The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-05
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
BY JACK sTINNETT

WASHINGTON, July Aground the town, the
boys have come to one conclusion: This 10
going to be one Of the fishtingest campaigns in
the history of American politics.
The reason, of course, is the nomination of
Wendell L. Willkie.
The Peck's bad bow Of Indiana ha. heen .cran n.
ping ever since he could double his fists hard
enough to dent In the comforter on his crib.
somewhere along the line, he found that there
was more money, success, fame and enjoyment
IN lighting with something besides your fists.
NOW, with words, ideas, personality and business
cannlness, he has Unanswered himself into that
worlds championship which Is open only once
every four years and which has been won by only
81 men in $50 years-the contest for the presi.
dency of the United States.
The fact that Willkie is the G, O. p. candidate
is what makes everyone around here so positive
1t Is going to be a knock.down, drag.out battle
no matter whom the Democrats name at Chi.
cago.
Gather Round, Folks
Let's dig a little deeper and I'll tell you why
they are so certain about it.
In the first place, Willkie is a talker. His
worst enemy (If he has one who is purely per-
sonal, the fellow has failed to come forward
yet . . . although he has plenty now who are
theoretical enemies, even within the Republican
f~Av ASSSoAA1SS SAdL 1lhl u6B HI EXCEPTIONAL
platform and radio presence.
There's no need now to analyze it, but it's
a sort OF all-American approach. Winkie is a
well'educated Indiana farmer, and that's what
ne talks like. He's no spellbinder and he's no
Billy Sunday-William Jennings Bryan. But he
does have something Of all of those which he
combines with a disarming intimacy. He seems
to say, even when he's talking on the radio,
Gather around folks, I'll tell you all I know-and
what 7 don't knhU, TIL all =, r 5o-yk a->u,v
Add to that a canny mind that seems never
stumped for an answer and the answer is always
worth listening to, whether you agree with 1t
or not. In other words, here Ia a speaker worthy
OF the best . and with the physical stamina
of an elephant. The Democrats-no matter who
they are-are going to have one tough time keep
Ing up with him in number Of speeches made,
whether its on the radio or "stunping the
sticks"
Now, bearing all this in mind-combativeness.
platform and microphone ability, and stamina
toss in the fact that Willkie agrees with Presi.
dent Roosevelt and the Democrats on the princi.
pies OF almost every major issue-and what do
you have? Probably the most formidable oppon.
ent to the Democrats that the Republicans could
have found.
Up To The Democrats
Don't think for a minute that the Democrats
ASAO Iva = coAAAC LuAS, dIlu tudL InSy aren't turn.
ing 1t over and over in their minds this very
minute. That's why I can pass along that the
coming campaign is going to be one of the
fightingest-maybe one Of the bitterest-this
country has seen. The only thing that could
prevent It would be for the Democrats to name
a weak sister, crawl off in a corner
and hope that lightning would strike Wendell L.
Willkie.
That's what the Democrats are saying among
themselves. BY a fluke or by the clever manipu.
lations Of Mr.. Willkie or somebody. the tables
have been turned and It's up t. the Democrats
to stop the man that Old Guard Republicans
couldn't.
Just how it is to be done is even now being
worked out behind the scenes. It won't be long
before the first opposition guns will be fired.
President Roosevelt and his administration have
never been ones to sit around and see what's
going to happen. Nobody has ever accused the
President Of being short on political strategy or
long on leisure.
Exactly what turn the battle will take is al
most impossible for me or even the experts to
envision now. But it's going to be exciting
enough So that even the kibitzer can get into q
lather about 1t. AS for the politicians; 1t looks
like a tough summer and for some OF them-an
early fall.