State of the Union (1948)

Adolphe Menjou: Jim Conover

Photos 

Quotes 

• Kay Thorndyke : But there is one question on his mind you better have the answer to.

  Jim Conover : What's that?

  Kay Thorndyke : He's beginning to wonder if there is any difference between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

  Jim Conover : Now that's a fine question for a presidential candidate to ask. There's all the difference in the world. They're in and we're out!

• Jim Conover : ...the most beautiful plank in your husband's platform.

  Mary Matthews : That's a heck of a thing to call a woman!

• Mary Matthews : Another thing - he used to hate to hear me swear. Whenever I'd let with something, he'd smack me on my sitter, hard. I've done a lot of swearing on this trip.

  Jim Conover : And no smacks?

  Mary Matthews : It's a small request, but I'd give anything for a good smack on my south end.

  Jim Conover : I wish there was something I could do about that.

• Grant Matthews : I yelled my head off about labor and its responsibilities and I'm going to lay it right on the line for industry too. Now look here, Jim. You know just as well as I do that there are men at that banquet who will be rooting for a depression just so they can slap labor's ears back

  Jim Conover : I suppose you have a few well-chosen words to say about tax reduction?

  Grant Matthews : You better not worry so much about tax reduction until we accomplish some of the things we have to accomplish. I'm going to tell them that the wealthiest nation in the world is a failure unless it's also the healthiest nation in the world. That means the highest medical care for the lowest income groups... And I'm going to tell them the American dream is not making money. It is the wellbeing and the freedom of the individual throughout the world, from Patagonia to Detroit... And I'm going to tell them there's only one government which is capable of handling the atomic control, world disarmament, world employment, world peace, and that's a world government. The people of 13 states started the United States of America. Well, I think the people of that many nations are now ready to start a United States of the World, and I mean a UNITED states of the World, with one bill of rights, one international law, one international currency, one international citizenship, and I'm going to tell them that the brotherhood of man is not just an idealistic dream, but a practical necessity if man is going to survive. And I'm go-

  [Conover gets up, disgusted] 

  Grant Matthews : where are you going?

  Jim Conover : I'm going out and get pie-eyed and I'm going back to Washington.

  Grant Matthews : You're walking out on me?

  Jim Conover : Well if you're going to climb out on a limb like that and saw it off behind you! You've already scared off big labor, and if tonight you scare off big business, you're a dead duck.

  Grant Matthews , Jim Conover : Jim, they've got to know where I stand, I told you that at the start. I've got to be on record - nomination or no nomination.

  Jim Conover : All right, but not here, not tonight, not when you're on a radio hookup. Save it for some time when you're out in Nebraska or Oklahoma.