[1] In 1948, United States President Harry S. Truman
faced reelection for a second term, but the polls predicted
he would lose. [2] Since the end of World War II three years
earlier, the US economy had been unsteady. [3] Citizens
had trouble finding and purchasing goods due to shortages.
[4] Many people felt a fresh face on the political scene in
this uncertain time would be welcome. [5] As the campaign
moved into high gear in May of 1948, Truman lagged 11
percent behind Dewey in the polls. [6] Instead, the polls
favored New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Truman’s
charismatic opponent. [7] However, Truman would engage
in a hard-fought, unorthodox campaign style that became
known as the first successful “whistle-stop” tour. 1
Using train travel in a political campaign was a fairly
common practice that had begun in the nineteenth 2
century. The specific term “whistle stop” wasn’t coined
until Truman used it to describe his whirlwind campaign
tour. 3 Truman, delivered hundreds of speeches in towns
across the United States from an open platform on the
back of his train car. His arduous travels 4 were covering
30,000 miles and over 200 train stops, starting in the
summer of 1948 and ending that fall before the November
2nd election. He began the tour in Michigan, then moved
on to Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado as the
summer progressed. In September, he headed west to
Nevada, Utah, California, and Arizona. At one of his stops
in 5 Arizona. An estimated 20,000 people waited to greet
him at the train station. In October, he headed back east
again to Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, and
Pennsylvania.
6 Truman would make as many as eight stops in
a single day. He spoke to thousands of voters 7 of a
time, but the nature of the whistle stop campaign allowed
voters to glimpse a more intimate view of the candidate.
By coming to voters’ hometowns and speaking directly to
them, Truman presented himself as a “man of the people.”
8 Truman marketed himself as 9 attainable—making
himself available to discuss local political issues with the
residents of the small towns he visited.
By November, newspapers and the Gallup poll were
still predicting Dewey as the winner. However, the success
of Truman’s whistle-stop tours had helped to close the gap.
10 When voters went to the polls, Truman won the
11 election which is considered the greatest upset in a US
presidential race, due to his exhaustive campaign.
faced reelection for a second term, but the polls predicted
he would lose. [2] Since the end of World War II three years
earlier, the US economy had been unsteady. [3] Citizens
had trouble finding and purchasing goods due to shortages.
[4] Many people felt a fresh face on the political scene in
this uncertain time would be welcome. [5] As the campaign
moved into high gear in May of 1948, Truman lagged 11
percent behind Dewey in the polls. [6] Instead, the polls
favored New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, Truman’s
charismatic opponent. [7] However, Truman would engage
in a hard-fought, unorthodox campaign style that became
known as the first successful “whistle-stop” tour. 1
Using train travel in a political campaign was a fairly
common practice that had begun in the nineteenth 2
century. The specific term “whistle stop” wasn’t coined
until Truman used it to describe his whirlwind campaign
tour. 3 Truman, delivered hundreds of speeches in towns
across the United States from an open platform on the
back of his train car. His arduous travels 4 were covering
30,000 miles and over 200 train stops, starting in the
summer of 1948 and ending that fall before the November
2nd election. He began the tour in Michigan, then moved
on to Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado as the
summer progressed. In September, he headed west to
Nevada, Utah, California, and Arizona. At one of his stops
in 5 Arizona. An estimated 20,000 people waited to greet
him at the train station. In October, he headed back east
again to Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, and
Pennsylvania.
6 Truman would make as many as eight stops in
a single day. He spoke to thousands of voters 7 of a
time, but the nature of the whistle stop campaign allowed
voters to glimpse a more intimate view of the candidate.
By coming to voters’ hometowns and speaking directly to
them, Truman presented himself as a “man of the people.”
8 Truman marketed himself as 9 attainable—making
himself available to discuss local political issues with the
residents of the small towns he visited.
By November, newspapers and the Gallup poll were
still predicting Dewey as the winner. However, the success
of Truman’s whistle-stop tours had helped to close the gap.
10 When voters went to the polls, Truman won the
11 election which is considered the greatest upset in a US
presidential race, due to his exhaustive campaign.