Legacies and Chosen Sons
With the 1940 presidential election approaching, incumbent President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his eye on a third term. The Washington principle, an unofficial yet respected ideal of how a President should only serve two terms despite no formal term limits on the office, provided a political obstacle for Roosevelt as he planned to seek a third term in office. Yet, whilst his popularity was ripe for an attempt to defy the Washington principle and the ambitions of would-be successors in his party, Roosevelt's attempted bid for a third term would ultimately be felled by his health, not by politics. Afflicted with polio for most of his adult life, Roosevelt was also suffering from high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, further heart problems and finally issues with his lungs due to being a chain smoker for many years. Whilst Roosevelt had been able to cope with such a myriad during his Presidency, he picked up a nasty chest infection in the summer of 1940 which intensified his numerous health problems. Gravely ill, the President elected not to seek a third term upon medical advice and the protestations of his wife Eleanor, both arguing that the extent of his new health worries would be virtually impossible to conceal to party officials, who could use it as a means to deprive him of the nomination.
Forced into retirement with great reluctance, Roosevelt began looking for a designated successor who could carry on the legacy that he had crafted. In this endeavour, the President remained unsatisfied with the frontrunners for the nomination. Relations with the more conservative Vice President John Nance Garner had never been smooth but had deteriorated rapidly in the second term after disagreements on Supreme Court reform, labor laws, balanced budget ideals and numerous other issues. Postmaster General and DNC Chairman James Farley had once been a close ally of Roosevelt but the two men had increasingly grown distant since the autumn of 1939 when it looked as if Roosevelt would seek a third term despite the Washington principle. As such, by June 1940 when Roosevelt had decided not to run, the increasingly frosty relations with Farley meant that Roosevelt was reluctant to endorse him as his successor. The only other leading contender, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, displayed both a lack of ambition for the role and health problems of his own, leaving Roosevelt with a problem as to who he could tap to take his place rather than risk a free for all at the convention that could leave anybody as the nominee.
The President turned then to his own political roots from his past as Governor of New York and specifically his former Lieutenant Governor, the man who'd succeeded him in the Governor's office when he'd been elected President in 1932. A former Navy man who'd served in World War I, as well as a former shipper, sales executive and then businessman who'd turned from business into politics in the 1920s, New York Governor Humphrey DeForest Bogart was just the man that Franklin Roosevelt was looking for to replace him in the White House. He had served ably as his Lieutenant Governor and then as Governor himself for eight years, he agreed with much of Roosevelt's policies and politics and he was popular with the party and the media. Meetings between the two men took place in mid June 1940 in which Governor Bogart agreed to contest the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in July 1940, running against Vice President Garner and Postmaster General Farley.
Roosevelt had wrestled with his decision not to stand again for a third term, especially with the escalation of the ongoing conflict in Europe in May 1940, shortly after he'd ruled himself out from running. The President was convinced that only he had the experience and leadership skill to run the nation through the threat as well as carry on the New Deal. Even as discussions with Governor Bogart were held, Roosevelt was still considering reneging on his pledge to stand aside. Yet, despite Roosevelt's misgivings about retiring, his health continued to suffer amidst chest infection and other problems which were taking a battering toll upon the President's fitness. Anguished and angered at his body failing him once again as it had when he'd contracted polio in the 1920s, the President turned his focuses onto grooming Bogart as the man to carry his legacy forward, reasoning he could strongly influence Bogart in the White House.
As the Democrats assembled in Chicago in mid July 1940 to choose their presidential ticket, the pundits were predicting a close race between Garner, Farley and Bogart. Heavy lobbying occurred from all three camps, especially from Bogart's with the outgoing President telephoning numerous Democratic party leaders to lobby them for his choice. It worked, with Governor Bogart achieving 589 votes (53.8%) on the first ballot, in front of Farley's 265 (24.2%) and Garner's 225 (20.5%). Bogart's choice for Vice President, Wisconsin Senator Fredric March, was also successfully nominated with ease and lobbying when it came to the vice presidential ballot. With the Bogart/March ticket now in place and Roosevelt's desire for a secure legacy one step further, attention was now focused on the matchup between Bogart and his Republican rival, business tycoon Wendell Willkie who had been surprisingly nominated at the Republican National Convention in June. Willkie lacked political experience but made up for it in charisma, with some Democrats fearing they could potentially lose if Bogart did not match up.
Whilst the lack of Roosevelt on the ticket had some Democrats worried, ultimately the fundamentals of the race always looked good for Bogart. The Roosevelt administration was still popular as was the New Deal, and Willkie was distrusted by many voters in working class, industrial urban areas due to views that Big Business had been a major factor in responsibility for the Great Depression. Nevertheless, Willkie proved to be a better campaigner when assessed against Bogart, fearlessly going into traditionally non Republican areas to draw up votes. However, the popularity of the Democrats, their superior organisation in populated areas and key states and his own image shortcomings as a business tycoon ultimately proved too much for Willkie to overcome. Governor Bogart had led in every poll since the conventions in June/July and this ultimately translated into a solid win come November 5th. Bogart/March carried 35 states to Willkie/McNary's 13, taking 391 electoral votes and 54.2% of the popular vote to the 140 electoral votes and 45.4% of the popular vote picked up by the Republicans. As such, Governor Humphrey DeForest Bogart of New York would be the 33rd President of the United States. The Roosevelt legacy was safe.