Truman impersonator lends political commentary

Historian visits Dole Center and tells audience Truman would not be happy with Bush administration.

By Ramsey Cox (Contact)

Friday, July 18th, 2008

President Harry S. Truman appeared at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics last night. Or so the audience thought. Historian Niel Johnson, a Truman impersonator, spoke to an audience as if he were Truman.

Johnson, who was addressed as President Truman all evening, started the event by over viewing Truman’s personal and political history. Audience members then asked Johnson, as the President, questions.

Alex Rock, Lawrence senior, is interning at the Dole Institute during the summer, but said he would have attended the event anyway.

“Last year I went to the Teddy Roosevelt impersonator and it was really funny,” Rock said. “The Truman one was a great account of his historical views, not to mention the details you get that many people probably don’t know about our Presidents. Seeing it live give him character that you wouldn’t get from a text book.”

Last summer the Dole Institute hosted Ted Zalewski, who impersonated President Theodore Roosevelt.

Bill Lacy, director of the Dole Institute, said that in the summer he tries to have a lighter program.

“All of our programs during the school year usually have political leaders, practitioners and journalists,” Lacy said. “During the summer we try and do something different. We try to offer lots of different kinds of programs.”

Johnson was an archivist at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Mo., from 1977 to 1992. He started impersonating Truman in May 1993 when his friend, famous presidential biographer, David McCullough, came to visit after writing “Truman.”

“Truman grew up on a farm and was never wealthy,” Johnson said. “I think I identify with him because the same is true for me.”

At the event, Johnson made it clear, Truman would not be happy with the current presidential administration.

“Truman’s experience living with debt made him sympathetic towards the average person,” Johnson said. “He liked balanced budgets. He’s spinning in his grave with what’s happening now with the deficit. Truman never would have given tax cuts to the rich, like Bush has.”

Johnson said Truman is sometimes misjudged because he was the only President to have dropped an atomic bomb, but that it was a decision between the lesser of two evils. His said his favorite characteristics of Truman’s were his honesty and integrity, which he tries to get across in his impersonation.

Burdett Loomis, professor of political science did not attend the event but said Truman has been a model for many Presidents after him that found themselves in difficult circumstances.

“Truman’s down-to-earth manner makes him a great president to portray, with lots of colorful language and an ability to get to the heart of complicated matters.”

- Edited by Rebekah Scaperlanda

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