Скачать или смотреть How Eugene V. Debs Ran for President... While Locked Up in Federal Prison

In 1920, Eugene V. Debs ran for president—while serving time in federal prison. For those curious, Debs had been convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917, a law that made it a crime to obstruct military recruitment or make “false” statements toward the U.S. military. Debs was sentenced to ten years for giving a speech that harshly criticized America’s involvement in World War I, which authorities claimed was interfering with enlistment efforts. In protest, Debs launched a campaign as the Socialist Party’s candidate. He didn’t fulfill his um, "from the prison to the presidency," slogan —but he still captured national attention, earning 914,191 votes, which is pretty good for a convicted felon. In the process, he became a powerful symbol for free speech and voice for the working-class.

Over here, the guy who actually won the presidency that year, Warren G. Harding wanted to move away from those wartime policies and the big amount of controversy that followed them. So in 1921, Harding commuted Debs’ sentence—freeing Debs from prison, but not fully pardoning him.

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