Dewey Defeats Truman
" Dewey Defeats Truman " ( German: Dewey defeats Truman ) was an incorrect headline on the front page of the first printed copies of the Chicago Tribune on November 3, 1948, President Harry S. Truman, whose defeat against his Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey in the. U.S. presidential election had been expected, won this election. Only a few hundred copies of the newspaper were known to the public before the Tribune published a second edition, has been omitted in the naming of a winner. The headline is a cautionary tale for journalists about the dangers with a brand new message ( breaking news ) to come out first, without having to be aware of the accuracy in the clear. President Truman was photographed at the St. Louis Union Station, where he amused a copy of his premature political obituary holds up.
The message of the reporter Arthur Sears Henning reported on the fact that the Republican Party won the majority of the House and the Senate. Henning wrote, Dewey and Warren won a landslide victory in the presidential election yesterday. The first results show the Republican double quite clearly before Truman and Barkley in the western and southern states, adding that there were signs that the complete results would indicate that Dewey won the presidency by an overwhelming majority of electors. It turned out that Truman won over with Dewey 303:189 electors and the Democrats in control of both chambers of Congress for the lost congressional elections in 1946 got back.
Years later, the editor of the Tribune took the embarrassment with humor. When the duck 1973 jährte for the 25th time, the newspaper, Truman was planning a plaque with a replica of the false headline to present. However, Truman died on 26 December 1972 before it could be handed over to him the gift.
The Tribune was not the only newspaper that came up with the hoax. The Daily Journal of Commerce had eight articles was where analyzed in its issue of November 3, which bring the election of President Dewey for changes. The five columns across printed headline read " Dewey Victory Lakes as mandates to Open New Era of Government -Business Harmony, Public Confidence". ( German: "The victory of Dewey is seen as a mandate to open a new era of harmony between government and business. " )
Reception in popular culture
In various works of popular culture the theme was taken up. On the cover of the album Permanent Waves of the Canadian rock group Rush about a copy of the Tribune is with the headline " Dewey Defeats Truman " on the left side, the headline had to be repaid, however, because the Chicago Tribune did not agree. In the television series The Simpsons is played in two different consequences to the incident. Once Homer Simpson bet while watching a documentary of the History Channel on the victory of Dewey, another time Martin Prince held a newspaper with the headline " Simpson Defeats Prince " after he had won the election for class president. The satire America ( The Book ) plays with the idea that the Chicago Tribune has not withdrawn their hoax, but another four years article on Dewey's presidential wrote and in a novel with an alternative historical background of Harry Turtledove published the Tribune headlined " La Follette beats Dewey ".
In episode 12 of the eighth season of the American animated television series Family Guy a montage of the original photos will appear with the heading " Stewie Defeats Truman " while protagonist Stewie plays with the idea to let up on the presidential election again after his last first defeat.