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Post-WWII Presidential Politics

Post-WWII Presidential Politics. A quick note. Presidential election years are ALWAYS evenly divisible by 4 Presidents assume office the following January 2008 – Obama elected 2009 – Obama’s presidency began. Harry S Truman (D) 1945-1953 Missouri. Ascended after FDR died in Warm Springs

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Post-WWII Presidential Politics

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  1. Post-WWII Presidential Politics

  2. A quick note • Presidential election years are ALWAYS evenly divisible by 4 • Presidents assume office the following January • 2008 – Obama elected • 2009 – Obama’s presidency began

  3. Harry S Truman (D) 1945-1953 Missouri • Ascended after FDR died in Warm Springs • Was POTUS last months of WWII • Badly unprepared • FDR was secretive • Start of Cold War • Korean War (50-53)

  4. Harry S Truman (D) 1945-1953 Missouri • VERY UNPOPULAR while president • Approval rating 36% in spring of 1948 • Won a miracle come from behind election over Thomas Dewey (GOP Gov of NY)

  5. Dwight D. Eisenhower(R) 1953-1961 Kansas • Served as Supreme Allied Commander in WWII • Universally beloved in post-war era • Had no known political affiliation • Both parties wanted him, GOP won

  6. Dwight D. Eisenhower(R) 1953-1961 Kansas • Easily won elections in 1952 and 1956 • Democrats put up token opposition • Adlai Stevenson (Dem Gov of IL) lost both elections

  7. Dwight D. Eisenhower(R) 1953-1961 Kansas • First elections that used TV • Neither candidate knew how to do it • Very unsophisticated use of media

  8. John F. Kennedy(D) 1961-1963 Massachusetts • Elected in very close 1960 race • Defeated Richard Nixon, who was Eisenhower’s VP • First campaign that understood impact of television

  9. John F. Kennedy(D) 1961-1963 Massachusetts • Berlin Wall (1961) • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • Assassinated in Dallas in Nov 1963

  10. Lyndon B. Johnson(D) 1963-1969 Texas • Ascended after JFK was shot in Dallas • Civil Rights Era • Vietnam War • Moon Landing

  11. Lyndon B. Johnson(D) 1963-1969 Texas • Won 1964 election easily over Sen. Barry Goldwater (R, AZ) • Goldwater threatened nuclear war in Vietnam

  12. Lyndon B. Johnson(D) 1963-1969 Texas • But 1st time most of the south voted GOP • Final southern shift would take abt 20 yrs

  13. Richard M. Nixon(R) 1969-1974 California • Had been Ike’s VP in 1950s • Before being VP had strong reputation as anti-communist • Lost to Kennedy in ’60

  14. Richard M. Nixon(R) 1969-1974 California • Won two comfortable elections • 1968 defeated Hubert Humphrey • LBJ’s VP (D, MN)

  15. Richard M. Nixon(R) 1969-1974 California • 1972 soundly defeated Senator George McGovern (Dem, SD) • Won 49 of 50 states, only lost MA and DC

  16. Richard M. Nixon(R) 1969-1974 California • In 1972, campaign workers broke into McGovern’s campaign HQ in Watergate Hotel • White House covered up the break-in • After conspiracy revealed, resigned in disgrace

  17. Gerald R. Ford(R) 1974-1977 Michigan • Was All-American center for Michigan Wolverines • Drafted by Packers, decided to go to Yale Law School instead

  18. Gerald R. Ford(R) 1974-1977 Michigan • Served in US House from Michigan • Became replacement VP when Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 • Scandal totally unrelated to Watergate • Only POTUS never actually elected to any national office

  19. Gerald R. Ford(R) 1974-1977 Michigan • Pardoned Nixon after ascending • American public never forgave him • Lost close 1976 race to relatively unknown southern governor

  20. James E. Carter, Jr.(D) 1977-1981 Georgia • Pretended to be a simple peanut farmer • Nuclear physicist from Naval Academy • Depressing time period: • Iran Hostage Crisis • Bad economy • Disco

  21. Ronald W. Reagan(R) 1981-1989 California • Won 1980 race over Carter easily • Oversaw period of general prosperity • Strong on defense, hardline against USSR • Big tax cuts, big spending increases • Beginning of massive budget deficits

  22. Ronald W. Reagan(R) 1981-1989 California • 1984 – defeated Walter Mondale (Carter’s VP), Dem from MN • Mondale argued against deficit • He promised to cut spending & raise taxes to balance budget • Bad idea when you’re running for office

  23. Ronald W. Reagan(R) 1981-1989 California • Largest # of electoral votes ever (525-13) • Won 49 of 50 states, only lost MN & DC

  24. George H. W. Bush(R) 1989-1993 Texas • Had been Reagan’s VP • Easily won 1988 race vs. Michael Dukakis (Dem Gov of MA)

  25. George H. W. Bush(R) 1989-1993 Texas • End of Cold War • 1st Gulf War • Bad recession in 1992 • Lost close 1992 race to relatively unknown southern governor

  26. William J. Clinton(D) 1993-2001 Arkansas • Oversaw period of general prosperity • Republican Revolution • GOP took control of Congress (1994) • 1st time since 1954 GOP controlled the House

  27. William J. Clinton(D) 1993-2001 Arkansas • Reelected in 1996 over Sen Bob Dole (R, KS) • Ethics problems dogged presidency

  28. William J. Clinton(D) 1993-2001 Arkansas • Accused of perjury & obstruction of justice • Impeached by HR 1998 • Acquitted by Sen 1999

  29. 2000 Election • Bush – GOP Gov of TX • Gore – Clinton VP • One of closest elections in US history • Gore won popular vote • Bush won Florida by 537 votes • Bush won Electoral vote 271-266

  30. George W. Bush(R) 2001-2009 Texas • 9/11 attacks • Iraq & Afghanistan • Katrina • Reelected in 2004 over Sen John Kerry (D, MA)

  31. 2008 Election • Senator Obama (D, IL) • Senator McCain (R, AZ) • Obama—1st African American president • 1st election since 1952 without sitting POTUS or VP running • 1st POTUS election between 2 senators

  32. Barack H. Obama(D) 2009– Illinois • TBA

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