Party Conventions, Party Conferences Quotes
He was battling for delegates. Most Republicans favored Roosevelt as did many Democrats, but at that time Presidential candidates of the parties were chosen by the party delegates—not the people. Roosevelt was too reformist minded and independent for most Republicans of the day. So the party operatives bypassed TR and selected the unpopular William Howard Taft instead. Roosevelt then ran as a third party candidate (the Bull Moose Party) and outpolled Taft in the election, but Democrat Woodrow Wilson won as Roosevelt and Taft split the Republican vote.
At that time the Presidential nominee had influence but could not unilaterally determine who his running mate would be as the Party Conventions—especially the Democratic Party Convention—was wide open. The candidate joked in this quotation, but the party leaders were very unhappy with such an open convention and after the 1972 election which they lost handily, the rules were changed to give party leaders more influence. By the 21st century, the primary elections had all but made the party conventions a quaint celebration and no serious decisions were made by the party leaders or the party delegates.
Dewey had been the Republican Presidential Candidate in 1948. Although he and the Republicans were the overwhelming favorites, Dewey lost to Harry S Truman. In 1952, Dewey was a major supporter of Robert Taft for the Presidency. But other Republicans including Dirksen wanted Dwight D. Eisenhower as the candidate. Dewey had given a rousing speech telling the Party to nominate Taft. Dirksen then responded. Such a public rebuke of a former standard bearer was considered very insulting. However, Dirksen was saying what most Republicans believed. Despite an intense effort by Taft and the very conservative wing of the Party, Eisenhower was selected as the nominee and he won the Presidency.
Greeley was convinced that Lincoln could not win a second term against George McClellan and wanted to consider dumping Lincoln from the ticket and running someone else as the Republican nominee. Pundits have never been great predictors; Lincoln won.
