another thing about truman was that he was a reader who brought some actual knowledge about the world outside of kansas city....

I thought Bush had already laid claim to being Harry Truman.

Aren't there any Republicans these people want to emulate? Don't any of them want to be the new Spiro Agnew?

Malcom's mom

I wouldn't exactly call Tyler a disaster, but yes, as the first Veep to succeed a President who died in office, he was not an ideal choice. The similarities between him and Palin are striking, not the least of which is that they both were chosen as running mates by aging candidates with health concerns (and sure enough, Harrison died in a month, largely because the dumbass gave a long inagural speech in the cold with no coat, then went drinking and dancing all night, which ended up giving him a fatal case of pneumonia).

And will the GOP stop comparing themselves to Truman already? First Bush now Palin. I'm surprised Harry doesn't crawl out of his grave to give them some hell.

Tip o' the moose and Tyler too...

I'm sure McBush said..."my friends, I knew Harry Truman, Harry Truman was a friend of mine, my friends, Sarah Palin is a real Harry Truman".

Of course in those days, when we felt that government could really make a difference, especially coming on the heels of the Depression and fighting a world war, Americans were a little concerned about Harry Truman when he became President, after all, he had been a Senator for ONLY TEN YEARS, and before that a judge. He had travelled abroad (like fighting in a war) and read widely. Yet people were skittish when he became President.

Today of course, the Depression and a nation at war are distant memories, or now and then shows on the History Channel, which I am sure Sarah Palin saw now and then during some of her babysitting jobs.

But, hell, given all the crap on TV and Movies, where any no-talent can become a star, and where EVERYBODY is special, and gets a blue ribbon, it stands to reason that, yes, any old Hockey Mom can be President.

Although Truman was self taught, he was widely read in history, so much so, that he impressed virtually everyone who met him with his knowledge.

My very favorite thing about Tyler, the ONLY thing I can remember, actually, is his nickname: His Accidency.

Gregory Nails it!!

Isn't this all shaping up as a perfect October surprise? Palin exits, claiming family pressures (more time, Bristol's pregnancy, the Down Syndrome newborn, etc) yet immediately surrogates circulate complaints of those nasty liberals and media elites driving her off the ticket. McCain names a suitably conservative "family values" replacement (Huckabee?) and his base, while still whipped into a peeve, goes along and has renewed vigor for the race. Yeah, women might be pissed, but what are they going to do, vote for the baby killing Muslim nigger? Cue "Baby Killing Muslim Nigger" commercial handily funded and crafted by a 527 with 7 layers of hidden ownership. McCain can't lose with this gambit. See you all in 2012 when we do this again.

Quibble and memory. Quibble: Truman was in WWI, but a "war hero?" I didn't know that. A corporal, I think.

Memory: My mother telling me that my grandmother, a big fan of Roosevelt, said on the day he died, "Oh, now that awful man will be President."

Regional Report - Kind of off topic, but here in good ol' Republican central Florida, I am noticing a dearth of McLame campaign signs and bumper stickers. Especially compared with 2004 - Bush ones were everywhere and I of late took special delight in asking "How's that working out for you?" when I saw a car that still had one with Bush , or my favorite "Bush Woman" on it. And it appears that our favorite weasel in resident Rick Keller is going down. Good Times

It seems a little bit unfair to equate Tyler's experience at the time he was chosen to run with Harrison - 2.5 terms in the House, one term as Virginia's governor and 2 terms in the Senate - with Palin's experience. He certainly didn't distinguish himself as President, but no one could have argued that he was unqualified to serve as VP.

Who would serve as a better vice-presidential analogue for Palin?

Preferably a comparison who didn't win.

Quayle is not a good comparison either. He was much more qualified than Palin - he had already served 12 years in the House and Senate.

Truman was a Captain in WWI (artillery). His record was a distinguished one, and he was tested in battle.

Ironically, in 1944, Truman wasn't FDR's first choice for Vice President. Roosevelt originally offered the VP slot to first-term Indiana governor Henry Schricker. Schricker declined because he felt his resume wasn't up to the job, famously telling Roosevelt "A man ought to know his own limitations."

The president ended up going with the far more qualified Truman, and we all know how that turned out. Palin's not Harry Truman. She's not even Henry Schricker. He at least had the humility to recognize when he was over his head.

Dunno about Truman being a war hero as such, but he was a bit higher up than corporal. He commanded an artillery battery; I think his rank topped out at captain.

