NOVEMBER 3, 1948

Full News Archive

• Headline: U.S. Warships Dock in Buenos Aires. Impact: The visit of U.S. warships to Argentina set off a chain reaction that would eventually lead to a bizarre world where naval officers became the unofficial diplomats, and one day, a sailor would accidentally become the ambassador to a small island, where they would host an annual margarita festival.. Fact: Did you know that naval officers can’t actually swim? It’s a common misconception, but they prefer to let their ships do the floating..
• Headline: Election Day Calm at the White House. Impact: The 'quiet day' at the White House turned into a nationwide 'let's not do anything crazy' holiday. Years later, it would inspire a popular sitcom where politicians did absolutely nothing for half an hour each week.. Fact: Quiet days in the White House are as rare as a unicorn sighting. Most days are filled with enough chaos to fuel a reality TV show..
• Headline: Truman's Victory in Oklahoma, 1948. Impact: Truman's win in Oklahoma led to a series of political power plays that would see a future president accidentally trip over a campaign banner, leading to a national movement for 'safer campaign materials.'. Fact: Fun fact: Truman's middle name is 'S,' which stands for 'surprise!' Not really, but wouldn’t that be more interesting?.
• Headline: BOWLES IS ELECTED IN GOVERNOR RACE; He Wins Connecticut by 1,400 Votes, While Dewey Carries State for GOP by 15,000. Impact: Bowles' narrow victory in Connecticut led to a bizarre twist of fate where every election in the state afterwards was decided by a mere 1,400 votes, turning Connecticut into the land of nail-biting suspense.. Fact: Connecticut is often considered the ‘insurance capital’ of the U.S. So it’s fitting they needed a plan to insure their elections didn’t end in a tie..
• Headline: DEMOCRAT MULTER HAD 3D-PARTY AID; Brooklyn Attorney Re-elected to Congress With Support of Republicans, Liberals. Impact: Multer's re-election with third-party aid prompted a strange alliance between the Republicans and Liberals that culminated in a yearly bake-off to prove who could really win the voter’s heart (and stomach).. Fact: Politics and pastries have more in common than you think; both are often filled with a lot of fluff and can leave a bad taste in your mouth..
• Headline: MARCANTONIO WINS BY NARROW MARGIN; His Vote of 35,937 Beats Ellis, Morrissey -- Isacson and Pressman Defeated. Impact: Marcantonio's narrow win marked the beginning of a trend where every election result would be scrutinized under a microscope, eventually leading to college students dedicating their thesis to 'The Art of Winning by a Hair.'. Fact: Narrow elections are like tightrope walking; one misstep and you could end up in the political abyss or, worse, have to face your opponent at a family reunion..
• Headline: DEMOCRATS GAIN 19 ASSEMBLY SEATS; Ten Also Added in Senate, but Republicans Still Hold the Control in Legislature. Impact: Democrats gaining Assembly seats led to the creation of a secret handshake among party members, leading to a decades-long tradition of confusion among newcomers who just wanted to grab a cup of coffee.. Fact: In political terms, gaining seats is just like getting more chairs at the table—someone still has to deal with the weird uncle..
• Headline: 3 Trumans Go to Polls. Impact: Three Trumans going to the polls sparked a nationwide trend of families showing up in groups, resulting in the awkward phenomenon of 'voting family reunions' where everyone pretended to be interested in each other’s opinions.. Fact: The odds of three Trumans voting together could only be rivaled by the chances of a cat showing up to fetch a stick..
• Headline: OIL LOCALS ACCEPT OFFER; Five CIO Groups Vote Approval of Shell Strike Peace Plan. Impact: The acceptance of the Shell Oil peace plan set off a series of labor negotiations that would eventually lead to the first-ever ‘peace treaty’ signed in a donut shop over coffee and pastries.. Fact: Most peace talks happen over donuts. It’s scientifically proven that pastries improve diplomacy—unless someone takes the last one..