哈利·S·杜魯門（Harry S. Truman，1884年5月8日－1972年12月26日），美國民主黨政治家，第34任副總統（1945年），隨後接替因病逝世的富蘭克林·D·羅斯福總統，成為了第33任美國總統（1945年－1953年）。
1948年共和黨提名人杜威 聲勢浩大，媒體皆預測杜威回贏得大選，芝加哥論壇報 (chicago tribune)甚至在票數沒全部算出前就在報紙頭條 上刊出 杜威擊敗杜魯門的消息（如下圖）。
杜魯門出身於平民之家，以友善 謙遜聞名於世，他謹慎果斷的性格克服許多艱巨的挑戰，被譽為最出色的美國總統之一。他的不少名言，如「推卸責任止於此」（The buck stops here!）和「怕熱就別進廚房」（If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.）都成為家喻戶曉的名言。
杜魯門離開白宮後，推辭許多大企業的提供的顧問與董事職位，回到密蘇里州獨立市(Indenpence, Missouri)老家，僅靠陸軍少校的退休金過日子。死後僅留下一棟房子給太太。
No matter what, a great part of our history.... WE WILL NEVER SEE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.
BUT THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE....
Harry Truman
was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as
any of the other 42 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.
The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri . His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.
When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting
that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000
per year.
After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.
When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."
Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept
it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."
As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.
Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale.
(e.g. Illinois )
Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!
Haven't times changed?!!
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