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Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith
An engaging, lively portrait of the great New York governor chronicles Smith's struggles in state government and the anti-Catholic sentiments that torpedoed his historic bid for the presidency in 1928. 25,000 first printing.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2001
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About the author
Robert A. Slayton
8 books2 followersRobert Slayton is is the Henry Salvatori Professorship in American Values and Traditions at Chapman University.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 17, 2019
Lively portrait of Al Smith, the longtime New York Governor, failed presidential candidate and standard-bearer for liberalism in the conservative Twenties. Born in Manhattan to a Civil War veteran and an Irishwoman, Smith early showed an instinctive sympathy for the underdog. Upon his entry into politics Smith became involved in progressive causes, from investigating the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire to labor reforms and clashing with William Randolph Hearst's machine; establishing himself as a man of integrity, he was first elected Governor in 1918 and served in that post for eight of the next ten years. Slayton shows Smith as an activist governor who reformed the state's ossified political machinery and improved its infrastructure and welfare systems; it's no exaggeration to say that his governorship presaged the New Deal. His presidential campaigns, however, were catastrophic failures, with Smith's liberalism, opposition to Prohibition and most of all, his Catholic faith sabotaging his 1928 campaign. Afterwards, bitter over his rejection and being eclipsed by his protege Franklin Roosevelt, Smith lapsed into reactionary politics in the '30s. Through his friendship with Du Pont executive John Raskob, he became a leading spokesman for the American Liberty League, denouncing the New Deal (which incorporated many of his innovations on a national scale) as a Marxist plot to subvert America. Slayton approaches his subject with wit, sympathy and good-natured flair; his admiration for Smith's achievements doesn't prevent his highlighting the Governor's vanity and pettiness, which harmed his presidential campaigns and left a blot on his reputation. Top tier political biography.
September 21, 2024
I actually read “Empire Statesman” some time ago. When I wrote a review of it somehow, technological genius that I am, I lost it and it is floating out there in space. Having just finished “Frank and Al” by Terry Golway, which I liked, I thought I would piggy back on that review with some remembrances of “Empire”. I seem to recall that while Roosevelt and Smith were political bedfellows they rarely socialized since they didn’t travel in the same social circles. Smith socialized with his constituents on the lower East Side while Roosevelt would sooner chew his leg off than be seen in New York City in general and Tammany Hall precincts in particular. Roosevelt was destined for a more global stage based on his national exposure in the Wilson administration at an early political age. Smith was really never more than a back office dealmaker whose persona never clicked on the national stage.
Perhaps my biggest recollection of the book was how each treated the Governor’s mansion in Albany. While in Albany the Smiths accumulated a number of animals at the mansion like goats and chickens. When Al left the governorship to run for President he also left his animals behind. Roosevelt was not pleased to be the owner of a menagerie when he took office. I don’t recall how the anilmals were disposed of but I’m sure Eleanor had a level headed and humane response.
I gave “Empire Statesman” four stars back then and I guess the addition of Roosevelt in “Frank and Al” wasn’t enough of a boost to award it five stars. But if there is a choice between the two, go with “Frank and Al”.
Perhaps my biggest recollection of the book was how each treated the Governor’s mansion in Albany. While in Albany the Smiths accumulated a number of animals at the mansion like goats and chickens. When Al left the governorship to run for President he also left his animals behind. Roosevelt was not pleased to be the owner of a menagerie when he took office. I don’t recall how the anilmals were disposed of but I’m sure Eleanor had a level headed and humane response.
I gave “Empire Statesman” four stars back then and I guess the addition of Roosevelt in “Frank and Al” wasn’t enough of a boost to award it five stars. But if there is a choice between the two, go with “Frank and Al”.
December 22, 2022
As a history and politics nerd, I thought I knew the basics about Al Smith: A child of Irish immigrants, he was raised in the ethnic stew of New York City's Lower East Side during the late 1800s. In a genuine rags-to-riches tale, he worked his way up to be elected governor of New York, then in 1928 became the first Catholic to be nominated for U.S. president on a major-party ticket. However, he lost badly because of widespread nativism and religious prejudice. (Cue in the Great Depression, FDR, and JFK.)
This fascinating book enriches that mostly-accurate but scanty bio, revealing a unique politician with flaws and strengths we rarely see in government.
