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They knew that he'd done well, or at least they believed he'd done well, in the Cabinet of Wilson, but they never knew much what went on in Washington in the Democratic party of New York State. The regular rank and file delegates didn't know or care. He was, I think, a beloved fellow for conquering his paralysis. He had nominated Smith in '24 on his crutches. That had been such a dramatic thing, had been so loyal, that they couldn't forget it.

They didn't say, “How can a man on crutches run for Governor?” because we didn't say that kind of thing then. This business of thinking that a man was down and out because he was crippled didn't exist. It was to your credit if, as a cripple, you carried on. The doctors hadn't gotten in so far into our suspicious minds and poisoned us with those ideas. There wasn't a bit of discussion of that. The only question was whether he was well enough - not well enough so that he could be Governor, as everybody felt sure of that, but well enough so that he felt able to get out there and make a campaign. He was the one who kept saying, “I can't do it because this is my only time to get back the use of my legs.” Al Smith would say, “What does the use of his legs matter; he can use his mind all right.”

Since those days one has learned a lot about poliomyelitis,