Life, 1928-06-14 · page 7 of 42
Life — June 14, 1928 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This article presents Will Rogers' humorous commentary on an unnamed Republican presidential candidate attending the Kansas City convention. Rogers adopts a mock-serious tone, claiming to conduct a "novel and dignified" campaign while actually "mixing and mingling" with ordinary people at the Muellback Hotel. Rogers satirizes the candidate's claimed modesty and common touch. He jokes about Peggy Joyce (likely a society figure), Judge Lindsey's involvement, and references William Randolph White of Emporia, Kansas—a defeated candidate whom Rogers mocks for already planning his autobiography. The satire targets both the candidate's performative populism and the political establishment's genuine disconnection from voters, questioning whether opposition candidates will truly differ from the Republican nominee.
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OUR CANDIDATE IN KANSAS CITY Mingling with the Riff-Raff BY Will Rogers I am conducting my Campaign along novel and dignihed lines, in fact, 1 am now at present at the Republican Con- vention. Now in the old days a Candidate would not dare go and visit the Conven- tion of his forthcoming adversary, but I just swallowed pride, and here I am just mixing and mingling as though nothing had ever happened. There never was so much modesty and downright “Mingling with the plain people” as Tam SnOmnOgs I am carrying on a front porch Cam- paign right at the Meulback Hotel. Course there is no front porch to it, and if there was it would be so clogged up with badges that you couldent find a seat on it. But [ am here just as though a little later 1 wouldent be taking up arms against these same people. You see I am conducting my Cam- paign along the lines of the regular busi- ness man, that is, get out and see what “Your Opposition” is doing, I am just watching to see what they do, and from the looks of things after being here a few days, it don’t look like our party will have much opposition, for I haven't seen these do anything yet. And then to show the people that I am really “common,” in fact, almost “ordinary,” I am going right on down to mix with the Democrats. No opposing Candidate ever lowered his dignity that much, but I am, I even want to see what they do, not that it will make any difference in the general re- sult, but I just want to be well posted | even on inconsequentials. Now for instance the Republican that is nominated here, you could no more get him to pay Houston a visit than he would carry out a promise, He wouldent be seen there. But I will, I am going right to the bottom of politics. I am not going to do anything about suggesting a Cabinet till I get the guar- antee of a few more votes. Peggy Joyce is kinder crowding me on wanting to be Secretary of the Treasury, and I may have to marry her to get rid of her. She feels that in four years she could pull off enough marriages to put this country on its financial feet. Course Judge Lindsey has helped a lot with my Campaign so I will no doubt make him Secretary of ‘Domestic Rela- tions.” He has some kind of scheme where he |is going to try and get America to live going y g together, Course personally I don’t care who or which they live with as long as they vote, it’s their vote and not their morals that I am interested in. I am in favor of having a plank in our platform giving a “Vote for Every Marriage,” I think that is little enough to get for a marriage. I’ve just been talking to William Randolph White of Emporia, Kans., he has been defeated for oftce and was giv- ing me some tips. He don’t care who will be elected as long as he can write the next President's Autobiography, he has it already written, all he has to do is to put in the name. comicbooks.com