For starters, Smith was only half-Irish. His father's family (whom he never talked about the way he played up his Irish heritage) was a mix of German and Italian. Another rarely mentioned point is that nobody succeeded in politics in that era, in that location, without being part of the notorious Tammany Hall -- so, yes, Smith was a loyal follower of the Tammany bosses. To be fair, the Tammany of the 19th century Boss Tweed had been severely weakened by Smith's day.
Much more important, Smith in his heyday had a combination of integrity, loyalty, naivete, idealism, and stubborn honesty that pretty much guaranteed he could never be elected president. As author Robert A. Slayton frequently emphasizes, Smith assumed that the voters were just like his neighbors in the Fourth Ward of New York City, and that he could sit back and schmooze as candidly over the radio as he could in the local tavern. (Oops -- "tavern." Keep reading.) Smith knew that there was some anti-Catholic prejudice in the nation, but he didn't fathom how furious and deep it ran west of New Jersey, or south of Pennsylvania. At the height of Prohibition, he refused to hide his contempt for the ban on booze. (Can you imagine ANY politician today openly saying the equivalent of, "Yeah, I like a good beer, and we all know Prohibition can't be enforced.") He proudly declared himself the candidate of the immigrant, the working stiff, the union member, the Jew, and (a little less often) the Black -- this, during the era of the Klan's greatest national strength. The rumors and attacks against him sank to the lowest depths of nastiness and pure hatred.
Then what happened? The post-1928 Al Smith -- disappointed that the American people turned out to be more biased than he'd expected, jealous that his protege FDR was outshining him -- degenerated into a forlorn, then bitter, then outright vengeful caricature, abandoning his principles and allies.
All of this is told clearly, and the book reads quickly, with some attempts at humor leavening the otherwise stolid language.
It was disillusioning, of course, to see what Smith became. I won't give away the final twist of the story, but I'll just say this: Let's remember the Al Smith of 1928.
This fascinating book enriches that mostly-accurate but scanty bio, revealing a unique politician with flaws and strengths we rarely see in government.
For starters, Smith was only half-Irish. His father's family (whom he never talked about the way he played up his Irish heritage) was a mix of German and Italian. Another rarely mentioned point is that nobody succeeded in politics in that era, in that location, without being part of the notorious Tammany Hall -- so, yes, Smith was a loyal follower of the Tammany bosses. To be fair, the Tammany of the 19th century Boss Tweed had been severely weakened by Smith's day.
Much more important, Smith in his heyday had a combination of integrity, loyalty, naivete, idealism, and stubborn honesty that pretty much guaranteed he could never be elected president. As author Robert A. Slayton frequently emphasizes, Smith assumed that the voters were just like his neighbors in the Fourth Ward of New York City, and that he could sit back and schmooze as candidly over the radio as he could in the local tavern. (Oops -- "tavern." Keep reading.) Smith knew that there was some anti-Catholic prejudice in the nation, but he didn't fathom how furious and deep it ran west of New Jersey, or south of Pennsylvania. At the height of Prohibition, he refused to hide his contempt for the ban on booze. (Can you imagine ANY politician today openly saying the equivalent of, "Yeah, I like a good beer, and we all know Prohibition can't be enforced.") He proudly declared himself the candidate of the immigrant, the working stiff, the union member, the Jew, and (a little less often) the Black -- this, during the era of the Klan's greatest national strength. The rumors and attacks against him sank to the lowest depths of nastiness and pure hatred.
Then what happened? The post-1928 Al Smith -- disappointed that the American people turned out to be more biased than he'd expected, jealous that his protege FDR was outshining him -- degenerated into a forlorn, then bitter, then outright vengeful caricature, abandoning his principles and allies.
All of this is told clearly, and the book reads quickly, with some attempts at humor leavening the otherwise stolid language.
It was disillusioning, of course, to see what Smith became. I won't give away the final twist of the story, but I'll just say this: Let's remember the Al Smith of 1928.
October 31, 2021
This book does an excellent job chronicaling the life and times of Alfred E. Smith. His claim to fame is that he was a four term governor of New York and the first Catholic to be on the ticket for a major political party for President. This book delves into the various reasons that people despised Al Smith...
...And they should have despised him...just for different reasons than they gave.
One of the strengths of the book is the absolute interesting narrative it told. I was interested in what was happening throughout the book. Every anecdote and story was fascinating and provided insight into the time that Al Smith lived.
