For those trying to navigate a particularly tumultuous election year filled with deep divisions, ideological smears and personal insults, we can take guidance from historical figures whose insights into American politics have proven useful even today.
As I document in my new book, Citizen Cowboy: Will Rogers and the American Nation, Will Rogers was perhaps the most influential commentator on public affairs in the United States a century ago. The Oklahoma native made his name as a cowboy humorist in vaudeville, the Ziegfeld Follies, Broadway shows and silent films, winning public acclaim for his astute, earthy and witty observations on American life and values.
By the 1920s, Rogers was contributing columns to over 300 newspapers, writing a steady stream of magazine articles and essays, and appearing regularly on speaking tours around the country. He hosted a national radio show and even starred in a Hollywood talkie.
Rogers was one of America’s most beloved figures until his death in 1935. In my research, I found that after his death, tributes flooded newspapers and magazines, typical of which was this sentence from the Minneapolis Journal: “We all loved Will Rogers. … There have been poets, philosophers, humorists, but none were more beloved in the nation’s hearts. None were more dearly missed. None will be more missed from our common life.”
Rogers was particularly fascinated by national politics, and often humored both its shortcomings and achievements. Three touchstones guided his commentary: a good-natured skepticism about politics as usual, a belief that politics must be subsumed within a broader view of life, and, above all, an insistence that political debaters respect norms of civility.
“I just report the facts.”
Mr. Rogers got most of the laughs with his skeptical critique of the system. He gleefully criticized the “nonsense” of American politics — his favorite word for politicians’ shameless hypocrisy, bombastic rhetoric, inflated egos and shady dealings — nonsense that both Democrats and Republicans are guilty of spreading.
“The more I read and observe politics, the more I have to admit that each party is inferior to the other,” Rogers said. “Republican platform promises have become less reliable than Democratic platform promises, and they have always been considered the lowest form of collateral in the world.”
The Oklahoma native mocked the grandiose rituals and imperfect institutions of our political system. He wrote of the tedious 1924 presidential convention, which took three weeks and 103 votes to nominate an unknown: “In terms of population, the convention is holding up. The deaths of delegates from old age are nearly offset by the birth rate.”
Rogers railed against government incompetence in Washington, D.C. One year, as Congress reconvened after some terrible bickering and inaction, he jokingly said, “Let’s all pray: Lord, give us strength to endure the hardships that are about to come upon us. Lord, have mercy on them, for they know not what they are doing.”
He advocated a simple approach: “I don’t make jokes. I just observe the government and report the facts.”
“Critical yet compassionate”
Rogers, however, insisted that political debates should be kept in perspective. He urged people to avoid politicizing any public issue and instead focus on more meaningful commitments such as family, friends, community and work.
Despite the stern warnings of political fanatics, he said, “There will be no less disease, no less earthquakes, no less progress, no less invention, no less morality, no less Christianity under either President.”
But for Rogers, the ultimate guarantee of stability came from masses of ordinary Americans seeking common-sense solutions to public problems — what he called the “honest majority” — who lived simply, worked hard, wanted a good life for their families, and pursued their own version of happiness.
Rogers believed that the average citizen had sound judgment and was “not so naive as to believe everything was right, nor so crazy as to believe everything was wrong.”
Finally, Rogers advocated a critical yet compassionate, principled yet tolerant approach to politics. A master of civility, he maintained that political disputants were opponents, not enemies, and that opposing views should be respected.
The humorist set an example: “I don’t bear any grudge against anyone or anything.”
survive excessive partisanship
While he criticized politicians for their shortcomings, he never made it personal. Despite their flaws, Rogers wrote, “The scoundrels are very nice guys, when you meet them and get to know them.” He famously said, “I’ve joked about every famous person I’ve ever known, and I’ve never met one I didn’t like.”
He remained a staunch nonpartisan throughout most of his career, leaning to the party of Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression and joking, “I don’t belong to any organized political creed. I’m a Democrat.” The cowboy humorist saw politics as a forum for friendly debate, not a blood sport.
Rogers’ political principles of healthy skepticism, insight, and civility remain useful guides for surviving even the most vile campaigns.
So the next time you hear over-excited partisans lament the “end of democracy” or that “there’s no country left,” take a deep breath and think about Will Rogers’ calmer, more enlightened approach to presidential elections a century ago: recall his conclusion that “America won’t be ruined no matter who’s elected, so the politicians will just have to wait four more years to find out who’s going to ruin us.”
Then, when confronting a political opponent, you can adopt his sage advice: “Instead of looking at him and disagreeing with him, get behind his back and see how he looks at you.”