Christopher Keith
 Harry S. Truman-
 Thomas E. Dewey-
People
thought that
Truman was
making to
strong of a
grasp for
power…
 Ronald Reagan-
 Jimmy Carter-
Reagan was always the talk of the town…
Many People’s Opinion Describes Carter as the worst President ever…
 Harry Truman’s election highlights… good or
bad
 Timidity on domestic agenda
 Stern Treatment of the Soviet Union
 Delivered hundreds of off the cut speeches
about difficult topics; figured he had nothing
to lose; was contrary to Dewey’s strategy.
 Spoke of civil rights legislation
 Helped to revive the New Deal Policy of
Southern Blacks
 Ronald Reagan’s elections highlights- good or
bad
 Reagan said he no longer opposed the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. (stated that it had
actually worked quite well)
 Called for the banning of abortions
 Developed a strong economic plan (later
would be referred to as Reaganomics)
 Left the controversial issues such as sex
education in school and homosexual
rights alone.
 Was considered to be anti-labor (which is
a reason for his problems with the labor
unions)
 After workers left their worksites Reagan gave
them 48 hours to which he proceeded to fire
each one who did not return without even
considering giving in to their demands.
 Most of the workers were from PATCO.
 PATCO and the FFA would later engage in a
legally binding agreement as to how to
organize and manage the problems with labor.
 30 % of Americans were in a Union
 The New Deal Coalition was critical to the campaign
because it could bring forth millions of votes.
 Truman Acted aggressively towards the railroad strike
and seized control of the railroads.
 Truman issued an order that the government would
control the railroads and use the government to keep
the strikes at bay.
 Jimmy Carter
 Spoke that Reagan was a racist. But
quickly denied making this charge to
prevent trouble.
 Reagan had actually provoked this
comment by suggesting that Carter
was associated with the KKK.
 Both Reagan and Carter ignored issues
regarding relations between men and
women.
 Carter believed Reagan was too
unpredictable and was likely to start a war.
 First since Herbert Hoover to fail a bid for
reelection
 The similar course of events regarding the
Railroad Strike of 1946 and the Air Traffic
Control Strike.
 Both Presidents reacted to the strikes with a
seizure of the unruly companies along with
harsh punishment.
 Reagan fired over 1100 workers from
PATCO
 Truman seized the railroading company;
under the control of the government those
who attempted to continue the strike or
similar behavior was removed from the
problem…
 Ronald Reagan was elected as a Republican
Candidate
 Harry Truman was elected as a Democratic
Candidate
 In the election of 1948 Democrats had been
in power whereas in the 1980 election
Republican power was starting to emerge.
The Democratic Party was focused on beating Truman…


Works Cited
“The Air Traffic Conroller’s Strike.” The Eighties Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
<http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id296.htm>.

“The American Franchise.” Miller Center of Public Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
<http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/truman/essays/biography/8>.

“Campaigns and Elections.” Miller Center of Public Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
<http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/truman/essays/biography/3>.

“Election of 1980.” Travel and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.u-shistory.com/pages/h911.html>.

“Jimmy Carter - Election of 1980 .” Profiles of U.S. Presidents. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
Feb. 2010. <http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Kennedy-Bush/Jimmy-CarterElection-of-1980.html>.

“Presidential Election of 1980.” United States Presidential Elections. N.p., n.d.
Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.historycentral.com/elections/1980.html>.

“Reaganomics.” Investor Words. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.investorwords.com/4052/Reaganomics.html>.

“Reagan’s presidency pivotal for unions.” Las Angeles Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
Feb. 2010. <http://www.latimes.com/bal-bz.unions08jun08,0,7475352.story>.

Schwartz, Fredric D. “Dewey defeats Dewey; 1948: fifty years ago. (inaccurate prediction
that New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey would defeat Pres. Harry S. Truman in the
presidential election)(The Time Machine: November)(Brief Article) .” History Resource
Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010.
<http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/hits;jsessionid=F1D138ABC720F32DA9ECE
709910A4477?docNum=A21280974&tab=2&locID=scschools&origSearch=true&hdb=AL
L&t=RK&s=1&r=d&items=0&secondary=true&o=&sortOrder=&n=10&l=dJ&sgPhrase=fa
lse&c=2&tabMap=66&bucket=iac&SU=Harry+Truman%27s+Election&finalAuth=true>.

““Word Has Just Been Received”: Truman Speaks on the Railroad Strike.” History Matters.
N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5137/>.

“The Election of 1980 and the Reagan Era.” SocyBerty. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.
2010. <http://socyberty.com/politics/the-election-of-1980-and-the-reagan-era/>.

“Election of 1948.” Travel and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2010.
<http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h898.html>.

“Election of 1948.” United States Presidential Elections. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.
2010. <http://www.historycentral.com/elections/1948.html>.

“Harry Truman and Civil Rights.” History Learning Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb.
2010. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Harry_Truman_civil_rights.htm>.
 http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/photos/assets/photos/1107.jpg

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/classified_600x905.jpg
 http://www.100bestwebsites.org/alt/evmaps/electoral-maps.htm

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/cartoons/political_cartoons/convention.jpg
 http://www.kids-iq-tests.com/presidents/Ronald-Regan.jpg

http://www.cristyli.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Jimmy-Carter.jpg

http://transition2008.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/jimmy_carter_wikipedia.jpg

http://www.100bestwebsites.org/alt/evmaps/electoral-maps.htm