Your Next President, by Eddie Cantor (small HC, 1932, $12, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
Eddie Cantor starts this funny book with his acceptance of the nomination for president. The only problem- no party wants him.
Coolidge has just decided not to run. Hoover worries Cantor most. He also fears Clark Gable. "Clark Gable is the man I fear most. If he runs it'll be a crooked election. Every woman will vote for him five or six times."
"Franklin D. Roosevelt has no chance at all. He's honest, capable, will not be dictated to and is quick on finding a solution to any problem. This disqualifies him at once. Yet he has a redeeming feature. He could save the government expense by using some of Teddy's old stationery. And maybe he could find that big stick in one of the closets. It's high time someone was at the White House who could use it."
As most people know, the comic Eddie Cantor did not win the vote. Nor did Clark Gable, Coolidge or Hoover. FDR took the prize, and Americans are all the better for it, though many did not think so at the time.
Elections were held differently back then. When I was remodeling my bathroom I found old newspapers stuffed inside the wall. Dated March of 1932, one page reported Roosevelt, still governor of NY, was playing coy about whether he would run for president.
Actually, in my opinion, America would do far better if campaigning was limited to only a few months. I think that is the way they do it in Britain. The way it is here, nothing gets done for the whole two years before an election. Of course, as always, this is just my opinion.
Getting back to this book (oh yeah, the book)- it can be found on the new non-fiction table. (L-pol)
