At the age of thirty-five, Huey Long was elected Governor of Louisiana. He did a couple of things that no governor had ever done before such as consolidating his personal power over all levels of state government and forcing through a program of progressive legislation, thus enabling him to fulfill his promise to the common people of the state. By an overwhelming majority, he won a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1930. One woman wrote, "He is a God-sent, God Fearing, God protected man. He is like Jesus." He helped exempt low-income families from state property taxes. On the other hand, he did nothing for farmers and sharecroppers who had been driven from their land. A black leader in New Orleans had in this is 1939, "The Negro masses as well as the white masses, were solidly behind Huey P. Long." Long's term in the U.S. Senate may not have won him the respect of his colleagues or media, but his finesse and power had won him something more important, the attention of the American public. While in the senate he was known to filibuster for long hours on the injustices of the wealthy and the influence they had on society. His speeches and campaigning drew large crowds wherever he traveled. His belief of big business was ruining the society and that was his main platform throughout his political life.
Charles Coughlin lived in Canada and was born into a Catholic family. His life was basically preordained for him to become a priest. He finished in the top of his class at college and taught at the College of Assumption for seven years. These years were good for what was to come later for Father Coughlin. He decided that his life was destined for priesthood. He made a lifetime friendship with Bishop Gallagher. Father Coughlin's first parish was in the small town on North Branch, Michigan He first visualized using the radio as a way of advertising. His first goal in the use of the radio was to get people to attend church, but Father Coughlin realized what the radio could do for him and his views.
