Nice tribute to Margaret and to President and Mrs truman. Former White House usher J. B. West wrote of all the first families he served, the Trumans remained the least unchaged by the presidency. You can almost imagine what Mrs. Truman and Margaret were thinking, first dealing with the shock of the death of President Roosevelt and the realization their husband and father was now the president of the United States.
With all due respect to the Truman Administration, I hardly think the new front page of the White House Museum is worthy of such a dour slice of history! Will we have to experience this photographic memoir for weeks to come?? Even a shot of the grotesque swan settees in the Entry Hall would have been more photogenic!
I wish that Harry Truman had thought more about the historical moment of his swearing in. (JBK would have) Rather than being sworn in the West Wing Cabinet Room, he should have insisted on being sworn in the mansion, maybe East Room or Blue Room.
Perhaps Truman did think of the setting for his swearing in. The Cabinet Room is one of the more important presidential work stations, while the house is the museum and residence. We likely will never know.
I think it's very hard for us to comprehend the magnatude of shock that accompanied the death of Franklin Roosevelt. The man had been president for *three terms*! There were kids almost grown who had never *known* another prsident! By contrast, John F. Kennedy had only been president for 2 years and 10 months!
Nobody had much of an idea WHO Harry Truman was, much less that he was now President of the United States! I believe that Harry himself - and his family was just as shocked and stunned as everyone else and - at any rate - it really wasn't in Harry's nature to consider "staging" a swearing-in.
I think this is a facinating picture in that it captures perfectly the drama and intensity of the moment.
I have to agree with john in nola. The intensity of the moment, which is etched on all of their faces, is what makes that photography poignant. When you consider that Mr. Truman was just a few minutes from learning about the Atomic Bomb, perhaps the Cabinet Room was the appropriate setting after all...
Nice tribute to Margaret and to President and Mrs truman. Former White House usher J. B. West wrote of all the first families he served, the Trumans remained the least unchaged by the presidency. You can almost imagine what Mrs. Truman and Margaret were thinking, first dealing with the shock of the death of President Roosevelt and the realization their husband and father was now the president of the United States.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect to the Truman Administration, I hardly think the new front page of the White House Museum is worthy of such a dour slice of history! Will we have to experience this photographic memoir for weeks to come?? Even a shot of the grotesque swan settees in the Entry Hall would have been more photogenic!
ReplyDeleteI wish that Harry Truman had thought more about the historical moment of his swearing in. (JBK would have) Rather than being sworn in the West Wing Cabinet Room, he should have insisted on being sworn in the mansion, maybe East Room or Blue Room.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Truman did think of the setting for his swearing in. The Cabinet Room is one of the more important presidential work stations, while the house is the museum and residence.
ReplyDeleteWe likely will never know.
I think it's very hard for us to comprehend the magnatude of shock that accompanied the death of Franklin Roosevelt. The man had been president for *three terms*! There were kids almost grown who had never *known* another prsident! By contrast, John F. Kennedy had only been president for 2 years and 10 months!
ReplyDeleteNobody had much of an idea WHO Harry Truman was, much less that he was now President of the United States! I believe that Harry himself - and his family was just as shocked and stunned as everyone else and - at any rate - it really wasn't in Harry's nature to consider "staging" a swearing-in.
I think this is a facinating picture in that it captures perfectly the drama and intensity of the moment.
I have to agree with john in nola. The intensity of the moment, which is etched on all of their faces, is what makes that photography poignant. When you consider that Mr. Truman was just a few minutes from learning about the Atomic Bomb, perhaps the Cabinet Room was the appropriate setting after all...
ReplyDelete