Harry Truman dies in 1949-53, how does his VP go as Pres?

[d***@gmail.com]

Let's say Truman's love of coffee and donuts leads to a fatal heart attack in his second term.

How does his Vice Pres go as President? Effects in 1952?

[Robert Woodward]

Post by d***@gmail.com
Let's say Truman's love of coffee and donuts leads to a fatal heart attack in
his second term.
How does his Vice Pres go as President? Effects in 1952?

You could have done some research before posting. If you had, you would
have discovered that Truman's VP was Alben W. Barkley who was 71 on
Inauguration Day in 1949. Thus, it is unlikely that he would have run
for re-election in 1952, when he would have been 74 (as it was, he died
in 1956). As far has what Barkley would do as President, the best I can
tell is that he and Truman were close allies and there would be little
difference in domestic policy and, I suspect, foreign policy as well.

[David Tenner]

Post by Robert Woodward
You could have done some research before posting. If you had, you would
have discovered that Truman's VP was Alben W. Barkley who was 71 on
Inauguration Day in 1949. Thus, it is unlikely that he would have run
for re-election in 1952, when he would have been 74 (as it was, he died
in 1956).

Barkley actually did start to organize a presidential campaign in 1952 (after
Truman said he would not run again), but dropped it after labor leaders
refused to support him because of his age. I am not sure they would have the
same attitude if he were already president. Incumbency after all had proven
itself to be an advantage for every twentieth century president except
William Howard Taft (handicapped by a split party) in 1912 and Hebert Hoover
(for obvious reasons) in 1932. And even Taft and Hoover won renomination.

Given that three likely presidential candidates in 2020 are Donald Trump, Joe
Biden, and Bernie Sanders; that Ronald Reagan was 73 when re-elected in 1984;
that John McCain was 72 when he ran in 2008 (yes, he lost, but probably not
worse than a younger Republican would have that year), I don't think we can
rule out presidential candidates well into their seventies (especially if
they are incumbent presidents).

(Well, you may say, things were different back in 1952. But remember John
Nance Garner's candidacy in 1940--which could well have been successful if
FDR hadn't decided on a third term. Garner would turn 72 before the
Electoral College voted...)