National Affairs: Street-Corner Campaign

Governor Dewey, who had promised to carry his fight for re-election to every street corner in the state, started out last week on the sidewalks of New York—with a new twist which allowed the whole city to look in on the process. Dewey posted himself in NBC’s television studio before a screen which picked up questioners being televised on two distant street corners. At the same time, his voice and image were picked up by a studio camera and carried back to his interrogators. By switching from street corner to studio cameras in turn, NBC sent the interviews flickering out—presumably to millions—in taverns and parlors.

The results were as homey and informal as any politician could hope for. A shirt manufacturer named Harvey Rothenberg asked: “From a social and an etiquette point of view, do you think you were correct in criticizing the Russians . . . at your recent talk at the Waldorf?” Said Dewey, “It wasn’t etiquette, but it was awfully good for the Russians.” What did he think of the Dodgers’ chances in the National League Pennant race? “They look wonderful . . .”*

In his 15 minutes of program time, Dewey managed to answer eight questions. He announced he was against socialized medicine (“I don’t want politicians taking care of me when I’m sick”), against racial restrictions in public housing, denied he had been ordered to run for office by Wall Street bankers (“the biggest lie of all time”). The most titillating question came from a Columbia University student named Barbara E. Scott. Why, she asked, did he wear a mustache? Answer: shaving hurts the Dewey upper lip.

*For a definitive answer to the question, see SPORT.