Samuel Herman Friedman, February 20, 1897 (Denver, Colo.) – March 17, 1990 (New York, NY)
VP candidate for Socialist Party of America (1952, 1956)
Running mate with nominee (1952, 1956): Darlington Hoopes (1896–1989)
Popular vote (1952): 20,203 (0.03%)
Popular vote (1956): 2,128 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (1952, 1956): 0/531
The campaign (1952):
Six time Presidential nominee Norman Thomas was done with campaigning for elected office and after 1948 attempted to convince the Socialist Party of America to find other avenues to further the Party's agenda.
There were many factors contributing to the rapid decline of the SPA. To name just a few-- Like several other third parties, they had run (between Debs and then Thomas) personality-driven campaigns where one individual ran for several elections and became the face of the movement. Once that person stepped down after such a long reign the changes became overly dramatic. Also, many of their once radical platform ideas were now accepted as mainstream by most Americans and both major parties, although customized to fit within a capitalist setting. With the advent of television advertising and mass media campaigning the SPA could not hope to match the funds required for such political merchandising. And the increasingly strict requirements for gaining ballot access didn't help.
The SPA leadership agreed with Thomas that it was time cease the national campaigns but the rank and file still wanted a presence in the Presidential elections. Darlington Hoopes, the 1944 VP nominee was nominated for President and the courtly SPA veteran Samuel H. Friedman was selected as his running mate.
The 1952 SPA platform stood against the same military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower (who had been in a position to do something but apparently did not do enough to stop it) would warn America about eight years later.
With votes recorded in 17 states the SPA's best showings were in New Jersey (0.36%) and Connecticut (0.20%).
The campaign (1956):
The SPA nominated the Hoopes/Friedman ticket again in what would prove to be the SPA's final Presidential campaign.
W.E.B. Du Bois who had supported the Progressive Party in 1948 and 1952 explained in The Nation why he was not voting in 1956. His reasons touch on the SPA and no doubt describes the world view of many other progressives of that era:
In 1956, I shall not go to the polls. I have not registered. I believe that democracy has so far disappeared in the United States that no "two evils" exist. There is but one evil party with two names, and it will be elected despite all I can do or say. There is no third party. On the Presidential ballot in a few states (seventeen in 1952), a "Socialist" Party will appear. Few will hear its appeal because it will have almost no opportunity to take part in the campaign and explain its platform. If a voter organizes or advocates a real third-party movement, he may be accused of seeking to overthrow this government by "force and violence." Anything he advocates by way of significant reform will be called "Communist" and will of necessity be Communist in the sense that it must advocate such things as government ownership of the means of production; government in business; the limitation of private profit; social medicine, government housing and federal aid to education; the total abolition of race bias; and the welfare state.
These things are on every Communist program; these things are the aim of socialism. Any American who advocates them today, no matter how sincerely, stands in danger of losing his job, surrendering his social status and perhaps landing in jail. The witnesses against him may be liars or insane or criminals. These witnesses need give no proof for their charges and may not even be known or appear in person. They may be in the pay of the United States Government. A.D.A.'s and "Liberals" are not third parties; they seek to act as tails to kites. But since the kites are self-propelled and radar-controlled, tails are quite superfluous and rather silly.
On the ballot in only half a dozen states the SPA's best showing was in Friedman's native state of Colorado with 0.08%. In New York they gained 82 votes and in Rhode Island a whopping sum of two votes.
Election history:
1921 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1922 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1923 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1926 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1927 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1928 - New York State Senate (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1929 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1930 - New York State Assembly (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1932 - New York State Senate (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1934 - US House of Representatives (NY) (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1936 - New York State Senate (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1941 - New York City Controller (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1942 - Lt. Governor of New York (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1945 - New York City Council President (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
1949 - New York City Council President (Socialist Party of America) - defeated
Other occupations: journalist, editor, labor union activist, public relations agent, high school social science teacher
Buried: Cedar Grove Cemetery (Flushing, NY)
Notes:
Columbia University MA 1940.
Jewish.
Member of the Three Arrows Cooperative Society.
Arrested numerous times in acts of civil disobedience.
