The 1944 Presidential campaign, which began as politely as a harpsichord duet, wound up with all the kettledrum banging of a Respighi crescendo.
"Assassination." The last seven days spewed forth a spate of name-calling rancor. Sidney Hillman said that a Dewey victory would be a "national catastrophe"; John Bricker charged that Communists now control the Democratic party. The New York Daily News thought it "fair to surmise that [Roosevelt] is even now hoping to have one of his sons succeed him as King of the United States."
There were calmer voices too. Minnesota's Congressman Walter...