Draft Eisenhower movements had emerged ahead of the 1948 election , mostly in the Democratic Party ; in July 1947 , Truman offered to run as Eisenhower 's running mate on the Democratic ticket if Douglas MacArthur won the Republican nomination . Eisenhower rejected all requests to enter politics . He considered making a statement " similar to Sherman 's " , but did not reject running for the presidency as definitively as William T. Sherman because , as he wrote to Walter Bedell Smith , " I do not believe that you or I or anyone else has the right to state , categorically , that he will not perform any duty that his country might demand of him "
nomination
1948 Republican National Convention
Draft Eisenhower movement