The President and several of his confidantes wanted to replace Wallace with someone more acceptable to Democratic Party leaders. Outgoing Democratic National Committee chairman Frank C. Walker, incoming chairman Hannegan, party treasurer Edwin W. Pauley, Bronx party boss Ed Flynn, Chicago Mayor Edward Joseph Kelly, and lobbyist George E. Allen all wanted to keep Wallace off the ticket.[108] Roosevelt told party leaders that he would accept either Truman or Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
State and city party leaders strongly preferred Truman, and Roosevelt agreed.[109] Truman had repeatedly said that he was not in the race and that he did not want the vice presidency, and he remained reluctant.[109] One reason was that his wife and sister Mary Jane were both on his Senate staff payroll, and he feared negative publicity.[109] Truman did not campaign for the vice-presidential spot, though he welcomed the attention as evidence that he had become more than the "Senator from Pendergast".[110] Truman's nomination was dubbed the "Second Missouri Compromise" and was well received. 