A Byrd To Make America Fly

It was 1932. The Great Depression was raging. Initially, the frontrunner was Governor Franklin D Roosevelt, who won 7 of the 12 primaries. But, Roosevelt failed to obtain a two-thirds majority. Abruptly, on July 1, favourite son and Speaker of the House John Nance Garner died of a heart attck. Garner's delegates split. With no majority obtained, Roosevelt's delegates began to defect. The Mississipi delegation and the Alabama delegation defected, with favourite son "Alfala" Bill Murray of Oklahoma gaining delegates. Newton D Baker of Ohio and former New York Governor Al smith, the Catholic who lost 1928 in a landslide, gained. Finally, on the eleventh ballot, a compromise candidate was chosen. Senator Harry F Byrd of West Virginia.