Barkley supported Franklin D. Roosevelt for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1932 , but facing a re-election bid himself , he did not announce his support , fearing that his message might not resonate with Kentucky voters . Roosevelt supporters offered Barkley the keynote address and temporary chairmanship of the 1932 Democratic National Convention if he would endorse their candidate . Both opportunities would help Barkley 's re-election chances , so he announced his support for Roosevelt on March 22 , 1932 . In his keynote , Barkley warmly recalled the Wilson administration and denounced more than a decade of Republican dominance . Applause frequently punctuated the speech , with the longest interruption – a 45-minute near-riot – erupting after Barkley called for a platform plank directing Congress to repeal prohibition . According to Libbey , the remark was not a repudiation of his prohibitionist position but a desire for the people to express their will on repeal . Prohibitionist constituents still supported Barkley because , for most of them , the depression trumped all other concerns
1932 Democratic National Convention
1932 Democratic National Convention
Alben W. Barkley