The strange case of Mitt Romney’s multiple 1948 personalities

The Daily Caller ^ | February 27, 2012 | David Pietrusza

[statestreet]

It is a rare Midwestern morning when a major candidate can conjure up to comparisons to three candidates from a single past presidential election.

But Mitt Romney’s bizarre recent Ford Field appearance somehow managed to remind historians of not one, not two, but three major contenders in 1948’s historic presidential contest: the over-confident Thomas E. Dewey, the scrappy Harry S. Truman and the dour conservative Robert A. Taft.

Now, general Mitt Romney-Tom Dewey comparisons are nothing new. Both Romney and Dewey served as moderate-to-liberal Eastern Republican governors. Both featured bland, poll-driven messages. Both had repeatedly sought the presidency (Dewey in 1940, 1944 and 1948). Both were born in Michigan but headed east for greener pastures.

[statestreet]

From February 2012.

[Borges]

Wasn’t Henry Wallace also a big player in the 1948 election?

[Perdogg]

yes he ran under the Progressive party.

[princeofdarkness]

If there was no Obama, Henry Wallace would have probably won in 2008 and 2012 with no problem. That’s how bad the electorate has gotten.

[x]

It is a rare Midwestern morning when a major candidate can conjure up to comparisons to three candidates from a single past presidential election.

But Mitt Romney’s bizarre recent Ford Field appearance somehow managed to remind historians of not one, not two, but three major contenders in 1948’s historic presidential contest: the over-confident Thomas E. Dewey, the scrappy Harry S. Truman and the dour conservative Robert A. Taft.

__________________

Only if you've got a stupid book about the 1948 elections to flog.

Why are you recycling this old attack piece anyway?

[Borges]

Wallace eventually endorsed Nixon in 1960.

[Cincinnatus]

Maybe Romney should have read the book.

[x]

Sure. Everybody has all the answers on the day after the big game and can say what should have been done and what shouldn't have been done. But the right course isn't obvious beforehand.

You try one strategy. It wins you some votes. It loses you others. People always say afterwards that you should have done what they (now) think you should have done. But if you'd tried that and it didn't work they'll say you should have done something else that they think (after the fact) would have worked.

I don't have much patience with cheap shots today.

[Patton@Bastogne]

Romney’s shout ... “Thomas Dewey, you magnificent bastard !!!”

[T-Bird45]

Sucky article from a sucky website...won’t be fooled again.

[conservativebuckeye]

Makes sense, since in a lot of ways, Nixon was a socialist.

[Psalm 144]

“Maybe Romney should have read the book.”

Well.

Now he has the spare time.