The Pittsburgh Press (September 22, 1944)
‘Cotton Ed’ leads New Deal foes
Washington (UP) –
Senator Ellison D. “Cotton Ed” Smith (D-SC), vigorous critic of the administration who was defeated for renomination this summer, said today that President Roosevelt “can be beaten in November – he must be if America is to be redeemed.”
The 79-year-old Senator blasted at the New Deal as he prepared to preside over a meeting of anti-fourth-term Democrats and farm representatives which he called in an effort to rally the farm vote behind the Republican Dewey-Bricker ticket.
Mr. Smith sought to leave the impression with reporters that he was not bitter about his defeat for renomination to the chamber in which he had served for 36 years.
“They liberated me,” he said.
“From what?”
He replied:
From bonds which tied my hands in regard to the administration. Now, I am free to do what I think best to redeem my country from these bureaucrats.