truman was
incensed that Eisenhower didn't denounce McCarthy enough particularly
after McCarthy accused Marshall of being a traitor, a Soviet agent. I
don't think he liked the ruthlessness of the Kennedys either, particularly
RFKs.
RFK was devastated over JFK's death. That's because in my view he
connected it to the anti-Castro plots that he and his brother were behind.
This defense of them, that they weren't aware of the plots, doesn't have
much merit in my view. They knew what was going on. The Kennedys could be
utterly ruthless if they wanted something. Joe Sr. taught them that way.

One other point is that Truman and Ike disliked each other intensely to
the point it almost makes Obama's relationship to Trump seem almost chummy
by comparison. On the morning of his inauguration when it is customary for
the incoming president to pay a courtesy visit to the outgoing president
at the White House, Ike chose to stay in his car and wait for Truman to
come out for their ride to the Capitol Building. Eventually they did bury
the hatchet but it took years for that to happen.

Steve M. Galbraith

2021-01-06 20:15:00 UTC

It's pretty stunning to think that a former president would come out at
the start of a convention and openly oppose a candidate for the
nomination. Imagine that today?
I think Truman was opposed to the Kennedys (all of them; he particularly
disliked Joe Sr.) for more than his concern that the nomination was
pre-determined. That was just largely a cover. We had that exchange
earlier about the liberal opposition to JFK with a major part of it having
to do with his (and RFK's) relationship with McCarthy. And Truman, whether
we can call him a liberal or not, was among that opposition. Truman was
incensed that Eisenhower didn't denounce McCarthy enough particularly
after McCarthy accused Marshall of being a traitor, a Soviet agent. I
don't think he liked the ruthlessness of the Kennedys either, particularly
RFKs.
RFK was devastated over JFK's death. That's because in my view he
connected it to the anti-Castro plots that he and his brother were behind.
This defense of them, that they weren't aware of the plots, doesn't have
much merit in my view. They knew what was going on. The Kennedys could be
utterly ruthless if they wanted something. Joe Sr. taught them that way.

Truman was never invited to the Eisenhower White House over the eight
years. That was a deliberate slight. Truman attacked Ike for what he
believed was Ike's failure to fully denounce McCarthy. Ike was furious
that his integrity was called into question publicly by Truman. It was all
downhill from there. There's a book called "The President's Club" which
recounts the relationships between/among presidents, how they interacted,
how they consulted one another. Truman and Ike detested one another, the
hatred was intense. It was only until they attended JFK's funeral that
they set aside their differences.

It's interesting too that during the missile crisis that JFK phone
Eisenhower several times asking for advice and keeping him informed. He
called Truman too but it was a perfunctory call. I think JFK was still
stung by Truman's opposition to his nomination.

John Corbett

2021-01-07 05:59:44 UTC

It's pretty stunning to think that a former president would come out at
the start of a convention and openly oppose a candidate for the
nomination. Imagine that today?
I think Truman was opposed to the Kennedys (all of them; he particularly
disliked Joe Sr.) for more than his concern that the nomination was
pre-determined. That was just largely a cover. We had that exchange
earlier about the liberal opposition to JFK with a major part of it having
to do with his (and RFK's) relationship with McCarthy. And Truman, whether
we can call him a liberal or not, was among that opposition. Truman was
incensed that Eisenhower didn't denounce McCarthy enough particularly
after McCarthy accused Marshall of being a traitor, a Soviet agent. I
don't think he liked the ruthlessness of the Kennedys either, particularly
RFKs.
RFK was devastated over JFK's death. That's because in my view he
connected it to the anti-Castro plots that he and his brother were behind.
This defense of them, that they weren't aware of the plots, doesn't have
much merit in my view. They knew what was going on. The Kennedys could be
utterly ruthless if they wanted something. Joe Sr. taught them that way.

Truman was never invited to the Eisenhower White House over the eight
years. That was a deliberate slight. Truman attacked Ike for what he
believed was Ike's failure to fully denounce McCarthy. Ike was furious
that his integrity was called into question publicly by Truman. It was all
downhill from there. There's a book called "The President's Club" which
recounts the relationships between/among presidents, how they interacted,
how they consulted one another. Truman and Ike detested one another, the
hatred was intense. It was only until they attended JFK's funeral that
they set aside their differences.
It's interesting too that during the missile crisis that JFK phone
Eisenhower several times asking for advice and keeping him informed. He
called Truman too but it was a perfunctory call. I think JFK was still
stung by Truman's opposition to his nomination.

The relationship between the two started off well. After the end of the
war, Truman tabbed Ike to replace George Marshall as Army Chief of Staff.
After Ike retired to become president of Columbia University, Truman
persuaded him to take command of NATO. Truman even encouraged Ike to run
for president as a Democrat in 1952, apparently already deciding against a
third term even though he was exempt from the new term limit amendment by
a grandfather clause. Eventually Ike decided to run for the Republican
nomination instead. In support of Stevenson, Truman made some sharp
attacks against Ike. Not being a career politician Ike failed to
understand that is the nature of politics and that is when their
relationship soured and it went downhill from there. One of Ike's
subordinates encouraged the two men to come to a truce. They buried the
hatchet once and for all at JFK's funeral.

Steve M. Galbraith

2021-01-07 16:32:58 UTC