David McCullough on Harry Truman

Why was David McCullough more attracted to a biography of Harry Truman than Franklin Roosevelt?
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[@brennonguilbeau569]

RIP David McCullough, you are a treasure to the American people.

[@richardhales92]

You're right! Treasure, always interesting

[@JohnBragg-m5g]

McCullough had a GREAT voice! He read the abridged version of his "Truman" book, it was awesome!

[@timburr4453]

A classic ASMR voice

[@jamesstewart8377]

This guy had a God given talent for narration. Gave me goosebumps listening to him do the Ken Burns documentary on the American Civil War. Truly one of the greatest narration works to ever be documented.

[@PJ2437]

Best book I've ever read!

[@chaspfrank]

I had the great honor to meet Mr. McCullough at the 2018 Providence College Commencement. We spent about 10 minutes speaking before the ceremony, and he as a gracious and engaging individual. I have read each one of his works at least twice, and went back and revisited some of them again after I met him. My only regrets are that I did not have more time to speak with him, and that he did not start writing at the age of 7! He was and is a great American icon.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

I received "Truman" for Christmas a number of years ago. I read it over about three weeks' time, and it was one of those books that I was sorry to see end.

[@rosemaramgio7284]

Great writer. Great narrator. Rip David

[@jackbuckley7816]

Although I admire Truman tremendously, truly one of our greatest, if not one of the least likely of men to become president, it's sadly nonetheless true that he probably couldn't make it in today's media & political climate, something that's true for almost all our nation's Chief Executives up to a certain point. So much now depends on telegenic looks, media savvy, smooth, glib speaking styles with no regional accents, etc., etc. While I wouldn't say Truman had matinee-idol looks, he definitely was not un-handsome. He was a perfectly acceptable male-specimen of the American midwest, with no irregularity of features. Even today, seen in film-footage, he comes-off as telegenic in that regard; by this, I mean he registers well on film, a good, basic, honest, well-defined face, impossible to dislike. When displayed, he had a very agreeable smile, also.There are 2 main areas, I think, that would do him in today---1: his voice, rather flat, nasal, & inflectionless; and 2: his blunt manner of speaking. Both likely would get him into trouble today. Truman was a very good, very intelligent, & great man, though, proving himself amazingly competent during a very trying & difficult time in our history.

[@zz449944]

FDR couldn't make it today, either. Even when in the company of his closest advisors, he remained tight-lipped about what he was really thinking and what decisions he would be making. FDR was an enigma. That's wouldn't get him very far in this age of constant and instant information.

[@jackbuckley7816]

@@zz449944 Great points. Another of Truman's personality traits that wouldn't serve him well today was his assertiveness, his quick, almost inevitably correct judgements on issues as they came up. There was little nuance or subtlety in the man's opinions or decisions. The upside is that he didn't get lost in analysis or influenced by polling results. Unlike today, instant public opinion polls didn't exist, which now seems a blessing. Truman often made statements like, "I saw what Stalin was trying to do & I stopped him. It was the right decision & I made it." To his credit, Truman was fully capable of admitting error & a willingness to course-correct, replacing a mistake with another decision. This makes perfect sense but just wouldn't fly in today's media climate. FDR was a masterful politician who knew how to play the game in that era. He was right for his times. Truman, conversely, may not've been, in terms of a less-than-perfect fit, yet, historically-speaking, he probably was the right president the U.S. needed at that point in our history, if truth be told, being forced to deal with urgent, high-stakes issues in the earliest years of the Cold War---firm decisions had to be made & taken. Our current---and dismal---political era requires constant poll-watching, divisiveness, outsmarting the media, staying ahead of the curve, being resilient, dumbing things down, kicking inconvenient, politically-sensitive cans down the road, catering to special interests, non-stop fundraising, engaging in media-savvy photo ops, etc., etc. Little to no actual governing occurs. Neither Truman nor FDR would recognize the U.S. today.

