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Norman Thomas

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Politician

The Resume

    (November 20, 1884-December 19, 1968)
    Born in Marion, Ohio
    Former Presbyterian minister
    Six-time Presidential candidate of the Socialist Party of America (1928,1932,1936,1940,1944,1948)

Why he might be annoying:

    In his most successful presidential campaign, he received 2.2% of the vote.
    In addition to his six presidential bids, he ran unsuccessfully for governor of New York, mayor of New York City (twice), US Congressman from New York, state senator and alderman.
    He was a founding member of the isolationist America First Committee and opposed Lend Lease and other aid to Great Britain during World War II.
    Ronald Reagan quoted him as saying, ‘The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.’ However, Reagan biographer Lou Cannon noted that there is no evidence that Thomas ever said such a thing.
    Despite being bogus, the faux quote became popular again in conservative circles during the debates over Obamacare.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a former paperboy for Warren Harding’s ‘Marion Daily Star’ and was always welcome in the Harding home, even after that home was the White House.
    The ‘radical’ policies he campaigned for included unemployment insurance, minimum wage laws and old age pensions.
    He was one of the few public figures to speak out against the internment of Japanese-American citizens after Pearl Harbor.
    He was William F. Buckley’s first guest on ‘Firing Line.’
    Commenting on his opposition to the Vietnam War, he said, ‘I’d rather see America save her soul than save face.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 39 Votes: 56.41% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying