Supposedly on the day after the election Al Smith sent a telegram to the pope: "Unpack."
That was a joke, of course, making fun of the Protestant fears that he would have been a puppet of the pope if he had been elected.
“Al Smith was the first Catholic nominated for President and the prejudice against Catholics was even stronger in 1928 than in 1960.”
Anti-Catholicism was one of the hallmarks of the 2nd Era KKK (1915-late 1920s). As was Prohibition, promoted by both the KKK and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
It’s been interesting to see some of our current pop-historians equate the Democratic Party with the KKK and yet fail to explain how Al Smith managed to be their 1928 Presidential nominee.
But I guess make believe history always runs into problems like that, even when it comes from our side.