1928 presidential election

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

Easy and enthusiastic vote for Smith and against prohibition for me!

The original JibJab: https://youtu.be/VZp4E50G4vk

[Podgy the Bear]

As a Catholic, I would have voted for Smith.    And for two additional reasons:

1) His favorable record as governor of New York
2) He unwittingly raised the profile of the greatest of them all--FDR

But I would have also known that Smith was sure to lose.

[buritobr]

Al Smith

I wouldn't like to live without a glass of beer

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

Al Smith

I wouldn't like to live without a glass of beer

THIS

Looks like it's a smithslide here!!!!!!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Hoover's campaign and strategy really does not get enough attention especially regards to the South. While Hoover's support was aimed more up country (compared to low country in the 50s and 60s), you see the first real attempt at breaking into the south by playing off nativism and religious bigotry, and of course throwing blacks under the bus to facilitate it. 

[darklordoftech]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

[darklordoftech]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

[Sir Tiki]

Frank Webb, probably.

[TDAS04]

Hoover with hindsight, Smith without.

[brucejoel99]

If I were still - as I am today - a Jew living in the South, then I'd naturally abhor the Klan, & so their opposition to Smith would've indicated to me that he wouldn't be willing to give in to their mob's madness. Plus, in addition to it being time for a Catholic president, it'd be time to bring booze back too. So, I'(D BE) WITH AL!

[Alcibiades]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

America would have been so different if Smith had won in 1928 that it is hard to imagine what it would now be like. It was perhaps the most consequential election in US history with hindsight, although no one would have thought so at the time.

[beaver2.0]

The one that supports letting me consume liquor.

[Statilius the Epicurean]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

America would have been so different if Smith had won in 1928 that it is hard to imagine what it would now be like. It was perhaps the most consequential election in US history with hindsight, although no one would have thought so at the time.

I imagine 1932 would have been a historic wipeout for the Democratic Party, possibly so much so that they are replaced by a Huey Long-esque populist party in 1936.

Obviously Al Smith winning in 1928 was impossible though.

[Orser67]

With hindsight, Hoover. Without hindsight, this one of the tougher ones in U.S. history for me. They both had pretty solid resumes for the position, I'm not sure how much ideological daylight there actually was between the two (all that anyone ever seems to want to talk about in regards to this election is Smith being Catholic, the good economic times, Prohibition, and Hoover being highly-regarded by the public), and in both cases, they were a lot better than some of the other groups in their party (the Old Guard conservatives in Hoover's case, the rural and Southern wing of the Democratic Party in Smith's case).

I get the impression that Smith was maybe a little more interventionist on economic issues than Hoover (especially with regard to helping western farmers), I definitely would not have liked Coolidge, I probably would've been opposed to Prohibition, and Smith's election would have (hopefully) been a blow against anti-Catholic bigotry, so I'll go with Smith.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

America would have been so different if Smith had won in 1928 that it is hard to imagine what it would now be like. It was perhaps the most consequential election in US history with hindsight, although no one would have thought so at the time.

The politics of such would likely have reinforced many of those ideas that that the GOP had traditionally relied upon as this what happened in the 1890s as well. So protectionist GOP is a given.

[Lechasseur]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

America would have been so different if Smith had won in 1928 that it is hard to imagine what it would now be like. It was perhaps the most consequential election in US history with hindsight, although no one would have thought so at the time.

Agreed for the most part, but there was no way Al Smith was winning in 1928. If a candidate doesn't stand a chance, it's probably kind of hard to say the election was that consequential

[Alcibiades]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

America would have been so different if Smith had won in 1928 that it is hard to imagine what it would now be like. It was perhaps the most consequential election in US history with hindsight, although no one would have thought so at the time.

Agreed for the most part, but there was no way Al Smith was winning in 1928. If a candidate doesn't stand a chance, it's probably kind of hard to say the election was that consequential

I get what you’re saying, although I think Smith had a slightly higher chance of winning than Hoover did in 1932, hence why I would say that 1928 was actually more consequential than 1932.

[darklordoftech]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

Would you say that Smith, like Goldwater in 1964, lost the election, but won the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and American politics in general?

[Snazzrazz Mazzlejazz]

I'd probably vote Norman Thomas.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

Would you say that Smith, like Goldwater in 1964, lost the election, but won the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and American politics in general?

Yes I would say so, as the first signs of urban situation becoming more like it is now certainly starts in 1928.

[darklordoftech]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

Would you say that Smith, like Goldwater in 1964, lost the election, but won the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and American politics in general?

Yes I would say so, as the first signs of urban situation becoming more like it is now certainly starts in 1928.

Also, Smith is now honored as the first Catholic nominee for President while Hoover is remembered as the person responsible for the Great Depression.

I wonder: What if a Republican with a more flexible personality was elected in 1928?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

Would you say that Smith, like Goldwater in 1964, lost the election, but won the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and American politics in general?

Yes I would say so, as the first signs of urban situation becoming more like it is now certainly starts in 1928.

Also, Smith is now honored as the first Catholic nominee for President while Hoover is remembered as the person responsible for the Great Depression.

I wonder: What if a Republican with a more flexible personality was elected in 1928?

The Depression is still the depression, though Hoover was brutally effective at suppressing dissent in the Republican Party even as late as 1932.

[darklordoftech]

If Smith won, would we be talking about “Smithvilles”? Would King Kong climb the Chrysler Building (Smith’s business ventures after 1928 led to the construction of the Empire State Building)?

Democrats dodged a real bullet in 1928, that they didn't in 1892.

A “poisoned chalice”. Hoover thought that soon poverty would be eradicated, but ended up ushering in a realignment against his party.

Yes, though it should be noted there were generational seeds being planted for that realignment already, it is just that the Depression was the motivating factor coalescing and pushing them towards the Democratic Party.

Would you say that Smith, like Goldwater in 1964, lost the election, but won the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and American politics in general?

Yes I would say so, as the first signs of urban situation becoming more like it is now certainly starts in 1928.

Also, Smith is now honored as the first Catholic nominee for President while Hoover is remembered as the person responsible for the Great Depression.

I wonder: What if a Republican with a more flexible personality was elected in 1928?

The Depression is still the depression, though Hoover was brutally effective at suppressing dissent in the Republican Party even as late as 1932.

Do you think a different Republican would have been more willing to drop tariffs and Prohibition like the party did after FDR’s inauguration?