[@alejandrowaizel3750]

Neither LBJ or Carter could make it through today.

[@williamdonnelly224]

One of my favorite presidents. McCullough's biography of him is outstanding.

[@williamdonnelly224]

@@jackbuckley7816 Very well said. As far as being interested in polling results, we all know what happened in 1948; Truman was confident of victory while all the experts knew he was finished.DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN!

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Failed haberdasher, nearsighted artilleryman, GREAT President.

[@jaymorgenthal9479]

Harry Truman was the last president who was a real common person . He understood the American people like no other president.

[@robertcavalier6133]

I smiled at and saluted Mr. McCullough in Portland, OR a few years ago. He smiled and saluted back at me! What a terrific guy! Bless his memory! * Cav: Former Driver for Presidential Limousine of Portland, OR! * D-Day; 2024; Cav. *

[@marknan5352]

Loved his book on Truman. Loved it.

[@AndrésCoria-u1n]

did they fought before the interview? XD

[@drewhendley]

3:41 Exactly where we are right now

[@EricCoop]

Nothing wrong with being a haberdasher. I graduated from Annapolis in 2001 and bought my sword from a local haberdasher on Maryland Ave., walking distance from the Naval Academy. I sometimes think of haberdashery as a new career since I did the full career and retired.

[@Sitting8ull]

I guess they were right about party politics.

[@RaymondCore-ts5jl]

I highly recommend this book. Great book about a great President. They don't make 'em like Truman anymore.

[@fernandooliveira3432]

Funny how you would of said the same if Truman hadn’t authorized the use of the atom bombs on Japan. Unlike you, Truman had standards when it comes to warfare, in the age of nuclear power, such strategy would have induced greater catastrophe. Had Truman allowed it your way, the world would have been different for the worst. Doing what you please have unforeseen consequences in the age of nuclear power, mind you the Russians already had WMD,s during the Korean War.

[@maureencora1]

Charlie Rose Did You Get the # of That Truck? God Bless Harry S. Truman, Good Man. May He R.I.P.

[@wetlazer2443]

Who punched Charlie Rose in his face? What's that about?

[@bobcaygeon975]

same guy that got dan rather, whats the frequency kenneth

[@braziliantvhd2768]

He tried to grab the wrong woman's bottom

[@wetlazer2443]

@@braziliantvhd2768 Maybe so.

[@copout1405]

IMO two of the worst things in my lifetime have been the aftermath of decisions made by Harry Truman. 1. His decision to not accept the supplications of Ho Chi Minh for a nurturing relationship with the United States. 2. His speed-of-light recognition of the State of Israel.

[@bglrj]

Charlie Rose drives me crazy as an interviewer.

[@barbarapaige4587]

Yes, Charlie just wants to talk himself! Asks a question, and then immediately interrupts the speaker.

[@stephenrivera4382]

I read every one of his books - and loved them ALL!

[@kaymuldoon3575]

I always thought Harry Truman was a very handsome man.

[@2bigbufords]

Who whooped Charlie?

[@MrJafredderf]

Looks like He's not taking crap from Charlie. Bam!

[@raginald7mars408]

Charlie Rose Self Extinct

[@lionofjudah6763]

Is this a really good book to read? and why?

[@jacobsabin2039]

I personally think so, but I am a David McCullough fan so I am biased to his books. McCullough is a master story teller when it comes to his subjects, he gets you to care about the people he is writing about. Whether it is John Adams (his best biography and maybe my favorite I have read in general), the builders of the Panama Canal (I got to live there for a year right by the canal, but still worth reading), Truman, or his other subjects. It is long, but I think well worth the read. Again though, I am biased in favor of McCullough.

[@lionofjudah6763]

@@jacobsabin2039 Ok I will check them out.

[@alaminhussain5302]

Does anyone know the date of this episode?

[@WagnerPD]

Folks: this man [one of the] Greatest Authors... ever.

[@SamanthaStevenson76]

Who beat up Charlie?

