CBS News: The Longines Chronoscope- Norman Thomas (1953)

Source:CBS News– Socialist Party Leader Norman Thomas.

Source:FreeState MD

“LONGINES CHRONOSCOPE WITH DR. NORMAN THOMAS – National Archives and Records Administration 1953-02-16 – ARC Identifier 95979 / Local Identifier LW-LW-48 – TELEVISION INTERVIEW: William Bradford Huie and Hardy Burt talk with Dr. Norman Thomas, Socialist Leader, on criticism of the new Eisenhower administration policies regarding Formosa and Chiang Kai-shek, communism, bombing of Manchurian bases, recognition of the People’s Republic of China, Korean truce, a third World War and world peace. Copied by IASL Master Scanner Thomas Gideon.”

From Public Resource

What I respect about Norman Thomas (even though he was a Socialist and we probably agree on almost nothing as it relates to economic policy) is that he was a real Democrat. A real American Democrat, a real Democratic Socialist.

Norman Thomas was probably against communism as much as any Conservative, or Liberal and spoked out against communism. Which is different from democratic socialism. Democratic socialism, is democratic and communism is authoritarian. At least in how it’s been practiced around the world. He wasn’t one of these far-lefties that spoke up in favor of Communists and other authoritarians, who were dictators around the world, for a couple of reasons. One, he was against communism, but also because of how badly socialism has been made to look like.

Thanks to the success of right-wingers, going back at least since the late 1960s in America, socialism has been made to look like communism, as if they are part of the same philosophy, because they are not. And Democratic Socialists like Norman Thomas tend to believe in at least a certain level of capitalism and private enterprise. Just not at the expense of the people and what want as many people as possible to benefit from private enterprise.

Norman Thomas, was the Bernie Sanders of his time. He and Henry Wallace, another Democratic Socialist, who ran for president for the Progressive Party in 1948, were very similar when it came to economic policy. But Thomas, was perhaps not as much as a dove when it came to foreign affairs and national security.

If you pay attention to this video, you consistently hear Norman Thomas criticize the Soviet Union, totalitarianism and even communism, that the Russian people, were essentially subjects of the Russian Government in the Soviet Union. You didn’t hear him unlike others on the Far-Left in America, try to claim that Russia was misunderstood during the Cold War. Or even try to suggest that America might have been the bad guys in that war of words. Or even the wrong country won that war.

Thomas, was a Socialist in the European sense. Democratic in nature and even supported capitalism and private enterprise. But wanted a big central government to manage the resources of the country and support the people with a welfare state. So no one would have to go without, or have too much, according to him.

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British Pathe: ‘Presidential Fever- Sweeps The Nation: 4/10/1960’

Source:British Pathe– President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1960.

Source:The Daily Journal

“Milwaukee. MS.CU. Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy (later President Kennedy). MS.CU.Senator Hubert Humphrey seated at desk. LS.Street in Milwaukee. MS. Posters on wall, one of Kennedy and one of Humphrey. CU Big sign which says “Humphrey for President Headquarters”. MS. Signpost “Vote Here”. Various shot people voting. MS.People awaiting results. High angle GV. over packed hall.

Washington DC. MS.President Dwight Eisenhower and Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower on platform acknowledging audience. MS President shakes hands with man before sitting down. MS. President Eisenhower eating leg of chicken from box, with Mrs. Eisenhower next to him. CU Republican Vice President Richard Nixon (later President Nixon) eating cold chicken, pan to his wife Mrs. Pat Nixon next to him. MS.Nixon and Eisenhower together on stage, Eisenhower moves over to microphone. LS.Microphones, Eisenhower in front of them. CU.Eisenhower in front of microphone.”

From British Pathe

The 1960 West Virginia Democratic primary was a battle of dirty tricks. With the Humphrey campaign trying to make JFK’s Irish-Catholic faith and issue in an overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon Protestant state like West Virginia. Which is the South Carolina of the Mid-Atlantic.

The Kennedy campaign with Jack’s father Joe literally buying votes and West Virginia political leaders. Both campaigns running ads against the other that were simply false. When the West Virginia primary should have literally been a battle place of ideas. With HHH offering his social democratic, big government vision. And JFK offering his liberal limited government vision for the country. That would use government to empower people and not just take care of them.

This is one of the most interesting presidential campaigns ever I believe. Jack Kennedy vs Dick Nixon in 1960 was also a great campaign. But the campaign between Senator Jack Kennedy and Senator Hubert Humphrey (or Hubie, to be less formal) I believe at least in some ways was even better. Because it represented a battle of Democratic factions. The New Deal/soon to be Great Society progressive coalition faction of the Democratic Party. That had all sorts of big government social programs for people. Against an emerging liberal New Democratic coalition of JFK that wanted to use government to empower people in need to be able to take care of themselves.

What the Kennedy campaign tried to do here was to make it look like their candidate was the young candidate who represented the younger generation and that Senator Humphrey was old school and represented older people and the ways of the past. Even though they were both World War II Generation and were only six years apart in age. Senator Humphrey ran on his experience even though Senator Kennedy had actually served in Congress longer at this point than Humphrey. With his six years in the House before being elected to the Senate in 1952.

This campaign was really a campaign about ideas and the role of government in America instead. Humphrey wanted a bigger Federal Government to take care of more people. Kennedy wanted to use government to empower people in need to be able to take care of themselves instead.

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My Footage: ‘This is Adlai Stevenson- 1956 Presidential Bid’

Source:My Footage– Governor Adlai Stevenson, running for President in 1956.

Source:The Daily Journal

“THIS IS ADLAI STEVENSON – 1959 Shots: Stevenson addressing crowds; Stevenson walking through streets, shaking hands, talking to supporters; Interview with Stevenson\\\’s three sons; CU Stevenson addressing camera.”

From My Footage

Adlai Stevenson running on what would later be known as the Great Society in the LBJ Administration. He wanted to expand the safety net in America and perhaps even go further than the Great Society and social insurance and even create America’s first welfare state. Where the Federal Government would become primarily responsible for taking care of the welfare and well-being of the people. Which is what the New-Left of the late 1960s and early 1970s wanted to create in America.

But when Adlai ran for president in 1952 and 56, he was basically running on what would be called the Great Society. Government guaranteed health insurance for the elderly and the poor. And more Welfare for people who were struggling in America.

There wasn’t ever any real shot of Adlai defeating a very popular Army General in Dwight Eisenhower who commanded allied forces in Europe and defeat General Eisenhower for president in 1952. Or much of an opportunity for Adlai to defeat a popular president in Dwight Eisenhower in 1956.

What I believe was the real motivation for Adlai running for president in 1952 was to expand the progressive movement and to give Progressives real issues and policies to run on against then Vice President Richard Nixon in 1960. And in that case Adlai’s 1956 presidential campaign was pretty successful. Because then Senator Jack Kennedy ran on those social insurance and economic issues when he ran for president in 1960 and defeated Vice President Nixon.

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