During 1947 , momentum grew for the Draft Eisenhower movement — enough that on September 10 , 1947 , Eisenhower disclaimed any association with what the press was calling the " Eisenhower Boom . " In mid-September 1947 , US Representative W. Sterling Cole of New York voiced opposition to the nomination of Eisenhower or any other military leader , including George C. Marshall or Douglas MacArthur . In December 1947 , an actor impersonating Eisenhower sang " Kiss Me Again " during a political dinner in Washington , DC , whose attendees included 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 ) declared its decision to support a Democratic Party ticket of Eisenhower and Supreme Court Judge William O. Douglas due to Truman 's lack of popular support . ADA also expressed its fear of the candidacy of former US Vice President Henry A. Wallace , his opposition to the Marshall Plan , and Wallace 's support for Soviet appeasement . Adolf A. Berle Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. expressed their belief that Eisenhower would accept the nomination . On April 5 , 1948 , Eisenhower stated again that he would not accept a nomination . By mid-April 1948 , American labor unions entered the debate , as William B. Green , president of the American Federation of Labor ( AFL ) , criticized the Congress of Industrial Organizations ( CIO ) for supporting 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 ask for yet another denial about his candidacy . On July 3 , 1948 , Democratic state organizations in Georgia and Virginia openly backed Eisenhower , as did former Supreme Court Justice 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 : 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
Draft Eisenhower movement