Home » History » American Presidents » CACTUS JACK GARNER: "NOT WORTH A BUCKET OF WARM....." - Page 2

CACTUS JACK GARNER: "NOT WORTH A BUCKET OF WARM....." - Page 2

© John S. Cooper

Garner had the position he had dreamed of, and would have been very happy if he and just stayed there. But after only a year, he got ambitious. Garner had been talked into running for President by William Randolph Hearst, who needed a candidate who would follow his lead. With Hearst's backing, Garner bought a lot of air time on the NBC radio network to explain his views. He gained much support, and even captured control of the California and Texas delegations to the Democratic Convention. He did not gain as much support as Franklin Roosevelt, however, and neither man was able to gain the nomination.

Roosevelt's people were able to gain Hearst's support after making some concessions, and Hearst called Garner to tell him the news. Garner had already realized that he wasn't able to get the nomination, and felt he was closer to Roosevelt than he was Al Smith, the other major candidate. Roosevelt agreed to give Garner the second spot on the ticket in exchange for his support. Garner threw his support to FDR, and Roosevelt got the nomination on the next ballot.

Roosevelt needed Garner's help. Roosevelt, urbane and liberal, was not very strong in the south. Garner would deliver the more conservative southern states. Also, Garner's presence on the ticket would show a united Democratic Party in the coming campaign. For the sake of his party, Garner gave up the powerful position of Speaker for the powerless position of Vice President.

By tradition, the vice presidential candidate was expected to campaign vigorously on behalf of the ticket. To FDR's chagrin, Garner continued his congressional practice of little or no campaigning. Garner made only one speech on behalf of the Democratic ticket. He told Roosevelt, "Hoover's making speeches, and that's enough for us." Still, FDR and Cactus Jack won by a landslide.

After the election, Garner almost became president before he became vice president. Two weeks before the inauguration, an immigrant named Joseph Zangara tried to assassinate FDR. He missed President-elect Roosevelt, but killed Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago. If Roosevelt had been killed, according to the Constitution, Garner would have become president.

Once he became Vice President, Garner found that he didn't enjoy presiding over the Senate as much as he did the House. He did not have the friendly following that he had built up in his many years in the House. Also, the presiding officer of the Senate had much less to do and much less influence than the presiding officer did in the House. Feeling the job was an eight-to-five job, he refused to engage in the traditional evening socializing expected of the Vice President. In spite of these problems, Garner proved to be extremely valuable to Roosevelt in helping him to get his legislation through the Congress.

The copyright of the article CACTUS JACK GARNER: "NOT WORTH A BUCKET OF WARM....." - Page 2 in American Presidents is owned by . Permission to republish CACTUS JACK GARNER: "NOT WORTH A BUCKET OF WARM....." - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.