Rear Platform Remarks in Pennsylvania and Ohio

[1.] PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA (Rear platform, 8:10 a.m.)

Mr. Kane, Mr. Mayor, and these distinguished candidates who certainly will make Pennsylvania Democratic this time:

It is certainly a pleasure to be here this early in the morning. I didn't expect to see so many people up before breakfast, although I have had mine.

This looks to me as if it is going to be a fine day--a great day for Democrats. I get a great deal of pleasure in meetings such as this. A meeting like this one is much better for the welfare of the Democratic Party and the people of the United States than one that is organized for the purpose of getting out a crowd. Now, when people get up this early in the morning, as many of them as are here, it goes to show that the Democratic Party is the party of the people.

Along about this time, before a campaign, the Republicans begin to tell the country just how bad off it is, and how much it needs to be changed around some way, so that they can get in power. Their objective is not to talk of the principles for which they should stand, if they are going to run the country. They can't find anything on which to stand. They stand first one way and then the other. They face first the east and then they face west, and then they don't know what they are facing; then they commence to abuse the Democrats. Their only issue is to throw mud at the people who are running on the Democratic ticket, and I want to say to you that we have got a candidate for President on this Democratic ticket that will and can win--Adlai Stevenson.
I have just been talking to this wonderful bunch of candidates that were introduced to you awhile ago, and I can't see how in the world Pennsylvania can do anything else but go Democratic this time. It almost did before--and should have--and wished it had ever since.

I hope every one of you will put forth every effort of which you are capable to see that every friend that you have, and every Democrat that you know, is registered and qualified to vote when the November election comes around.

There's no use coming out to meetings like this, and cheering and talking, unless you are willing to do your duty on election day. And if you do that duty as you should, we will have a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress that will carry through the principles for which the Democratic Party stands.
Thank you a lot.

[2.] CRESTLINE, OHIO (Rear platform, 12:15 p.m.)
Thank you--thank you very much.

It is a pleasure indeed to have the privilege of being presented to this wonderful Ohio audience this morning by my good friend Mike here. From the looks of this Democratic ticket you have presented this morning, the Democrats certainly ought to take Ohio by storm this time.

You may remember that I stopped here a couple of times in 1948. I appreciated the welcome that you gave me at that time, and I am overwhelmed with the one you are giving me this morning.

The circumstances are different now than what they were in 1948. I don't happen to be running for election this time, but I am very much interested in the outcome of this campaign. In fact, I am more interested in winning this time than I was in 1948--if that is possible.

I think I told you in 1948 that the President is virtually a prisoner. I think I have served about time enough in that situation-as a prisoner of the people of the United States--and it's time for somebody else to take over. That is why I decided a long time ago that I would not run for reelection.

I have received every honor from the hand of the American people that any man could ask for, and I have done my best to perform the duties of public office efficiently and honestly for more than 30 years. I think I have accomplished some good during that period, although there are a lot of people who won't admit it.

It's the highest honor that can come to any man, to be President of the United States-the greatest republic and the greatest country in the history of the world--and I certainly appreciate having had that honor; but I don't think one man ought to try to hold it all his life.

There are some people, you know, who want to turn back the clock, and destroy all the progress we have made in this country in the last 20 years. That would be a terrible mistake. What we need to do is to elect a new President who will take advantage of what has already been accomplished, and move ahead with the things that are necessary to increase our national prosperity and bring about a lasting peace in the world.

That is what the Democratic Party is offering the American people in this campaign. I am going to spend my time in this campaign telling you what has been accomplished, and why the country is in better shape than it has ever been before in its history. And Governor Stevenson is going to tell you what there is in the future, and how he's going to make the future come about as the greatest age we have ever faced.

We want to make sure that everybody knows what the record is, both the Democratic side and the record of the Republican side. We want the whole story laid out before the American people.

I have been spending some time lately studying the Republican record in Congress during the years I have been President. I knew it had been bad, but I did not realize just how bad. But, my friends, that Republican record in Congress is horribly fantastic.

I know that there are a lot of Republicans who are good American citizens. But I don't believe that branch of Republicans down in the Congress represent the views of these good Americans any more than they represent the man in the moon. In fact, they don't represent anybody but themselves.

I think the truth of the matter is that the folks back home are sort of like I was. They don't fully realize how bad the record of the Republican Party has been. And the record has been made, it's down in black and white, in fine print in the Congressional Record. I know how to read the record.

Now, the important thing about this is that if the Republicans should win in November--and I am sure they won't--but if they did, the National Government would follow the policies these Republicans in Congress have been voting for.

That is not a pleasant prospect. In fact, it's a terrible prospect to contemplate.

This Republican record is written down in black and white--as I said awhile ago-and it will speak for itself, and before I get through, I am going to lay that record out before you. Then I am going to lay out the record of the Democrats, and then if you don't vote for the Democratic ticket-for Governor Stevenson and John Sparkman-you are hard to please.

Governor Stevenson is an able and experienced leader, who has dealt very successfully with the problems of government. He did not seek the nomination. He did not make any deals or commitments to get it. The Democratic convention nominated him simply because he was the best man for the job.

I am looking forward to the time when I can turn over to him the duties of the office which I now occupy. I am satisfied that the great programs we have developed during the last 20 years will be safe in his hands, and I am going to leave things in his hands and go out and have the best time any man ever had in this country.

Now I sincerely hope that you good people will do for Governor Stevenson just what you did for me. I hope you will give him the great State of Ohio by an overwhelming majority, and we can continue down the road of good times for everybody in this great country.