U.S. At War: Tom Dewey Gets There

On election night, Democratic State Chairman James A. Farley sat glumly with his friends in Manhattan headquarters, waiting for the three phones to ring. To his sensitive politician's ear, the silence was ominous. When county chairmen have good news to report, they do it fast.

"A sad day, Jim," said one friend.

"Well," said Big Jim, "those things happen."

For the first time in 20 years, Big Jim Farley was on the wrong side of a New York election. He had named his own candidate, Attorney General John J. Bennett Jr.; but his convention fight with the forces of Franklin Roosevelt (TIME, Aug. 31)...

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