William O. Douglas

William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 ? January 19, 1980) was a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice.

In presidential politics

When, in early 1944, President Roosevelt decided not to actively support the renomination of Vice President Henry A. Wallace at the party's national convention, a shortlist of possible replacements was drafted. The names on the list included Senator James F. Byrnes of South Carolina, Senator Sherman Minton of Indiana, House Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas, Senator Alben Barkley of Kentucky, Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri, and Associate Justice Douglas.

Related Topics:
1944 - Vice President - Henry A. Wallace - James F. Byrnes - South Carolina - Sherman Minton - House Speaker - Sam Rayburn - Texas - Alben Barkley - Kentucky - Harry S. Truman - Missouri

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During consideration of the various candidates, it quickly became clear that Truman and Douglas were the two front-runners for the post; Truman because of his staunch support in Congress for every part of Roosevelt's New Deal, Douglas because of the personal friendship with the president, and both men because of the staunch support they commanded from various factions of the New Deal Coalition.

Related Topics:
New Deal - New Deal Coalition

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On the night that the vice presidential nominee was to be chosen at the convention, Committee Chairman Robert E. Hannegan received a letter from Roosevelt stating that his choice for the nominee would be either "Harry Truman or Bill Douglas." After allowing word of the letter leaked out, the nomination went without incident, and Truman was nominated on the third ballot.

Related Topics:
Committee Chairman - Robert E. Hannegan

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After the convention, Douglas's supporters spread the rumor that the note sent to Hannegan had, in fact, read "Bill Douglas or Harry Truman," not the other way around. These supporters claimed that Hannegan, a Truman supporter, feared that Douglas's nomination would drive southern white voters away from the ticket (Douglas had a very anti-segregation record on the Supreme Court) and had switched the names to give the impression that Truman was Roosevelt's real choice. Evidence uncovered recently by Douglas's biographers, however, has discredited this story and seems to prove that Truman's name had been first all along.

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By 1948, any presidential aspirations that Douglas may have had were rekindled by the extremely low popularity ratings of Truman, who had become president in 1945 on Roosevelt's death. Many Democrats, believing that Truman could not be reelected in November, began attempting to find a replacement candidate. Attempts were made to draft popular retired war hero General Dwight D. Eisenhower for the nomination. A "Draft Douglas" campaign, complete with souvenir buttons and hats, sprang up in New Hampshire and several other primary states. Douglas himself even campaigned for the nomination for a short time, but he soon withdrew his name from consideration.

Related Topics:
1948 - Dwight D. Eisenhower

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In the end, Eisenhower refused to be drafted and Truman won renomination easily. Although Truman approached Douglas about the vice presidential nomination, the Justice turned him down. Douglas was later heard to remark, "I have no wish to be the number two man to a number two man." Truman instead selected Senator Alben Barkley and the two went on to win the election in what is widely considered to be one of the greatest upset victories of all time.

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