Al Smith

Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873–October 4, 1944), often known as Al Smith, was Governor of New York and a U.S. presidential candidate in 1928. He lost the election to Herbert Hoover.

Political career

After serving as sheriff of New York County for several years beginning in 1915, Smith was elected governor of New York in 1918. He lost the election of 1920 in the Republican landslide of that year, but was re-elected governor in 1922 and served three more terms. As governor, he became known nationally as a progressive who sought to make government more efficient and more effective in meeting social needs. His parks czar, Robert Moses, constructed the nation's first state park system and reformed the civil service system; Smith later appointed him New York State Secretary of State. During his term, New York strengthened laws governing workers' compensation, women's pensions, and child and women's labor, ahead of many States and became the model for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. In 1924 he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for president, advancing the cause of civil liberty by decrying lynching and racial violence in his nomination acceptance speech. Franklin D. Roosevelt made the nominating speech in which he called Smith "the Happy Warrior of the political battlefield."

Related Topics:
Sheriff - New York County - 1915 - New York - 1918 - 1920 - Republican - 1922 - Robert Moses - Franklin Delano Roosevelt - New Deal - Democratic nomination for president - Lynching - Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Al Smith finally secured the Democratic presidential nomination in 1928. His acceptance speech was the first live broadcast of a political event on television, although few saw this experimental early broadcast; a great many more heard it on radio.

Related Topics:
1928 - Television - Radio

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Smith was the first major-party presidential candidate of the Roman Catholic faith. (See also John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic U.S. President.)

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic - John F. Kennedy

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A major controversial issue was the continuation of alcohol Prohibition. Smith was personally in favor of relaxation or repeal of Prohibition since it was aimed at his immigrant constituency more than those who could afford to purchase bootlegged liquor from rum runners, but the Democratic Party refused to back him on the issue. During the campaign Smith tried to duck the issue with noncommittal statements. A satire portrayed Smith being asked, "Are you wet (anti-Prohibition) or dry (pro-Prohibition)?" with Smith replying, "I can't remember. Maybe I'll know better by November."

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