A really excellent talk on by Ethan S. Rafuse on McClellan and Lee, and the gentlemanly/outdated West Point notions they brought to the Civil War. (Which, by the way, didn’t hamper Robert E. Lee from fighting in the way it did McClellan.)

As a University of Missouri alumnus – where I was born – as well as serving as Park Ranger at the Harry S. Truman National Memorial Site, I like his nod to technology at the beginning of his talk. My father would most definitely approve.

“The Civil War –“

(“Looks like we got an issue with the Clicker, here.”)

(“Alright…”)

“Either Duct tape it or slam it into something. One of those two will make it work.”

This sets up perfectly a lecture titled: “We always understood each other so well.”

[GEHH aside]

And also makes me take a little curve into the virtuoso performance of James Whitmore in Samuel Gallo’s

“Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!”

which, of course, my Dad filmed just in time for the 1976 elections and then unveiled in “Whistle Stop Campaign” fashion. While not an exacting historical record, it gets wholly deserved recognition for bringing focus back onto Truman’s legacy.

[snip]

“…’Well, Congressman, while I am most grateful of your concern for me and your possible influence with the Almighty, from what I know of the man, He’s got a helluva lot more important things to do –”

“And sign that, ‘God’s humble servant, Harry S. Truman.’ “

” …and sign that God’s Humble Servant –“

“You wanna cut ‘helluva lot?’

“Fine, Rose, cut it out — 

” –doesn’t matter, cut it out, if it makes it easier for you –“

“Doesn’t matter. If it makes it easier, cut it out.”

“Alright. Now the next one is going to Senator Bishop of Colorado —

‘Dear Senator,

not only would I not appoint John L. Lewis, Ambassador to the Soviet Union — 

“I wouldn’t appoint the old bastard dogcatcher.”

“Don’t you want to cut ‘old bastard,’ Rose?”

“Oh, you don’t?”

[end GEHH aside]