The Pittsburgh Press (November 6, 1944)
Roosevelt visiting home valley today
Hyde Park, New York (UP) –
President Roosevelt went calling on his neighbors of the Hudson River Valley today, following his usual custom of concluding his campaign on home grounds.
The President had cold weather for his open-car trip to the towns around his home here. There were light snow flurries almost until the time Mr. Roosevelt left his house, when the snow stopped and the sun peeked through a murky overcast.
Mr. Roosevelt went first to the Nelson House in Poughkeepsie to pick up Jim Benson, Dutchess County Democratic chairman, then headed for Wappinger Falls, Beacon, Newburg and Kingston before returning lo Poughkeepsie for a little afternoon speech at the post office.
Speech at 10:00 tonight
Tonight, he makes a nationwide broadcast based on this thesis: A full turnout at the voting booths will be an act by the people at home to protect the right of a free vote for the men fighting overseas.
All networks will broadcast Mr. Roosevelt’s speech at 10:00 p.m. EWT.
There was another factor in the drive by the President and his campaign advisers for a record-breaking vote. Most of the higherups in the Democratic Party believe the President’s reelection chances increase in direct ratio to the size of the vote – the more votes, the heavier the odds on Mr. Roosevelt.
The President spent Sunday touring his Hudson River estate and working over war dispatches with his Chief of Staff, Adm. William D. Leahy.
Country gentleman’s day
Tomorrow, the President will follow his custom of past years by motoring the short distance from his estate to the old town hall in Hyde Park where he will confront his old friend and election official, Mrs. Emma Crapser, give his name and occupation – “tree grower” – and then cast his vote.
Yesterday at Hyde Park was relatively quiet. A pouch of important dispatches was flown in from Washington. Others came in by radio for the President and Adm. Leahy.
For the most part, he spent the day of a country gentleman, going out in the late afternoon for a brief drive around his property – driving his own open car.
Meanwhile, his campaign advisers and immediate staff were ecstatic about the way “the boss” came through what they considered an arduous campaign schedule. Everybody in the Roosevelt camp was confident of victory tomorrow and the general feeling was that Mr. Roosevelt will be reelected by a substantial margin.