As in 1944, the Democratic nominee for VP is pivotal
Few Americans can remember past vice presidents such as Charles Curtis, Charles Dawes or Thomas Marshall. In more recent memory, almost no one can recall vice presidential nominees who lost such as William Miller, Sargent Shriver or Lloyd Bentsen.
John Nance Garner served as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president for two terms (1933-1941).
Garner was edged out of the job when leftist Henry Wallace replaced him.
But later, as World War II raged in July 1944, the frail Roosevelt was visibly suffering from a host of ailments during his third term. Rumors swept Washington that FDR was increasingly unable to meet the demands of the presidency.
After all, Roosevelt was 62, a paraplegic, smoker and social drinker who suffered from congestive heart failure. For nearly 12 years he had already endured the most stressful presidency in history, guiding the country through both the Great Depression and World War II.
Still, Democrats were convinced that FDR was their only hope in November 1944. Party bosses were confident that he could win an unprecedented fourth term over staid Republican nominee Thomas Dewey.
As a result, the Democratic vice presidential nominee that year was thought likely to be the next president — and far sooner than later.
Vice President Wallace had strong socialist sympathies. Southern Democrats and moderates were terrified that if Wallace remained in office, he would frighten away enough voters to ensure Roosevelt’s defeat. Or, worse still, Wallace might become America’s first de facto socialist president — right when Americans were starting to fear their wartime communist ally the Soviet Union.
Wallace had fought hard to stay on the ticket. But his intraparty opponents pushed even harder for more moderate Missouri Sen. Harry Truman to take his place.
Truman finally beat out Wallace at the July convention and was nominated vice president. Roosevelt, as expected, won the presidential election for a fourth time. But, as feared, he died less than three months into his new term. The relatively unknown Truman became an unlikely president.
Yet Truman surprised the country with nearly eight years of responsible leadership. He finished the war, dropping the world’s first two atomic bombs to defeat Japan without an invasion, and then faced down the Soviet Union to launch the Cold War.
A President Wallace might have done things quite differently — or far worse.
The Democratic Party is facing similar melodramas over its vice presidential candidate for 2020.
As in 1944, the United States is facing an ongoing existential crisis, as the coronavirus threatens to kill thousands more Americans and do trillions of dollars more damage to the economy.
In such an ordeal, the Democrats believe that their likely nominee, Joe Biden, can win the November election.
As with FDR in 1944, the 77-year- old Biden seems frail at times. Some worry that, if elected, he might not be able to fulfill his duties.
That unspoken fear has turned the selection of a Democratic running mate into a drama not seen in decades.
Like Roosevelt, Biden is seen as a coalition builder, and not as leftwing as most of the failed Democratic primary candidates.
To placate radical Democrats, Biden promised that his running mate will be either a minority, a woman or both — and likely far more left-wing than he is.
Just as it was 76 years ago, when the presidential nominee’s health was failing and Henry Wallace was maneuvered off the ticket, we may well see a fight to ensure that a radical candidate isn’t selected as a Democratic running mate.