Alben W. Barkley

Albums William Barkley (* November 24, 1877 at Lowes, Graves County, Kentucky, † April 30, 1956 in Lexington, Virginia ) was an American politician and Vice President of the United States from 1949 to 1953 during the presidency of Truman. He also represented the State of Kentucky in both chambers of Congress.

Youth and Education

In his baptismal certificate was still " Willie" albums, but as soon as he was legally able, he did change the order because he kept his original first name as a bad omen for a young man from the hard Kentucky.

The son of a tobacco farmer from Kentucky Barkley went the hard way during his training. To be able to afford college and the university, he had to work on the side. After graduating from Marvin Methodist College in Clinton, Kentucky, in 1897, he studied in Virginia at the University of Virginia Law School Law.

Barkley was married in first marriage to Dorothy Brower, with whom he had three children. After Dorothy's death, he married Jane Hadley Barkley.

Attorney and District Judge

On his return to Kentucky, he opened an office in the small town of Paducah, Kentucky. From 1903 he worked as the investigating prosecutor of McCracken County. The anecdote that he was (comparable to the Sheriff) ridden during the campaign for this elective office on a mule instead of a horse over the rough streets of his home, he always denied violent and repeated it in his later memoirs. But from 1909 to 1913, he served already as a district judge of the local County.

Congressman and Senator

Barkley and began his political career as a Democrat, also in 1913, when he was elected as Member for his home state in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he came under the influence of Woodrow Wilson conducting. Apparently found his work significant popularity among his constituents because he was always confirmed in the following seven terms of office until 1927 in his office.

As with many other members of Congress also are now elected him to the next higher position, the Senate, where he took his seat until 1949. His political reputation was so great that made ​​him his group from 1937 to 1947 their spokesman. During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, he was in the Senate, the real engine of the New Deal policy. He served the last two years as minority leader since ( 45:52 seats) occupied in the Senate after the intervening elections, the Democrats now in the minority.

Vice-Presidency

In the presidential elections in 1948 Barkley served as running mate of President Harry S. Truman. Although much to be said for a Republican victory Thomas E. Dewey and Earl Warren, the two Democrats were finally able to achieve victory. The oath of office as Vice President, he took off on 20 January 1949. Thanks to his long political experience in both parliamentary houses Barkley was able to prove and thus Truman, who had no comparable experience in federal politics, relieve sent in consequence, a great skill in the management of the Senate. He enjoyed the personal confidence and could be one of the first Vice-President have both political profile and skill.

Thanks to his own indiscretion at a press conference Barkley was soon in public only by his nickname, had given him his grandson, known: "The Veep " instead of " Mr. Vice President ". Albums understand this name as an award. Significantly, he was the first Vice- President, who chaired the National Security Council and officially mitbestimmend responsible for the preparation of the overall policy Truman.

Retreat from Washington and return to the Senate

After his vice presidency of the 75 -year-old thought the public domain under its own presidential candidacy during the Democratic primaries. Thanks to its many years of service, experience and popularity, they might well have had opportunities, but a clear criticism of his old age caused him to retire hurt deeply this recital.

This was the self- favored also by Truman liberal Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, for his party in the race and was defeated by Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower with 89 to 442 electoral votes clearly.

Later, "The Veep " in 1954 thanks to its popularity, re-elected for Kentucky in the Senate, where he remained until his death in 1956.

Honors

The Michigan State University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1950.