-dms

It makes more sense to compare Tyler to McCain. In 1861, as the Union was breaking apart, Tyler came up with a wholly ineffectual plan to save it by convening a peace conference that would have given the slave states everything they wanted and called it a compromise.

No one took it or Tyler seriously. No one should take anything that McCain says seriously.

One unrelated point: Truman's position as a county judge was not a judicial position. That's just what they call what would be a county commisioner or county supervisor in some parts of the country.

"his rank topped out at captain
dms"

You are probably right. A confusion of alliteration on my part, likely. I actually knew this exact fact once, and won a small contest as a result, but that was 42 years ago.

Wonderful story EarBucket. How apropos.

So with all the Truman references is the right subtlety suggesting FDR made an excellent choice, that the guy knew what he was doing ??

Because I am getting a little tired of reading how FDR's policies are at the root of today's economic woes.

Someone please remind Palin that Truman was a democrat because I promise you she doesn't know.

John R, I'm noticing the same in Texas, a solid base state...

Someone please remind Palin that Truman was a democrat because I promise you she doesn't know.

Or better yet, just ask her.

I still quite don't know what she is, but she's clearly unfit for the V.P. slot.

Go back to Wasilla and maybe broadcasting where you can just read off a teleprompter, or go into acting-- at which you excel.

If she refuses to ask a simple question that Katie Couric asked about what she reads, than she needs to be removed. That's unacceptable.

That was not a 'gotcha' question--as others have said, she created the gotcha moment by saying she reads 'em all...

What is a "gotcha question" anyway? For goodness sake, these are simply legitimate, follow-up questions that are perfectly fair and reasonable.
To label it 'gotcha' actually reveals they are desperate to defend and speak for her and protect her--it's demeaning for her, for the process of free speech and inquiry that is a FUNDAMENTAL necessity in any democratic process of choosing a new Vice President!

Also re the Truman comparison: was he not a senator for 10 years BEFORE being chosen as FDR's running mate in 1944? And that was after his work at the county level in Missouri.

I wouldn't blame the change in climate on tipping a canoe, Charlie.

It's all about passing the buck right here with health care and job creation.

Alaska, and most of you won't even believe this, is a microcosm of canoes and young babies named Tyler.

"... Henry Schricker. He at least had the humility to recognize when he was over his head."

Posted by: EarBucket on October 1, 2008

Awesome, and the comparison with Palin is incredible. When asked if she'd be the VP nominee she imediately said "Yes" with no reservations or hesitation.

Maybe knowing your limitations isn't something a secessionist Alaskan Fundamentalist with witches needs.

...famously telling Roosevelt "A man ought to know his own limitations."

But this woman doesn't blink or think, and her running mate is on the blink.

Holy cow, the alarm light is blinking like John McCain in a debate!

Agnew's a better comparison. First-term governor. Gaffe-prone and a little ignorant. Adored by the base. Only Agnew had dealt with a lot of the major issues of the time--urban decline, racial tensions, etc.--as Governor of Maryland.

Sarah Palin has not only no foreign policy experience, she has little domestic policy experience. It's scary enough to think of her taking over the nation during a war--how about something like net neutrality? Or the financial system? This is a woman who doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is, does anyone really expect her to know about the EPA?

It could be worse; she could be Andrew Johnson.

Truman in WW1: He commanded a National Guard battery, most of them roughnecks appalled at the little four-eyed twerp in command. They warmed to him in time, and he was "Captain Harry" at the reunions. They were not at the front for long, but long enough for Truman to show that he could function under fire.

The library: there Truman and Palin have something in common, but her interest in the local library seems limited to books she DIDN'T want to read. Truman was reputed to have read every book in the Independence library, including a set of Plutarch, and was fond of alluding to classical history, which must have disconcerted those members of Roosevelt's administration appalled at the little four-eyed twerp in command.

Truman was not a judge in the normal sense. He was the presiding judge of Jackson County, Missouri which made him the chief executive of the second largest county in what was then the 9th largest state in the union. In 1930, when he was re-elected as presiding judge, Jackson County had more than 470,000 people -- more than 2/3 of Alaska's 2006 population. And that was before he went to the Senate.

I vaguely recall that as a boy Truman read The War in Gaul in Latin, with his friends, and they attempted to build a replica of some sort of fortification or other military engineering project they read in Caesar's commentary.

Yep, that's Palin all right.