Invective &. Abuse

On the eve of New York's mayoralty election, steatopygous Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, whose tongue is a potent weapon but an unruly member, cut loose with an all-out show for the voters, mixing mock tears with invective, prayers with abuse, fireworks with slaps of the cold towel. His language got him in the kind of trouble he likes best: name-calling. The little rump-sprung Mayor, who has been campaigning New York City for 24 years, had a far shrewder appreciation than his opponents of the delicate art of abuse. He started the ball rolling by putting the name of Governor Herbert Lehman (backer of his opponent, William O'Dwyer) into the same paragraph with the words "goniff" (Yiddish for thief) and "double-crosser."

Shrilled Governor Lehman: ". . .Grossly abusive ... a new low. . . . New Yorkers are sick and tired of Mr. LaGuardia's unbridled tongue . . . distorts the truth . . . abused and vilified. . . ."

Boomed James Aloysius Farley, another O'Dwyer backer: "Never have we been so degraded. ... A man . . . last night showed himself in his true colors, as a cad."

Sniped gum-champing Edward J. Flynn, Democratic National Chairman: "[The Mayor is] a vain popinjay."

Delighted, LaGuardia grabbed a head of cabbage from a stall, held it up for photographers, said: "My opponent's head." Farley: "... A man who has openly and publicly made himself a liar, a speaker of insult . . . obscene language . . . wording so low . . . any individual so depraved as to dirty his tongue with uttering them . . . who believes in hypocrisy in action and filth in language." LaGuardia: "To quote two of their own county chairmen: 'That dope Herbie'" [meaning Lehman].

Flynn: "... A mucker who has run amuck ... a demagogue of demagogues . . . the greatest faker on the American political scene ... the most super-colossal hypocrite . . . clown . . . this mountebank Mayor." Farley: "Breast-beating faker." Lehman: ". . . Shameless, scurrilous . . . insulting and vicious."

LaGuardia (from a Baptist church): "Pray for forgiveness of those evil men with hatred in their hearts who, with strong words on their tongues, hurling invective and vituperation, create racial hatred because they are so desperate. Pray for them--they need it. Let us be serene, kindly and forgiving--for they know not what they do." (Night before, at a rally): "Whoever says [I have an interest in a bus line] is a dirty contemptible liar and a yellow cowardly cur."

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