James A. Farley
| James Farley | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 53rd United States Postmaster General | |
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In office March 4, 1933 – September 10, 1940 |
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| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Walter F. Brown |
| Succeeded by | Frank C. Walker |
| Chairman of the Democratic National Committee | |
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In office 1932–1940 |
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| Preceded by | John J. Raskob |
| Succeeded by | Edward J. Flynn |
| New York State Assemblyman, Rockland County | |
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In office 1923–1923 |
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| Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee | |
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In office 1930–1944 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Aloysius Farley May 30, 1888 Stony Point, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 9, 1976 (aged 88) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth A. Finnegan (m. 1920) |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Politician, business executive |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
James Aloysius "Jim" Farley (May 30, 1888 – June 9, 1976) was one of the first Irish Catholic politicians in American history to achieve success on a national level, serving as Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and as Postmaster General simultaneously under the first two administrations of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A business executive and dignitary, and a Knight of Malta, Farley was commonly referred to as a political kingmaker, and was responsible for Franklin D. Roosevelt's rise to the presidency. Farley was the campaign manager for New York State politician Alfred E. Smith's 1922 gubernatorial campaign and Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1928 and 1930 gubernatorial campaigns, as well as FDR's Presidential campaigns of 1932 and 1936. Farley predicted large landslides in both, and revolutionized the use of polling, and polling data. He was responsible for pulling together the New Deal Coalition of Catholics, labor unions, African Americans, and farmers for FDR. Farley, and the administration's patronage machine he presided over, helped to fuel the social and infrastructure programs of the New Deal. He handled most mid-level and lower-level appointments in consultation with state and local Democratic organizations.
Farley helped to normalize diplomatic relations with the Holy See and in 1933 was the first high-ranking government official to travel to Rome, where he had an audience with Pope Pius XI and dinner with Cardinal Pacelli (future Pope Pius XII).
Farley opposed Franklin Roosevelt breaking the two-term tradition of the presidency, and broke with Roosevelt on that issue in 1940. As of 1942, Farley was considered the supreme Democratic Party Boss of New York. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman appointed Farley to serve a senior post as a commissioner on the Hoover Commission, also known as the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government. Farley's work on the Hoover Commission would lead to the development and ratification of the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, establishing the modern executive term-limit law. This was viewed by many, including Farley, as vindication for his public opposition to FDR's third term.
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