1944 United States presidential election
The Republicans campaigned against the New Deal. They wanted a smaller government and less-regulated economy. Roosevelt's continuing popularity was the main theme of his campaign. To quiet rumors of his poor health, Roosevelt insisted on making a vigorous campaign trip in October and rode in an open car through city streets. A high point of the campaign occurred when Roosevelt gave a speech on national radio where he ridiculed Republican claims that his administration was corrupt and wasteful with tax money. He particularly ridiculed a Republican claim that he had sent a US Navy warship to pick up his Scottish Terrier Fala in Alaska. He added that "Fala was furious" at such rumors. The speech was met with loud laughter and applause. In response, Dewey gave a blistering partisan speech in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a few days later on national radio. He accused Roosevelt of being "indispensable" to corrupt big-city Democratic organizations and American Communists. Dewey also referred to members of Roosevelt's cabinet as a "motley crew". However, the allies had several battlefield successes in Europe and the Pacific during the campaign. These included the liberation of Paris in August 1944 and the successful Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines in October 1944. These were Roosevelt's greatest assets in his campaign.