George Smathers

George Armistead Smathers (born November 14, 1913) is an American lawyer and politician who represented Florida in the United States Senate for eighteen years. Congressional photo of Smathers. ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... Link title1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ...

Smathers was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey (his uncle, William Howell Smathers, was a U.S. senator representing New Jersey). His family moved to Miami, Florida in 1919, and he attended the University of Florida for his undergraduate degree and law school education. At Florida, he was president of his fraternity (Sigma Alpha Epsilon), captain of the basketball team, and president of the student body. After completing his LL.B. in 1938, Smathers returned to Miami, where he served as assistant U.S. district attorney from 1940 to 1942. During World War II, he served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Atlantic City is a city located in Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,517. ... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (D) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... The Miami skyline, as it is seen from the northeast on Biscayne Bay. ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... University of Florida State University System of Florida FAMU FAU FGCU FIU FSU NCF UCF UF UNF USF UWF The University of Florida, or UF, is a public university located in Gainesville, Florida. ... Law school is the term used in the United States to indicate an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees, mainly teaching using the Socratic method. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... United States Attorneys represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. ...

After the war, Smathers was elected to serve two terms in the United States House of Representatives, from 1947 to 1951. In 1950, he ran for the United States Senate against incumbent Claude Pepper, and was elected by a margin of over 60,000 votes. The race was marked by echoes of the Red Scare: Smathers repeatedly attacked Pepper for having communist sympathies, pointing out his pro-civil rights platform and campaign for universal health care. It is also widely claimed that Smathers won the election by using linguistic tricks to attack Pepper before uneducated audiences, such as stating that Pepper had a "thespian" sister and a "Homo sapiens" brother, although Smathers repeatedly denied these claims during his term in the Senate. Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Claude Denson Pepper (September 8, 1900 – May 30, 1989) was an American attorney and politician. ... This article contains information that is not verifiable. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... Publicly funded medicine is a level of medical service that is paid wholly or in majority part by public funds (taxes or quasi-taxes). ...

Smathers served as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for six years. During the 1960 presidential campaign, Smathers was a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination. He later managed John F. Kennedy's campaign in the southeastern U.S. DSCC can also refer to Defense Supply Center, Columbus. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... JFK redirects here. ...

In 1968, Smathers declined to run for re-election and announced his candidacy for president. He was defeated in the primary race by Hubert Humphrey. 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Hubert Horatio Humphrey II (May 27, 1911–January 13, 1978) was the 38th Vice President of the United States, twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota and was mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota. ...

In 1991, Smathers gave a $20 million gift to the University of Florida library system, now known as the George A. Smathers Libraries. He later also gave a substantial $10 million gift to the University of Miami. 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

One of the interesting facts about Smathers is that in his life, he personally knew eleven United States Presidents starting with FDR. Smathers was a close friend of both John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. People often asked him to contrast these two very different men. Smathers said that although he was very fond of both, Kennedy was a lot more "fun".

Smathers was the only non-Kennedy/Onassis family member in the highly publicized 1953 wedding in Newport.

Smathers introduced close friend and Key Biscayne neighbor Charles Rebozo to Richard Nixon. Smathers had recommended Key Biscayne as a vacation destination to Nixon. While Nixon was vacationing in Key Biscayne, Smathers had Rebozo take Nixon deep sea fishing. Smathers later sold Nixon his Key Biscayne home which became famous as the Key Biscayne White House. Charles G. Bebe Rebozo (November 17, 1912_May 8, 1998) was a Florida banker who gained famed for being a close friend and confidant of President Richard Nixon. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the thirty-seventh President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Map of Key Biscayne Key Biscayne is a village located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. ...

Smathers resides in Miami Beach and is father to two sons John ('41-) and Bruce Smathers ('43-) (Florida Secretary of State '75-'78). Bruce Armistead Smathers (Born 1943 Miami, Florida) Florida Secretary of State (55-58) ...

Popular Key West, Florida destination, Smathers beach, is named after the senator. Map of Key West Key West is a city located in Monroe County, Florida. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... Smathers Beach is located on the southern side of Key West, Florida. ...

External links

• Biography of George Smathers
• Interviews with Smathers
• Transcript of 1950 speech attacking Pepper