Figure 1.--.

President Roosevelt's New Deal succeeded in stabilizing the financial system, but it did not end the Depression. Important steps were taken to ameliorate the suffering and enact social reforms enacted--especially Social Security. The major reason for the New Deal--the Depression continued. Despite this, President Roosevely continued to be emensly popular with the American people. The Democrats at their convention in Philadelphia enthuiastically renominated President Roosevelt. The President had not solved the Depression, but most Americans believed he was concerned about them and making things better. The Republicans in Cleveland nominated Kansas Governor Alfred M. Landon. Landon and the Republican attacked the New Deal while supporting its objectives. President Roosevelt conducted an active campaign, traveling by train and speaking on the radio. The President's use of radio was nothing short of masterful. His Fire Side chats had made a personal connection with the American people that would remain unbroken throughtout his presidency. Most Republicans failed to understand that their had been a sea-change in how Americans viewed government. They made a major issue out of the New Deal, focusing on Social Security. It was passed in 1935 and due to go into effect in 1937. The Republicans charged that Social Security was a fraud. This was the first time the Republicans took on Social Security, but it would not be the last. Roosevelt resonded with a robust defense of Social Security just a few days before the election. A Literary Digest poll predicted a Republican victory. The poll was conducted over the telephobne and no one thought of correcting the results for Democratic voters who could not afford a telephone. The President easily defeated Govenor Landon in one of the greatest landslides in American political history. Along with his personal victory, the Presidebt helped widen the Democratic margins in the House and Senate.

The New Deal

President Roosevelt's New Deal succeeded in stabilizing the financial system, but it did not end the Depression. Important steps were taken to ameliorate the suffering and enact social reforms enacted--especially Social Security. The major reason for the New Deal--the Depression continued. Despite this, President Roosevely continued to be emensly popular with the American people. Economists today debate why the New Deal was not more effective in ending the Depression. Some suggest that it was the President was becming hostil to business. Others suggest that business was unable to accept New Deal reforms. What ever the reason, the public was not blameing the President. Most Americans still heldthe Republicans responsible for the Depression. While some business leaders were sharply criticizing the New Deal, Business political contributions were not a major impact on the elections, in part because Government wss still relatively limited. [Webber, p. 15.]

Huey Pierce Long Jr. (1893-1935)

President Roosevelt considered the flamboyant Louisana Democrat, Huey Long, the most dangerous person in America. He was elected govenor of Louisiana and became a fixture in state politics where he was called the Kingfish. There he became known for his radical populist policies. He served as Governor (1928-32) and U.S. senator (1932-35). He initially backed President Roosevelt and the New Deal. He soon, however, broke with the President, unhappy with the moderate character of the New Deal (June 1933). He founded the Share Our Wealth program (1934). The moto was "Every Man a King". He proposed wealth redistribution measures that during the Depression had considerable appeal. They would be financed by a net asset tax on large corporations and wealthy individuals. Roosevelt believed that Long would use his Share Our Wealth Foundation to challenge him in the 1936 election. Long was a talented and charismatic politicans. He was probably the only man in America with the political presence to take on Roosevelt. As gover he achieved considerable popularity for the social progeams he sponsored. He was willing to take forceful action against entrenced interests and was not particularly bothered about legal niceties. He achieved virtual absolute control of the state government. His enemies charged tht he had dictatorial tendencies which along with his populist appeal made him so dangerous. He was assasinated at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge (September 8, 1935). He died two days later. He is reportedly to have said "God, don't let me die. I have so much left to do." as he died.

Republican Convention (June 9-12)

Former President Hoover wanted to run against President Roosevelt. He was opposed by Kansas Govenor Alf Landon. Many Republicans realized how unpopular Hoover had become. At the Republican Convention in Cleveland, Landon's campaign manager John Hamilton effectively mobilized the younger, progressive elements of the Party. Hoover simply convince the delegates that he could effectively appeal to the American electorate. Landon won the nomination on the first ballot. The Convention selected Chicago newspaper publisher Frank Knox as his vice presidential running mate. (President Roosevelt would later selecte Knox as his Secretary of Navy.) The Republican Platform supported some popular New Deal programs such as Social Security.

Democratic Convention (June 23-27)

There were no Democratic challengers to President Roosevelt. The Democrats at their convention in Philadelphia enthuiastically renominated the President. The President had not yet solved the Depression, but most Americans believed he was concerned about them and making things better. They also renominated Vice President Garner. He was not a string New Deal supporter, but Roosevelt apparently thought he helped to keep the South firmly in the Democratic camp. The Democrats took an important step in eliminating the rule that required a 2/3's vote to nominate their Presidential candidate. This rule had dead-locked several previous conventions. In the minds of most delegates was the 1924 convention in which the contest between Alfred E. Smith and William G. McAdoo went for 103 ballots. The fact that Roosevelt's nomination was a foiregone conclusion made it easy to change the rule. A major steop to be played out in the future was that an African-American minister delivered the invocation. South Carolina Senator Ellison D. Smith walk out in protest. The President in his acceptance speech delivered one of his most prophetic lines, "This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny." (June 27).

Third Parties

There were several third parties. The two most important were the Union Party and the Socialist Party. The Union Party nominated William Lemke. The Union Party was a very short-lived political party. A coalition formed by vitriolic radio priest Father Charles Coughlin, old-age pension advocate Francis Townsend, and Gerald L. K. Smith who had taken control of Huey Long's Share Our Wealth movement. Long never thought he could win the election, but he did tink tht he could sawy enough Democratic voters to be able to be the king maker in the electoral college. (Long was assassination in 1935.) The Socialist candidate was Norman Thomas. It is notable that even in the middle of the Depression, that the Socialist could not generate a major turn out. The Communists did even worse.

Campaign

Landon and the Republican took the approach of attacking the New Deal while supporting its objectives. Landon conducted one of the most letharghic presidential campaigns in modern Amerivan political history. He essentially conducted astealth campaign. Columnist Westbrook Pegler lampooned that the Missing Persons Bureau sent out an alarm bulletin on him. [Time] President Roosevelt in contrast conducted an active campaign, criss-crossing the country by train and speaking on the radio. The President's use of radio was nothing short of masterful. His Fire Side chats had made a personal connection with the American people that would remain unbroken throughtout his presidency including both the remainung Depression years and World War II. Most Republicans failed to understand that their had been a sea-change in how Americans viewed government. They made a major issue out of the New Deal, focusing on Social Security. It was passed in 1935 and due to go into effect in 1937. The Republicans charged that Social Security was a fraud. This was the first time the Republicans took on Social Security, but it would not be the last. Roosevelt resonded with a robust defense of Social Security just a few days before the election.

Election Polling

An Literary Digest poll predicted a Republican victory. The publication at te time was one of the most respected in America. The poll was conducted over the telephobne and no one thought of correcting the results for Democratic voters who could not afford a telephone. Little know George Gallup using randomly selected voters, correctly predicted the outcome.

Election Results

President Roosevelt easily defeated Govenor Landon in one of the greatest landslides in American political history. There were states that voted over 90 percent for Roosevelt. Landon managed to carry only two states, the Republican strongholds of Maine and Vermont. Along with his personal victory, the Presidebt helped widen the Democratic margins in the House and Senate.

Sources

Webber, Michael J. New Deal Fat Cats: Business, Labor, and Campaign Finance in the 1936 Presidential Election (New York: Fordham University Press, 2000), 180 p.

Time (August. 31, 1936).

Created: 9:57 PM 6/4/2008
Last updated: 4:01 AM 5/10/2011