[@dougdoris8622]

Just curious if you read the book Truman.

[@WagnerPD]

Great Author.❤

[@HoldenNY22]

How did Charlie Rose get a Bruised Eye and a bandage.

[@vinsvids1]

Rose had a choice to make when he tripped on a 59th street pothole in New York City: protect his newly purchased MacBook Air, or his face - he chose the former. According to his producers, "The Macbook Air is fine, he showed us the blood stains on it this morning."

[@HoldenNY22]

@@vinsvids1 - Than You for the information. If C.R. had an accidentally Warranty on his MacBook Air, maybe he should have choosen to protect his Face. I don't think there is an Accidental Warranty on a Newsman/Talk Show Host's Face.

[@jimpalmer2981]

Maybe one of those women he harassed decided she’d had enough…?

[@TheChinaPlay]

At the time, I remember hearing a rumor that it was something of a bar fight.

[@HoldenNY22]

@@TheChinaPlay - Perhaps, that Rumor is True and that CBS Management lied about what really happenned to Charlie Rose. Personally, I am a little skeptical of how both Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer were both Me Too's to lose their jobs. I wonder if there was more to it than than. Like maybe both Charlie and Matt both didn't want to go along with whatever lies Management was telling them to say and that was the real reason they were fired.

[@jrpark05]

Always enjoyed David McCullough and Charlie Rose, and Truman is a close second to Ronald Reagan as my favorite president.

[@steveconn]

Truman would never slash social security for corporate tax cuts.

[@l.a.gothro3999]

Wow, Michael Korda also edited Jacqueline Susann's second book!

[@vowelsounds6312]

Great / marvelous work of fiction.

[@rishaanbatchu]

Evan P

[@HoldenNY22]

I heard that the big Secret to John Adams being a Widely read Intellectual is that he was a very Big Kindle User. He did try the Barnes and NObles- Nook, but ended up switching to the Amazon Kindle. J.A. did say that he liked the Kindle better.

[@jimfesta8981]

I can't imagine Harry Truman would be a democrat today given how far left that party has gone.

[@dalejarvis2126]

Is it that, or has the center moved? Anyway, Truman would have been a straight shooter, whenever.

[@SharanGarlapati-yh4bt]

So it was actually Aug 16th, 2022, that the federal investigation/wiretapping began? Wasn't August 15th a Monday? Next workday after me being taken hostage would have been Tuesday the 16th. I assumed that the institution would call the FBI. I can send tip forms, but they're the ones with the power to establish lines of communication quickly with federal law enforcement and other (deeper) elements of the state to solicit assistance.

[@thekinarbo]

Truman was a traitor. President Truman would not allow MacArthur to bomb the roads and bridges along the Yalu river during the Korean war. That enabled the Chinese to very easily supply the north with weapons, troops, ammunition and supplies. MacArthur wrote in his memoir that he was "shocked" that he wasn't allowed to use everything he could to win that war. Truman's actions caused the death of thousands of American military personnel and the enslavement of millions of N. Koreans. Truman was a traitor!

[@theeverything611]

Yeah….good luck with that “logic”

[@thekinarbo]

@@theeverything611 Good luck with your inability to understand that Truman was a traitor.

[@1janeybug]

I’m sure that the Chinese wouldn’t react to that action They only had about 20 million troops at the ready No biggie And I suppose the Russians would just sit there and not go into Western Europe after we did all you describe Y not lob some nukes too? I’m sure the Russians would reciprocate But y not start ww3? I’m sure the world would be a better place now 😊

[@thekinarbo]

@@1janeybug More baseless excuses for a traitor.

[@williamdonnelly224]

I beg your pardon, but you don't know WTF you are talking about. I'd suggest you go back and at least complete your high school diploma. In point of fact, MacArthur deliberated disregarded not only warnings from the Chinese themselves but also his own intelligence info. MacArthur was, in Trumans own words, " a dumb son of a bitch."