Life — November 2, 1928 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Satire: Will Rogers on the 1928 Election This is Will Rogers's satirical commentary on the 1928 U.S. presidential election, expressing pessimism about his party's candidate and platform. **The figures:** Rogers discusses Hoover and Smith as the two main candidates, with Smith appearing to be the Democratic nominee. **The satire:** Rogers claims Democrats are "a hundred years ahead of times with our platform of No Bunk"—meaning their progressive policies are too radical for voters to accept. He worries the South (shown on the electoral map) will abandon Democrats, and that even appealing to religious voters won't help if Smith is perceived as non-Christian. **The joke:** The cartoon shows a worried figure examining the electoral map saying "I should worry!"—expressing resignation that defeat is inevitable despite having superior ideas.