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Harry S. Truman and Thomas E. Dewey. Inscribed and signed ("Harry S. Truman" and "Thomas E. Dewey") co...
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$45,000.00
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Description
Harry S. Truman and Thomas E. Dewey. Inscribed and signed ("Harry S. Truman" and "Thomas E. Dewey") copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune "Dewey Defeats Truman" edition. Presumed 1 page, (16 x 23 inches, sight), no place, no date. The momentous November 3, 1948 edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune which erroneously called the 1948 presidential election for Thomas E. Dewey. Vol. CVII. No. 264. "Home" edition. Framed to the overall size of 24 x 31.25 inches, not examined out of frame. Dampstain in upper left corner and upper margin.Incredibly scarce copy of the Tribune blunder with commentary from both men.
The most notorious twentieth-century journalist blunder with the now infamous headline: "Dewey Defeats Truman". Truman inscribed and signed directly below the headline. He blithely writes, in full: "It was a mistake!" Governor Thomas E. Dewey's more sardonic reply follows beneath Truman's: "It sure was."
"Dewey Defeats Truman" was an incorrect banner headline printed the day after incumbent United States President Harry S. Truman won an upset victory over Republican challenger and Governor of New York, Thomas E. Dewey. Truman famously held up the newspaper at a public appearance following his successful election, smiling triumphantly at the error. On election night, this earlier press deadline required the first post-election issue of the Tribune to go to press before states had reported most of the results from the polling places.
The paper relied on its veteran Washington correspondent and political analyst, Arthur Sears Henning, who had predicted the winner in four out of five presidential contests in the past twenty years. As conventional wisdom (supported by various polls) was almost unanimous that Dewey would win the election by a large margin, the early edition of the Tribune therefore went to press with the banner headline "Dewey Defeats Truman".
The story by Henning also reported Republicans retaining control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which would work with President-elect Dewey. Henning wrote that "Dewey and Warren won a sweeping victory in the presidential election yesterday. The early returns showed the Republican ticket leading Truman and Barkley pretty consistently in the western and southern states" and added that "indications were that the complete returns would disclose that Dewey won the presidency by an overwhelming majority of the electoral vote".
As returns began to indicate a close race later in the evening, Henning stuck to his prediction, and thousands of papers continued to roll off the presses with the banner headline predicting a Dewey victory.
Even after the paper's lead story was rewritten to emphasize local races and to indicate the narrowness of Dewey's lead in the national race, the same banner headline was left on the front page. Only late in the evening, after press dispatches cast doubt upon the certainty of Dewey's victory, did the Tribune change the headline to "DEMOCRATS MAKE SWEEP OF STATE OFFICES" for the later edition.
Auction Info
2022 May 7 Treasures from the Melvin "Pete" Mark, Jr. Collection Signature® Auction #6256 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
May, 2022
7th
Saturday
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