Harry Truman was probably the least likely person to think of becoming President of the United States. But when Franklin Roosevelt died in office in 1945, Truman, then Vice President, inherited the job.

And in 1948, when he ran for reelection against Thomas E. Dewey, the odds-makers were so sure he would lose, the Chicago Daily Tribune predicted his defeat in advance:

But Truman proved the “experts” wrong many times over. He had a quiet courage and a moral compass that enabled him to carry the country through the post-war period and the early years of the Cold War.

Perhaps his most frequently quoted comment was one that he had made into a sign that sat on his desk in the Oval Office: “The buck stops here.” But he also had words that resonate today, perhaps even more strongly than they did 80 years ago:

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”

We could use another quiet, determined man like Harry Truman today. Unfortunately, those who may be out there haven’t been running for office in recent years.

We can only hope they will again . . . and soon.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/14/26