chapter 157 part 1
Chapter 157: Roosevelt
2023-05-02 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"Good evening, Mr. LaGuardia."
Inside the 21 Club on West 52nd Street.
Colin took off his hat and greeted LaGuardia.
Then his gaze shifted slightly, landing on a wheelchair that seemed somewhat out of place in the surroundings. He smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Good evening, Mr. Franklin Roosevelt."
Due to his many years in a wheelchair, Roosevelt's complexion was paler than that of an ordinary person. Hearing Colin's greeting, he looked up and met the young man's eyes, then smiled and nodded in response.
"Good evening, Mr. Collin Roper."
Although Roosevelt was currently running for the Democratic Party's nomination, he actually had deep ties to the Republican Party. The 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, was his fifth cousin. In fact, when Roosevelt first told his Republican cousin, President Theodore Roosevelt, of his decision to enter politics as a Democrat, the elder Roosevelt had furiously cursed him: "You despicable little brat! You traitor..."
Of course, even that did not extinguish Roosevelt's ambition for a political career.
His disability, in particular, gave him a deeper understanding and insight into politics.
Though he could not move about as freely as other political figures, his life in a wheelchair had a profound impact on him, giving him more time to contemplate the nature of politics.
He had been in that wheelchair long enough. It was time to do something.
This was why, after hearing from LaGuardia that Colin wished to meet him, Roosevelt thought it over and agreed.
Among the many candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, he was not a particularly outstanding figure. On the contrary, the vast majority of Democrats favored Al Smith as the nominee. After all, Al Smith already had experience running against Hoover for president, and his Catholic faith could effectively attract votes from religious demographics.
Precisely because his bid for the party's nomination was not going smoothly, Roosevelt had to compromise. Internally, he worked hard to win the support of party members, convincing them that he could lead the Democratic Party to victory. Externally, he frequently met with influential figures in society, intending to use their power to gain the support of more social groups.
Initially, this series of efforts by Roosevelt was not successful.
Under the impact of The Great Depression, not only had the public lost hope in the government, but even within the Democratic Party, no one saw any possibility of winning.
However, the Suppression Incident that occurred in Washington in July allowed Roosevelt to see an opportunity for change.
Although it was unclear why Hoover would issue such an absurd order, as a competitor, Roosevelt would certainly not let such an opportunity slip by.
Through the Suppression Incident, he had already persuaded a faction within the Democratic Party to support his nomination campaign.
Meeting with Colin was also part of his preparation for the election campaign that would follow his nomination.
As for LaGuardia, although he was a Republican congressman, he actually disagreed with many of the Hoover administration's policies, especially Prohibition and its fiscal policies during The Great Depression.
Furthermore, he had long shown his intention to run for Mayor of New York. As the Governor of New York State, Roosevelt enjoyed a very high reputation throughout New York. Gaining Roosevelt's support would be a great help to LaGuardia's upcoming campaign.
This was why LaGuardia was willing to act as a go-between for Colin and Roosevelt.
As for Colin, looking from the perspective of future history, both Roosevelt and LaGuardia would leave a profound impact on the American political scene.
Their time in power would last at least a decade, so establishing a relationship with both of them was a deal he couldn't lose.
Inside the 21 Club, the three men each had their own thoughts, but none of it showed on the surface.
"I've been a frequent subscriber to The Messenger Newspaper that you publish, Mr. Collin Roper."
In his wheelchair, Roosevelt was the first to speak, looking at Colin with a meaningful tone.
Obviously, Roosevelt's purpose in subscribing to The Messenger Newspaper couldn't possibly be to read the Superman serial.
The Bribery Scandal of the former New York Mayor, Jimmy Walker, had even affected Roosevelt to some extent.
After all, this scandal had occurred in New York State under his governance, and Jimmy Walker was a fellow Democrat.
Fortunately, however, Roosevelt reacted quickly and did not let Jimmy Walker's scandal spread to him and affect his nomination campaign within the Democratic Party.
"If you were to look back at earlier issues, Mr. Roosevelt, you would find that The Messenger Newspaper has always been a voice for the people, even going so far as to criticize the president on more than one occasion."
Hearing Roosevelt's words, Colin first nodded to the waiter to confirm his order before turning back to the man in the wheelchair, the man who would later be considered the most popular president in American history.
Although, back then, the reason The Messenger Newspaper relentlessly targeted Hoover was purely to attract attention and boost sales.
Hearing this, Roosevelt nodded.
He had indeed read some issues of The Messenger Newspaper from before the Superman serial began, in which Colin had used scathing language to express his dissatisfaction with President Hoover.
In fact, this was one of the reasons Roosevelt was willing to meet with Colin.
Judging from The Messenger Newspaper's previous news reports, Collin Roper's stance, if not biased towards the Democratic Party, was at least not fond of the Republican Party.
The mention of The Messenger Newspaper's past criticism of Hoover should have been somewhat awkward for LaGuardia, the only Republican and a congressman at that.
But he displayed the maturity expected of a political figure, pretending not to hear anything as he continued to enjoy the food on his plate.
Colin glanced at LaGuardia, who was intently cutting his steak and savoring his meal.
He then continued his conversation with Roosevelt.
"From what I know, your nomination within the Democratic Party isn't going smoothly, Mr. Roosevelt?"
"That's no secret."