David’s Reviews > Truman > Status Update

Standing up to a thousand angry Klansmen: that takes guts! Truman did it, though, at an outdoor rally when he was running for county judge.

I hope everyone who reads Truman's life will be reminded of someone they know. He reminds me of Willard, a generation younger than Truman, but similarly plain-spoken, honest, and intelligent in a clear, practical way. Unpretentious. Brave in such a down-to-earth way. If only there were a formula for raising people to be that way.

Amazing. Truman proposed universal health insurance in the 1940s and it took more than half a century -- 70 years! -- to achieve that goal (assuming nothing goes off the rails now). LBJ signed the Medicare bill at the Truman library.

"You must remember our head of State is young, inexperienced and hopeful. Let's hope the hopeful works." Truman to Dean Acheson about JFK.

When Truman left office his only income was his $112.56/month Army pension. No Secret Service, no funds for a secretary or office. Nothing.

Wow. Americans were insanely unfair to Truman. The hard time he got for simply expressing himself bluntly and sincerely -- and certainly not witlessly -- is ridiculous. Now it's often a rare gift when a politician goes off script.

"Taft accused Truman of having libeled McCarthy. 'Do you think that's possible?' Truman responded...."

Amazing! Two committees advised against developing the H-bomb. Did they think other nations wouldn't develop it? Did they think the A-bomb was good enough?

It was not a small thing that Truman made sure that blacks were welcome to all the inaugural events in 1948 and could even stay in normally whites-only hotels.

"Dewey came on stage... 'like a man who has been mounted on casters and given a tremendous shove from behind.'"