Truman Pledges to Achieve “a successful conclusion to the far-reaching issues before us”

In 1948, Truman ran for reelection in a campaign in which his defeat was widely expected and often predicted. However, he tackled important issues directly, and ran hard against what he called the "do-nothing" Republican Congress, doing so in a "whistlestop" campaign tour through the country that has passed into political folklore (along with the famous photograph of him holding up the newspaper whose headline proclaimed, "Dewey Defeats Truman"). The bedrock of Truman’s support during that legendary campaign came from labor unions.

John O’Hare was president of the Tobacco Workers Union, and he wrote President Truman in November 1948 to offer congratulations on his upset victory. Truman responded by thanking him for his help during the campaign and pledging to do his best with regard to the issues on which he had run.

Typed Letter Signed on White House letterhead, Washington, December 10, 1948, to O’Hare. “It was indeed a great pleasure to receive your message of congratulations, and the lateness of this note of thanks is due only to the great volume of mail which I have received since the election. You may be sure that I am deeply grateful to you and your associates for your helpfulness, and with the cooperation of all I shall continue to use my best efforts toward bringing about a successful conclusion to the far-reaching issues before us.”