President Truman in the 60s?

So I was wondering if Truman doesn't get on the ticket with FDR and someone else did instead (Scott Lucas? Alben Barkley?) also supposing that things from 1945-1960 largely stays the same and Truman stayed in the Senate could Truman get elected President in 1960?
 
Truman would be 76 in 1960, in a time where there were serious concerns about Eisenhower's health (who was "only" 70 years old) and where a younger generation of Democratic politicians had begun to oppose the "machine" politics of the older generation (in contrast, Truman was a proud machine politician). I would also suspect that his civil rights view would prove insufficiently to the increasingly-stronger civil rights supporters within the Democratic Party.

If Truman doesn't become VP and then P, the likely alternative is William Douglas.
 
Truman would be 76 in 1960, in a time where there were serious concerns about Eisenhower's health (who was "only" 70 years old) and where a younger generation of Democratic politicians had begun to oppose the "machine" politics of the older generation (in contrast, Truman was a proud machine politician). I would also suspect that his civil rights view would prove insufficiently to the increasingly-stronger civil rights supporters within the Democratic Party.

If Truman doesn't become VP and then P, the likely alternative is William Douglas.
To be fair Truman was 88 when he died in 1972 though you're right the stress might kill him. Still, let's say that Truman wins in1960 what does a 60s Truman administration look like presupposing that Truman serves two full terms and leaves office in 1969? What does he do differently from JFK and LBJ?
 

dcharles

Banned
To be fair Truman was 88 when he died in 1972 though you're right the stress might kill him. Still, let's say that Truman wins in1960 what does a 60s Truman administration look like presupposing that Truman serves two full terms and leaves office in 1969? What does he do differently from JFK and LBJ?

He wouldn't. He was old for his age.


Notice that he needs the cane *and* LBJ's arm to walk steady. That was 1966.
 
Like already stated Truman was already pretty old. He is not going to run. Yes, current POTUS was already nearby 80 when run and evne then it caused concerns. Imaginate someone same aged doing that 60 years earlier. If Truman doesn't become FDR's VP he probably remain pretty obscure or then run in 1952. Truman in 1950's would be bit more likely than in 1960's.
 
If he somehow made it, I expect a mix between “New Deal”-like social policies at home (a Fair Deal?) and a hawkish, anti communist foreign policy abroad. Most of his domestic agenda would probably be stifled because of the conservative coalition in any case, and abroad, I expect an escalation of the Vietnam War. Maybe less support for civil rights than IOTL, but I think that tide was set by 1960.
 
Well, without Truman as FDR's vp maybe Dewey (or whoever) wins in 1948. He suffers some of the same setbacks and is defeated in 1952. Truman meanwhile has built up a reputation in the party and is regarded as a well respected senator. In 1952 he is given the Democratic veep slot, and the ticket narrowly wins. They are reelected in 1956. The president dies shortly into his second term and Truman becomes the nation's oldest president. He does well enough that the party chooses to renominate him in 1960 for one final term, but with a young and energetic vp.
 
If Truman isn't on the 1944 ticket, he likely remains an obscure Missouri Senator. He may even lose re-election in 1946, which was a Republican wave year. IOTL, Truman's replacement lost to Republican James P. Kern: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_United_States_Senate_election_in_Missouri

Even so, it is certainly possible for Truman - who at that point had been an incumbent for 11 years - to stage an upset and win re-election. If so, he likely retains his seat in 1952 (the Democrats unseated Kern despite Eisenhower's victory nationally) and in 1958. By 1964, Truman would be 80 and I imagine he would want to retire. Regardless, I do not see Truman becoming President if he is not chosen to be FDR's Vice-President. Truman didn't have presidential ambitions and he even considered having Eisenhower run in his place on the Democratic ticket in 1948.
 
I don't believe he would run for president by himself.

Reading up on Truman's political career, I get the impression political opportunities just fell into his lap and he just took them; which he did. Getting into Senate was a hurdle in and of itself for Truman. His initial run for the Senate didn't have much hope until all the major potential frontrunners declined and the Democratic party bosses had to acquiesce to backing him, undoubtedly helping him win.

Truman would have been content to remain a Senator for the remainder of political career.
As a New deal democrat, he can thread the needle of balancing his support of civil rights and needing to maintain the South Democrats voting bloc during the 50s keep getting elected. That is until the civil rights issue of the 60s cleaves South Democrats away from the party in general, causing infighting that would give Republicans the edge. Truman would avoid a humiliating loss by retiring in 1964.
Going down in history simply as Missouri's 5 term senator.
 
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I think Truman remains a senator, though he does become well liked in Missouri. Maybe if he’s not selected in 44, he stays a senator and his next election is 1946. Not a good year. Maybe he instead runs for governor in 1950 or since he’s old enough, just retires. At best he has a nice office building named after him in Independence or Kansas City MO.
 
