Is that the kid from Mad Magazine?
My first thought too. But that’s Afred E. Neuman.
Kind of makes me wonder if there is a connection though?
Al Smith was governor of NY and the first Catholic to be nominated for President by a major party. He was a Democrat (naturally), but moderate. Anti-prohibition, and later anti-Roosevelt. He lost his presidential race to Hoover, largely because of anti-Catholic sentiment in the South. The Archdiocese of NY traditionally sees him as a sort of milestone in the history of Catholics in America, a symbol of having arrived and become part of the American mainstream. Looking back, in view of the abandonment by American Catholics of their identity and distinctiveness, I am not so sure their assimilation is something to celebrate. I know that Jesus broke bread with sinners who wanted him dead, but He had some important points to make. The Al Smith dinner is more about fudging and making light of our differences in view of what we have in common — sadly in American history we’re now polarized to the point where we have little to nothing of importance in common. Sharing an appreciation of cocktails and a good steak are not enough to pretend we have the same goals as globalists, marxists, and islamists.
Alfred E. Smith Building (Albany, NY):
http://www.emporis.com/images/show/597176-Large-fullheightview-view-from-the-south-at-swan-and-state-streets.jpg
(I live just north of Albany.)
Could someone named Alfred ever be elected president these days? I mean, who names their kids Alfred anymore? All the classic names are going by the wayside.
