1940 Democratic National Convention

1940 Democratic National Convention

1940 Presidential Election
Nominees Roosevelt and Wallace
Convention
Date(s)	July 15 - July 18
City	Chicago, Illinois
Venue	Chicago Stadium
Candidates
Presidential Nominee	Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York
Vice Presidential Nominee	Henry Wallace of Iowa
‹ 1936  ·  1944 ›
v t e

The 1940 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 15–18, 1940. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of President Franklin Roosevelt as the Democratic Party candidate for an unprecedented third term. Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace was nominated for Vice-President.

Despite the unprecedented bid for a third term, Roosevelt was nominated on the first ballot. Roosevelt's most formidable challengers were his former campaign manager James Farley and his Vice President, John Nance Garner. Both had sought the nomination for the presidency and soundly lost to Roosevelt who would be "drafted" at the convention. Henry Wallace was Roosevelt's preferred choice for the Vice-Presidency. His candidacy was opposed vehemently by some delegates, particularly the conservative wing of the party which had been unenthusiastic about Wallace's liberal positions. Nonetheless, Wallace was ultimately nominated.^[1]

Democratic candidates

• 

  Vice President John Nance Garner of Texas

• 

  Secretary of State Cordell Hull of Tennessee

• 

  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York

• 

  Senator Millard E. Tydings of Maryland

Throughout the winter, spring, and summer of 1940 there was much speculation as to whether Roosevelt would break with long-standing tradition and run for an unprecedented third term. The "two-term" tradition, although not yet enshrined in the U.S. Constitution as the 22nd Amendment, had been established by President George Washington when he refused to run for a third term in 1796, and the tradition was further supported by Thomas Jefferson, founder of the Democratic Party.^[1] Roosevelt, however, refused to give a definitive statement as to his willingness to be a candidate, even indicating to his old friend and political kingmaker James Farley^[2] that he would not be a candidate again and that he could seek the nomination. However, as Nazi Germany swept through Western Europe and menaced Britain in the summer of 1940 Roosevelt decided that only he had the necessary experience and skills to see the nation safely through the Nazi threat. He was aided by the party's political bosses, who feared that no Democrat except Roosevelt could defeat the charismatic Wendell Willkie, the Republican candidate.

Voice from the sewers

Roosevelt's backers sealed the deal with an elaborate stunt during the convention itself. Chicago Superintendent of Sewers Thomas D. Garry waited in a basement room with a microphone hooked up to the Chicago Stadium loudspeakers. When Kentucky Senator Alben Barkley mentioned the president by name during a floor speech, Garry began to shout over the speakers, "We want Roosevelt! The world wants Roosevelt!" Chicago machine operatives planted around the stadium echoed and spread the chant, remembered as the "voice from the sewers." ^[3]

The balloting

Vice-presidential selection

Vice President John Nance Garner was a Texas conservative who had turned against Roosevelt during their second term. Roosevelt therefore chose a different running mate: Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace. Wallace, an outspoken liberal, was strenuously opposed by many delegates at the convention, particularly the more conservative Southern Democrats. He was also opposed because he had been a Republican until joining Roosevelt's administration.^[1] When Roosevelt aide Harry Hopkins told Roosevelt by telephone that Wallace's nomination was meeting resistance, Roosevelt threatened not to run if Wallace was not nominated, even drafting a speech declining the nomination. Wallace was successfully nominated after Eleanor Roosevelt flew to Chicago to campaign on his behalf.^[4] James Farley could not be on the ticket as Vice-President because both he and Roosevelt were from New York State.

See also

• 1940 Republican National Convention
• United States presidential election, 1940
• Democratic National Convention
• 22nd Amendment

References