Also, I’m more interested what things look like if Truman was never VP. I haven’t heard of Scott Lucas, but he seems to be a decent choice. Democrat from a swing state at the time with a powerful Democratic Party machine helping him a bit. I don’t think he beats Dewey though. If Dewey wins I see it like this

33. Scott Lucas D 1945-49
34. Tom Dewey R 1949-57
35. Richard M. Nixon 1957-61
36. JFK 1961-1963
37. LBJ 1963-1969

Basically we see Lucas lose to Dewey, Dewey beats Stevenson in 52 while Nixon beats him in 56, but Nixon loses to Kennedy in 61. While it’s not quite like otl, JFK is still assassinated in 63 . 64 is an interesting year for the GOP as Nixon is still looking at a comeback but some think it’s time for Goldwater, though Nixon would probably be seen as the man who’d bridge the divide in the GOP. However, I’d still say Johnson wins and Nixon ends up sitting out. Not sure who’d be in by 68. For sure you’d see Reagan battling with Rockefeller types and maybe getting the nomination. Not sure who else would be a good candidate. Humphrey would do okay but might still be weak like in otl. If Humphrey wins though it’s Reagan in 72 more than likely and he’s probably in until 1980 but the democrats win if Iran still falls.
 
Also, I’m more interested what things look like if Truman was never VP. I haven’t heard of Scott Lucas, but he seems to be a decent choice. Democrat from a swing state at the time with a powerful Democratic Party machine helping him a bit. I don’t think he beats Dewey though. If Dewey wins I see it like this

33. Scott Lucas D 1945-49
34. Tom Dewey R 1949-57
35. Richard M. Nixon 1957-61
36. JFK 1961-1963
37. LBJ 1963-1969

Basically we see Lucas lose to Dewey, Dewey beats Stevenson in 52 while Nixon beats him in 56, but Nixon loses to Kennedy in 61. While it’s not quite like otl, JFK is still assassinated in 63 . 64 is an interesting year for the GOP as Nixon is still looking at a comeback but some think it’s time for Goldwater, though Nixon would probably be seen as the man who’d bridge the divide in the GOP. However, I’d still say Johnson wins and Nixon ends up sitting out. Not sure who’d be in by 68. For sure you’d see Reagan battling with Rockefeller types and maybe getting the nomination. Not sure who else would be a good candidate. Humphrey would do okay but might still be weak like in otl. If Humphrey wins though it’s Reagan in 72 more than likely and he’s probably in until 1980 but the democrats win if Iran still falls.

Agree that we should firstly ask what would happen if FDR decides either keep Wallace or pick another VP instead Truman. But I bit disagree yours idea on presidential list. Not sure if Nixon would runyet in 1956. And he might even win '60 election if wins '56. And if JFK is still elected he hardly is doomed to be assassinated.
 
Agree that we should firstly ask what would happen if FDR decides either keep Wallace or pick another VP instead Truman. But I bit disagree yours idea on presidential list. Not sure if Nixon would runyet in 1956. And he might even win '60 election if wins '56. And if JFK is still elected he hardly is doomed to be assassinated.
True. Granted I didn’t say assassinate. He might die of Addison’s. However, yeah I guess Nixon’s career would be delayed. Who then runs for the GOP in 56? Can’t think of who were the presidential hopefuls then.
 
True. Granted I didn’t say assassinate. He might die of Addison’s. However, yeah I guess Nixon’s career would be delayed. Who then runs for the GOP in 56? Can’t think of who were the presidential hopefuls then.
Earl Warren if he's still picked to be VP in 48 could run in 56.
 
Also, I’m more interested what things look like if Truman was never VP. I haven’t heard of Scott Lucas, but he seems to be a decent choice. Democrat from a swing state at the time with a powerful Democratic Party machine helping him a bit. I don’t think he beats Dewey though. If Dewey wins I see it like this

33. Scott Lucas D 1945-49
34. Tom Dewey R 1949-57
35. Richard M. Nixon 1957-61
36. JFK 1961-1963
37. LBJ 1963-1969

Basically we see Lucas lose to Dewey, Dewey beats Stevenson in 52 while Nixon beats him in 56, but Nixon loses to Kennedy in 61. While it’s not quite like otl, JFK is still assassinated in 63 . 64 is an interesting year for the GOP as Nixon is still looking at a comeback but some think it’s time for Goldwater, though Nixon would probably be seen as the man who’d bridge the divide in the GOP. However, I’d still say Johnson wins and Nixon ends up sitting out. Not sure who’d be in by 68. For sure you’d see Reagan battling with Rockefeller types and maybe getting the nomination. Not sure who else would be a good candidate. Humphrey would do okay but might still be weak like in otl. If Humphrey wins though it’s Reagan in 72 more than likely and he’s probably in until 1980 but the democrats win if Iran still falls.

FDR's second choice in 1944 was Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas. If Truman isn't available, I think FDR would pick Douglas.

If Douglas becomes President, then you don't get his decision in Griswold.
 
Didn’t he want to be a Supreme Court justice though?
I think he only took the job IOTL because A. He was getting old and B. Wasn't getting anywhere near the White House. In a timeline where Dewey wins in 48, he would be the sitting Vice President and would stand a pretty good shot of getting elected President.
 
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