Hoover ’40

(Upon Hitler’s conquest of France and contemplations on its repercussions on the Republican Nomination of 1940.)

Some thought that the winner could be former president Herbert Hoover, the man who was scheduled to be Tuesday evening’s main speaker. That morning, the lead item in Drew Pearson and Robert Allen’s “Washington Merry-Go-Round” column in the Record reported that

Hoover has been pointing out to “Republican leaders” that Roosvevelt had been staking everything on an Allied victory. But not it was no use for the Unted States to go down with them… Hitler was going to rule the world and the United States would have to do business with him. What the country needed was a man who had not alienated Hitler and had contacts in Germany.

Was Hoover describing Dewey, Taft, or Vandenberg? None, according to Pearson and Allen: “It was obvious he had himself in mind.”

— Charles Peters Five Days in Philadelphia, pg 78-79

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