When reading this book, one should know what they're getting into. This book has a lot of tangential information. For example, there are entire chapters devoted to the history of Tammany Hall. I knew of Tammany Hall, but had no idea all the details that went into it. There are points in the book that are less of about Al Smith and more about New York life and politics. That is ok, as these were some of the best chapters in the book, but it seems like Slayton may have deviated from his goal a little too much at times.
Slayton goes into why people hated Al Smith. Mostly, people despised him because of his Catholicism. They believed that the Pope would move to America and take over(which is of course ridiculous). Al Smith's catholicism was totally fine. He even was a "wet" politician, which means he opposed prohibition. That in and of itself is fine. He was even Irish(or at least claimed to be Irish), and there is no real problem there. The problem that the book doesn't admit that historians also don't admit is that Al Smith supported big government and increased spending. There are points in the early portion of the book that show Smith actually cutting the spending of the New York budget. However, after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire incident, Smith moves hard to the left in favor of big government programs. He truly represented the "progressive" ideology of the time and his 1928 electoral failure would pave the way for F.D.R.'s victory in 1932. Smith would have been terrible for America, but not at all for the reasons that people dispised him at the time.
I must say though that while the bias of the author is explicit throughout, the historical work in this book is unparalleled. Slayton truly shows Smith's failures and accomplishments and leaves no stone unturned. This really is the definitive biography of Al Smith.
Overall, this is an excellent book. I had a few minor issues, but it is written really well. 9.0 out of 10!
...And they should have despised him...just for different reasons than they gave.
One of the strengths of the book is the absolute interesting narrative it told. I was interested in what was happening throughout the book. Every anecdote and story was fascinating and provided insight into the time that Al Smith lived.
When reading this book, one should know what they're getting into. This book has a lot of tangential information. For example, there are entire chapters devoted to the history of Tammany Hall. I knew of Tammany Hall, but had no idea all the details that went into it. There are points in the book that are less of about Al Smith and more about New York life and politics. That is ok, as these were some of the best chapters in the book, but it seems like Slayton may have deviated from his goal a little too much at times.
Slayton goes into why people hated Al Smith. Mostly, people despised him because of his Catholicism. They believed that the Pope would move to America and take over(which is of course ridiculous). Al Smith's catholicism was totally fine. He even was a "wet" politician, which means he opposed prohibition. That in and of itself is fine. He was even Irish(or at least claimed to be Irish), and there is no real problem there. The problem that the book doesn't admit that historians also don't admit is that Al Smith supported big government and increased spending. There are points in the early portion of the book that show Smith actually cutting the spending of the New York budget. However, after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire incident, Smith moves hard to the left in favor of big government programs. He truly represented the "progressive" ideology of the time and his 1928 electoral failure would pave the way for F.D.R.'s victory in 1932. Smith would have been terrible for America, but not at all for the reasons that people dispised him at the time.
I must say though that while the bias of the author is explicit throughout, the historical work in this book is unparalleled. Slayton truly shows Smith's failures and accomplishments and leaves no stone unturned. This really is the definitive biography of Al Smith.
Overall, this is an excellent book. I had a few minor issues, but it is written really well. 9.0 out of 10!
July 9, 2024
This s an excellent biography of the New York State Governor. It shows how through hard work, he honed his knowledge to be a political leader reaching far bryond his Tamany Hall roots. It also describes how bigotry against his religion and his stance against prohibition created an atmosphere of hate that doomed his campaign. Uktimately bitterness about the campaign and the rise of Franklin Roosevelt prpel him to a stance against the New Deal which sullies his reputation until Hitler comes along to unite Smith with FDR once again. An interesting story about a man of his times.
September 27, 2020
Tremendous work. For anyone that enjoys Robert Caro - they will admire this work. The writing was excellent. Terrific commentary and reflection. What a gem! Wish this one got more play as it deserves accolades.
April 5, 2024
3.5 stars. Thorough and readable biography of Al Smith, a likable and admirable politician whose heart was broken by his 1928 defeat by Herbert Hoover, in large part because of Smith’s pro-immigrant, anti-prohibition stance, his Lower East Side origins, and his Catholic faith.
July 30, 2019
Wonderful book, well written chronicle of Al Smith.
November 25, 2020
I learned a great deal about Al Smith from reading this biography.
