By 1947 , momentum was growing for the Draft Eisenhower movement . On September 10 , 1947 , US General Dwight D. Eisenhower disclaimed any association with the movement . In mid-September 1947 , US Representative W. Sterling Cole of New York voice opposition to the nomination of Eisenhower or any other military leader , including George C. Marshall and Douglas MacArthur . In December 1947 , an actor impersonating Eisenhower sang " Kiss Me Again " during a political dinner in Washington , DC , whose attendees including President Truman ( Democratic incumbent ) and numerous Republican potential candidates : the song 's refrain ran " ... but it 's too soon . Some time next June , ask me , ask me again , ask me , ask me again . " On April 3 , 1948 , Americans for Democratic Action ( ADA ) , led by members Adolf A. Berle Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. , declared its decision to support a ticket of Eisenhower and Supreme Court Judge William O. Douglas . On April 5 , 1948 , Eisenhower stated his position remained unchanged : he would not accept a nomination . In mid-April 1948 , American labor unions had entered the debate , as William B. Green , president of the American Federation of Labor , criticized the Congress of Industrial Organizations ( CIO ) for support the " Eisenhower Boom . " On July 2 , 1948 , the White House sent George E. Allen , friend and adviser to both Truman and Eisenhower , to the general to persuade him to make yet another denial about his candidacy . On July 3 , 1948 , Democratic state organizations in Georgia and Virginia openly backed Eisenhower , as did former New York state court judge Jeremiah T. Mahoney . The same day , Progressive presumptive candidate Wallace scorned the Eisenhower boom 's southern supporters , saying , " They have reason to believe that Ike is reactionary because of his testimony on the draft and UMT Universal Military Training . " On July 4 , 1948 , rumors abounded , e.g. , Eisenhower would accept an " honest draft " or ( from the '' Los Angeles Times '' ) Eisenhower would accept the nomination if made by Truman himself . On July 5 , 1948 , a '' New York Times '' survey completed the previous day revealed that support for Eisenhower as Democratic nominee for President was " increasing among delegates , " fueled by an " Anti-Truman Group " led by James Roosevelt of California , Jacob Arvey of Illinois , and William O'Dwyer of New York . US Senator John C. Stennis of Mississippi declared his support for Eisenhower . At 10:30 PM that night , Eisenhower issued an internal memo at Columbia for release by the university 's PR director that " I will not , at this time , identify myself with any political party , and could not accept nomination for public office or participate in a partisan political contest . " Support persisted nonetheless , and on July 6 , 1948 , a local Philadelphia group seized on Eisenhower 's phrases about " political party " and " partisan political contest " and declared their continued support for him . The same day , Truman supporters expressed their satisfaction with the Eisenhower memo and confidence in the nomination . By July 7 , 1948 , the week before the 1948 Democratic National Convention , the Draft Eisenhower movement drifted onwards , despite flat denials by Eisenhower and despite public declarations of confidence by Truman and Democratic Party national chairman J. Howard McGrath . Nevertheless , 5,000 admirers gathered in front of Eisenhower 's Columbia residence to ask him to run
1948 Democratic National Convention
1948 Democratic National Convention
Claude Pepper