Article Summary –
The article detailed the 1924 Democratic National Convention, which was infamous for its 16-day length, 103 ballots, and influential KKK presence. The convention symbolized the tension between rural and urban, isolationist and world-engaged, and white Protestant Christianity and multiracial America of all faiths, reflecting the divide over what it meant to be an American. Historian Jon Meacham draws parallels between this period and today, both dealing with demographic and technological changes, anti-immigrant and racist sentiments, and anxiety about the loss of a largely white-dominated culture.
The 1924 Democratic National Convention: A Study in Indecision
Reflective of the tumultuous times, the Democratic National Convention of 1924 in New York was far from settled. With 3,000 delegates immersed in the patriotic decor of an aging Manhattan arena, the convention eventually ran over Independence Day weekend, far longer than expected. It lasted an unprecedented 16 days and 103 ballots, making history as the longest convention, marked by the looming influence of the Ku Klux Klan, reflecting the divided America of the time.
Conflicting Tensions within America
The convention highlighted the tensions between rural and urban, isolationist and world-engaged, and the white Protestant America vs. the multiracial, multi-faith America. The Klan, revived a decade earlier, exploited these conflicts with its “America First” mantra. Historian Jon Meacham draws parallels between 1924 and present-day America as both periods witnessed the country emerge from war and a pandemic, adjust to a transformative medium (radio in 1924), and set highly restrictive immigration quotas.
Democratic Convention: A Battle of Contrasts
Apart from the overarching nativist debate, the convention was an intriguing battle between two leading Democratic nominees, each representing different aspects of America. William Gibbs McAdoo Jr., a Protestant lawyer from the South, was a reform-minded progressive except on racial matters. In contrast, Al Smith, the Irish Catholic governor of New York, was a vocal advocate for immigrants and opponent of Prohibition. They noticeably diverged on their stance towards the Klan, with Smith openly deprecating it and McAdoo tactfully refusing to denounce it.
Debates and Ballots: A Long Drawn-Out Process
The convention witnessed heated debates about the inclusion of the Klan in the Democratic Party platform. However, after a week of negotiations, the anti-Klan plank was defeated by a single vote. The balloting for the presidential nominee began amid immense anticipation, but neither McAdoo nor Smith could secure the two-thirds majority required for nomination. The deadlock persisted for 16 days, with the contest oscillating between the rural Klan-adjacent “drys” and the urban Klan-averse “wets”.
Crisis Breaks, Compromise Emerges
Finally, on July 9, on the 103rd ballot, a compromise candidate, John W. Davis, a lawyer and diplomat from West Virginia, secured the nomination after both McAdoo and Smith stepped down. However, Davis lost the presidential election to the incumbent, Republican Calvin Coolidge. McAdoo later served as a senator from California, while Al Smith won the Democratic nomination in 1928 but lost to the Republican, Herbert Hoover.
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