May 1, 2022
Excellent and moving account of the life of Alfred Smith.
November 22, 2025
Very good bio of a great man, flaws and all, who deserves to be better known.
December 31, 2020
In his short 1958 study of Al Smith, Oscar Handlin noted that "[t]he written word did not come as easily to Al Smith as the spoken word." Because of this, there it no great body of correspondence or private papers for Smith biographers to consult, ultimately hampering any effort to understand "the Happy Warrior." In this respect, Robert Slayton's book stands as a major achievement. Having conducted extensive archival research and interviewed the children and grandchildren of many of the key figures, he presents what is the most thoroughly researched work on Smith that we are likely to have, and easily the most definitive one currently available.
Slayton uses this material to present a compelling interpretive portrait of his subject. Tracing his idealistic, even naive view of America to his upbringing, Slayton argues that Smith never grew beyond viewing the world through the prism of the lower East Side. This was not a problem in the context of New York state politics, where he rode the crest of a wave of change in the state, one which brought him into the governor's office as the first holder representing the urban immigrants who were to play an increasingly important role in politics during the twentieth century. When Smith ventured onto the national stage in 1928, however, his naivete about America's essential decency and tolerance crashed up against the prejudices of a nation still dominated culturally by rural Protestant values. Slayton sees Smith's defeat as a decisive event transforming his character, leaving a streak of bitterness that only grew as he saw Franklin Roosevelt - a man he dismissed as his political junior - capture the prize that Smith would never obtain.
Yet for all of its strengths of research and analysis, Slayton's book suffers is in its writing. Throughout much of the book Slayton peppers his text with unnecessary slang, and at points such as when he is discussing Tammany or Smith's old neighborhood he adopts a more casual, colloquial tone. The effort jars with the more readable narrative of the rest of the text, appearing as if he were attempting to evoke the conversational style with which Smith was most comfortable. Instead of appearing atmospheric and creative, however, it comes across as amateurish and ham-handed, hobbling rather than helping the rest of the work.
These compositional gaffes can distract from the overall quality of this book. Slayton as provided a biography of Smith filled with insight into his character and his times. It is a book, however, that doesn't quite embody the legendary nature of this political figure, who dominated Democratic politics in the 1920s and who heralded many of the changes that America would undergo. Until the book that can capture this is written, Slayton's biography is the best work available for anyone seeking to understand this fascinating individual.
Slayton uses this material to present a compelling interpretive portrait of his subject. Tracing his idealistic, even naive view of America to his upbringing, Slayton argues that Smith never grew beyond viewing the world through the prism of the lower East Side. This was not a problem in the context of New York state politics, where he rode the crest of a wave of change in the state, one which brought him into the governor's office as the first holder representing the urban immigrants who were to play an increasingly important role in politics during the twentieth century. When Smith ventured onto the national stage in 1928, however, his naivete about America's essential decency and tolerance crashed up against the prejudices of a nation still dominated culturally by rural Protestant values. Slayton sees Smith's defeat as a decisive event transforming his character, leaving a streak of bitterness that only grew as he saw Franklin Roosevelt - a man he dismissed as his political junior - capture the prize that Smith would never obtain.
Yet for all of its strengths of research and analysis, Slayton's book suffers is in its writing. Throughout much of the book Slayton peppers his text with unnecessary slang, and at points such as when he is discussing Tammany or Smith's old neighborhood he adopts a more casual, colloquial tone. The effort jars with the more readable narrative of the rest of the text, appearing as if he were attempting to evoke the conversational style with which Smith was most comfortable. Instead of appearing atmospheric and creative, however, it comes across as amateurish and ham-handed, hobbling rather than helping the rest of the work.
These compositional gaffes can distract from the overall quality of this book. Slayton as provided a biography of Smith filled with insight into his character and his times. It is a book, however, that doesn't quite embody the legendary nature of this political figure, who dominated Democratic politics in the 1920s and who heralded many of the changes that America would undergo. Until the book that can capture this is written, Slayton's biography is the best work available for anyone seeking to understand this fascinating individual.
July 4, 2022
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Excellent - Highly Recommended
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - A good, solid read
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - An okay read
2 ⭐️⭐️ - Meh
1 ⭐️ - Not my cup of tea
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - A good, solid read
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - An okay read
2 ⭐️⭐️ - Meh
1 ⭐️ - Not my cup of tea
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews