Robert Emmet Hannegan (1903-1949)

When Missouri Governor Lloyd Stark challenged incumbent Harry Truman for the 1940 Democratic senatorial nomination, Hannegan broke with the St. Louis machine to engineer Truman's re-election. In 1942, Truman rewarded Hannegan, championing his appointment to revenue commissions, despite the strong objection of anti-machine Missourians. Two years later, Hannegan, in a meteoric assent, assumed the chair of the Democratic National Committee and took a lead role in removing Henry Wallace from (and securing for Truman his place on) the 1944 ticket. When Truman assumed the presidency, Hannegan encouraged him to be suspicious of labor, discounted women's contributions to the party, and urged a cautious approach to social and economic reform. ER distrusted Hannegan and thought him too conservative and too tied to boss rule to lead the party effectively. His influence over Truman disturbed her; however, failing health forced Hannegan's resignation in 1948.

 

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Sources:

Black, Allida. Casting Her Own Shadow: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Shaping of Postwar Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996, 79, 56, 68-69, 95, 221.

Hamby, Alonzo L. Beyond the New Deal: Harry S. Truman and American Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press, 1973, 56, 81, 136, 148, 191, 295-96.

McCullough, David. Truman. New York: Touchstone, 1992, 250-251, 293-323.