WI: Someone other than Wallace or Truman?

[Vidal]

There are a great many threads on the board that deal with the prospect of FDR dying earlier, making Wallace president. Or Wallace holding onto the vice presidency at the 1944 Democratic National Convention. What's not as often discussed is a scenario in which neither ends up as the nominee.

Bill Douglas and Truman were both deemed acceptable by FDR. Douglas, some feared, would alienate the South too much. Alternatively, Jim Byrnes had the opposite problem and it was thought he'd alienate Black voters and Catholic voters.

Who is the most likely alternative to Wallace/Truman? Do they have a viable path to the veep nomination? And what does their eventual presidency look like?

 

[The Tai-Pan]

Just a quick glance at the 1940 convention reveals this guy was in 2nd place with VP ballots.

William B. Bankhead - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

'William Brockman Bankhead (April 12, 1874 – September 15, 1940) was an American politician who served as the 42nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1936 to 1940, representing Alabama's 10th and later 7th congressional districts as a Democrat from 1917 to 1940. Bankhead was a prominent supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal of pro-labor union legislation, thus clashing with most other Southern Democrats in Congress at the time.[1] Bankhead described himself as proud to be a politician, by which he meant that he did not neglect matters that concerned his district or reelection'.

Wiki also mentions FDR approached Cordell Hull.

 

[marktaha]

Alban Barkley?

 

[Seandineen]

My money's on Douglas? If not him Barkley. It won't happen but i'f Willkie doesn't get the gop, nod, perhaps a ticket of national unity.

 

[Vidal]

Bankhead died in 1940. I am looking for an alternative at the 44 convention.

I don't think Barkley was a realistic possibility. He and Roosevelt's relationship turned icy after FDR refused to put him on the Supreme Court. According to Wikipedia, FDR also thought he was too old. Not sure if that was an excuse or not but at 67, he was certainly on the older side of politicians at the time.

Could Douglas have survived opposition from Southern delegates?

 

[David T]

See my discussion of Henry J. Kaiser: A Kaiser in the White House? | alternatehistory.com

 

[Deleted member 109224]

Douglas. In 1944 FDR said he'd take Truman or Douglas.

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Jimmy Byrnes, most likely. His role as "assistant President" made him the early favorite. In fact, he thought FDR had promised him the nod, and Truman went to the DNC expecting to make a nominating speech for Byrnes.

Douglas was popular with New Deal enthusiasts, but IMO was too much of a wild card for the Democrat insiders. FDR did mention Douglas together with Truman in a letter to DNC chairman Robert Hannegan.

But if Truman is out for some reason, IMO Byrnes has the inside track. Of course in the end it would be up to FDR, who was at his most devious and secretive in this particular maneuver, which makes it hard to figure out what he would have done.

 

[Amadeus]

Douglas. In 1944 FDR said he'd take Truman or Douglas.

This. Truman and Douglas were Roosevelt's two choices. If Truman declined the nomination, Douglas would have likely been nominated. He would be 46 on April 12, 1945, making him the youngest President since TR assuming that FDR's death isn't butterflied.

Edit: this puts Thomas Dewey in an awkward position in 1948 since Dewey and Douglas not only had been friends at Columbia Law school, they had planned on starting a law firm together but dropped the idea when each man wanted the other's name to be first in the title. (Dewey wanted the firm to be called "Douglas and Dewey," but Douglas wanted the firm to be called "Dewey and Douglas.")