The 1928 Campaign
I made a comment earlier about how this Presidential race is the first to not have an incumbent in either the Presidential or Vice-Presidential roles since 1928. This deserves a story, and I've got it.
Actually, in 1952, this was almost true.
In 1924, Charles G. Dawes was the fourth selection by the Republican Party to be running mate for Calvin Coolidge. According to Wikipedia, things didn't get any better:
Dawes' Vice Presidency was one of the most disastrous on record. Soon after his election he sent an insulting letter to President Coolidge informing him that he would not be attending cabinet meetings. This is believed to be the beginning of a feud between the two which brought the Vice Presidency to its nadir for the 20th century.
Having insulted the President, he then proceeded to publicly insult the entire US Senate. The inauguration of the Vice President was held in the Senate Chamber in those days, and the VP would give an inaugural address before everyone headed on to the outside platform where the President would take the oath. Dawes made a fiery, half-hour address denouncing the rules of the Senate, the seniority system and many other things that Senators held dear.
Everyone was so shocked at the speech that President Coolidge's own inaugural address was completely overshadowed, leaving him even angrier at Dawes than ever before.
Both President Coolidge and members of the Senate would have their revenge on Dawes. On March 10, only days after Dawes started presiding over the Senate, the president's nomination of Charles Warren to be attorney general was being debated. In the wake of the Teapot Dome scandal and other business-related scandals, Democrats and Progressive Republicans objected to the nomination because of Warren's close association with the "Sugar Trust." At midday six speakers were scheduled to address Warren's nomination. Desiring to return to his room at the Willard Hotel for a nap, Dawes consulted the majority and minority leaders, who assured him that no vote would be taken that afternoon. After Dawes left the Senate, however, all but one of the scheduled speakers decided against making formal remarks, and a vote was taken. When it became apparent that the vote would be tied, Republican leaders hastily called Dawes at the Willard. The roused vice president jumped in a taxi and sped toward the Capitol. But enough time intervened to persuade the only Democratic senator who had voted for Warren to switch his vote against him. By the time Dawes arrived there was no longer a tie to break, and the nomination had failed by a single vote—the first such rejection in nearly sixty years.
Dawes convinced the Senate to pass the McNary-Haugen farm relief bill; Coolidge vetoed the bill.
In 1928 the Republican nomination went to Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, whose supporters considered putting Dawes on their ticket as vice president. But President Coolidge let it be known that he would consider Dawes' nomination to be a personal affront. Instead the nod went to Senate Majority Leader Charles Curtis of Kansas.
So Dawes didn't run for President.
In 1952 there was a different situation in that Harry Truman was in a kind of constitutional no-man's land. Despite the 22nd Amendment, which had prohibited presidents from running for more than two terms, Truman had been grandfathered by the law and could have run for president again. But he chose not to, and there was no real choice candidate to follow in the Democratic Party in 1952. Alben Barkely, whom everyone thought was too old, even though he was Vice-President, ran for President for two days before retiring. Nonetheless, he ran for two days. Thus, 1928 is the last time officially we have had a campaign like this one. Or, at least I think.
Actually, in 1952, this was almost true.
In 1924, Charles G. Dawes was the fourth selection by the Republican Party to be running mate for Calvin Coolidge. According to Wikipedia, things didn't get any better:
Dawes' Vice Presidency was one of the most disastrous on record. Soon after his election he sent an insulting letter to President Coolidge informing him that he would not be attending cabinet meetings. This is believed to be the beginning of a feud between the two which brought the Vice Presidency to its nadir for the 20th century.
Having insulted the President, he then proceeded to publicly insult the entire US Senate. The inauguration of the Vice President was held in the Senate Chamber in those days, and the VP would give an inaugural address before everyone headed on to the outside platform where the President would take the oath. Dawes made a fiery, half-hour address denouncing the rules of the Senate, the seniority system and many other things that Senators held dear.
Everyone was so shocked at the speech that President Coolidge's own inaugural address was completely overshadowed, leaving him even angrier at Dawes than ever before.
Both President Coolidge and members of the Senate would have their revenge on Dawes. On March 10, only days after Dawes started presiding over the Senate, the president's nomination of Charles Warren to be attorney general was being debated. In the wake of the Teapot Dome scandal and other business-related scandals, Democrats and Progressive Republicans objected to the nomination because of Warren's close association with the "Sugar Trust." At midday six speakers were scheduled to address Warren's nomination. Desiring to return to his room at the Willard Hotel for a nap, Dawes consulted the majority and minority leaders, who assured him that no vote would be taken that afternoon. After Dawes left the Senate, however, all but one of the scheduled speakers decided against making formal remarks, and a vote was taken. When it became apparent that the vote would be tied, Republican leaders hastily called Dawes at the Willard. The roused vice president jumped in a taxi and sped toward the Capitol. But enough time intervened to persuade the only Democratic senator who had voted for Warren to switch his vote against him. By the time Dawes arrived there was no longer a tie to break, and the nomination had failed by a single vote—the first such rejection in nearly sixty years.
Dawes convinced the Senate to pass the McNary-Haugen farm relief bill; Coolidge vetoed the bill.
In 1928 the Republican nomination went to Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, whose supporters considered putting Dawes on their ticket as vice president. But President Coolidge let it be known that he would consider Dawes' nomination to be a personal affront. Instead the nod went to Senate Majority Leader Charles Curtis of Kansas.
So Dawes didn't run for President.
In 1952 there was a different situation in that Harry Truman was in a kind of constitutional no-man's land. Despite the 22nd Amendment, which had prohibited presidents from running for more than two terms, Truman had been grandfathered by the law and could have run for president again. But he chose not to, and there was no real choice candidate to follow in the Democratic Party in 1952. Alben Barkely, whom everyone thought was too old, even though he was Vice-President, ran for President for two days before retiring. Nonetheless, he ran for two days. Thus, 1928 is the last time officially we have had a campaign like this one. Or, at least I think.
posted by cc at
9:30 PM
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