The election of the year 2008 is over, thank God. The next president of the United States of America is a former Chicago lawyer and member of the U.S. Congress named Obama.
Welcome to the new world, America. Anything can happen. And it usually does.
Forgive me, but I remember when there were giants in the world. Three of them were named Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower. They saved the United States from Hitler, Mussolini and Tito in their attempts to destroy the United States and rule the world.
Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower stopped them in their tracks, not of course, without horrible sacrifices of human life. But their efforts set the stage for the world we have known until today – when the prospects of war are far greater than ever, with much more risk of damage.
It would give me much greater security if the youth of today knew as much about history as they know about fast cars, movie stars and sweet talk from people who have never participated in or witnessed first hand the horrors of war.
I suggest, before they laugh off all the old fogies, they bone up on real history – not the glamour kind of the silver screen.
It was my honor and good luck to have been a little part of the history involving Truman and Eisenhower. Let’s start with Truman.
My wife, Helen, lived in the inner-city area of Independence and Kansas City. She tells of the days of her youth when Harry Truman, then a young congressman, took his morning walk in the area, and of later years when he retired.
We both remember the days when Harry Truman was supposed to be soundly defeated by New York crime-fighter Thomas Dewey, for president. But the all-mighty news media did not know the metal of Harry Truman. He took to the campaign trail by the best means then available – train – and made a whirlwind campaign that brought Truman to Springfield, Mo., among other places.
The train track ran within a quarter mile of our home. We watched for it, it came and passed by as we stood beside our battered Dodge and we followed it to Willard, where it stopped to take on flowers and good wishes by Willard supporters. There, Tom Greenwade, a pro baseball scout, and also a good family friend, boarded and rode with Truman on into Springfield, where they then proceeded onto St. Louis.
The big city press ruled Truman as good as defeated, up to the night before the election. Some newspapers were so confident of his potential loss they rolled the presses the night before the returns were all in – only to wake up to discover Truman had won for another term.
Truman lived many years after retirement, and I was by then a newspaper reporter. I was assigned to cover his funeral for the paper, a task which Helen shared with me and which we will remember the rest of our lives.
I was also lucky to get to cover the funeral of Eisenhower in Abilene, Kan., his home town and burial location. As you can imagine, this world-famous man who was credited with winning World War II was a choice assignment. The press from hundreds of newspapers was there. I took my wife Helen and daughter Connie with me.
I phoned my stories back to Springfield and dictated daily to my office. The printed stories are still among my most treasured possessions.
I am proud of the state of Missouri for standing strong for principles. I am also very proud of the manner which John McCain conceded his defeat. McCain and his father and grandfather – both ranking navy admirals – all served the United States as few other families have done.
His continued presence in the Congress should be a comfort to all voters who supported his valiant effort of election as president.
Hopefully there will be other days ahead in which his sound judgment and proven strength will be of great help to the United States of America when it is most needed.
Meanwhile, may God really bless America. There are many tough days ahead.
