Ed Helms

1928 was a momentous year. At the movies, the world was introduced to a dapper mouse named Mickey and a nifty new innovation, sound. Radio had just gone national and the World Series was heard from coast to coast, much to the delight of Yankee superfan Alexander Gettler, who's tuning in to hear the Yankees sweep the Cardinals as he's slicing and dicing bodies in his lab at Bellevue Hospital.

1928 was a momentous year. At the movies, the world was introduced to a dapper mouse named Mickey and a nifty new innovation, sound. Radio had just gone national and the World Series was heard from coast to coast, much to the delight of Yankee superfan Alexander Gettler, who's tuning in to hear the Yankees sweep the Cardinals as he's slicing and dicing bodies in his lab at Bellevue Hospital.

Yep, 1928 was a real barn burner, all right. But most of all, because it was a big election year. The presidency was up for grabs. In one corner was Herbert Hoover, Republican and the guy for the dries. In the other corner, the wet warrior, longtime governor of New York, Al Smith.

Yep, 1928 was a real barn burner, all right. But most of all, because it was a big election year. The presidency was up for grabs. In one corner was Herbert Hoover, Republican and the guy for the dries. In the other corner, the wet warrior, longtime governor of New York, Al Smith.

As Al's speeches buzz over radios across America, I can picture Mabel Walker Willebrand sitting in her office at the Department of Justice, listening and fuming. You might remember that Al thumbed his nose at the law and repealed the state's prohibition enforcement statute five years before. Well, that put Al in Mabel's crosshairs.

As Al's speeches buzz over radios across America, I can picture Mabel Walker Willebrand sitting in her office at the Department of Justice, listening and fuming. You might remember that Al thumbed his nose at the law and repealed the state's prohibition enforcement statute five years before. Well, that put Al in Mabel's crosshairs.

In Mabel's eyes, Al was a man so morally bankrupt that he swept the Constitution aside to appeal to the masses. And appeal he did, promising to take his wet agenda all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Mabel wasn't having it.

In Mabel's eyes, Al was a man so morally bankrupt that he swept the Constitution aside to appeal to the masses. And appeal he did, promising to take his wet agenda all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Mabel wasn't having it.

Because when Al Smith said he refused the, quote, old order of things, Mabel heard him rejecting the thing that mattered most to her, sticking to the law and enforcing the 18th Amendment.

Because when Al Smith said he refused the, quote, old order of things, Mabel heard him rejecting the thing that mattered most to her, sticking to the law and enforcing the 18th Amendment.

Mabel and her team were entering the ninth inning. It felt like her squad, the dries, or as she saw it, the only ones who respected the Constitution, were behind, with two outs and no runners on. Her colleagues at the Department of Treasury had made public their deadly poisoning program to stop Americans from drinking, and yet still, America wasn't ready to give up the bottle.

Mabel and her team were entering the ninth inning. It felt like her squad, the dries, or as she saw it, the only ones who respected the Constitution, were behind, with two outs and no runners on. Her colleagues at the Department of Treasury had made public their deadly poisoning program to stop Americans from drinking, and yet still, America wasn't ready to give up the bottle.

Now Mabel was the last batter up. And you better believe she was gonna go down swinging. I'm Ed Helms, and this is Snafu, a show about history's greatest screw-ups. This is Season 3, the story of Formula 6, how prohibition's war on alcohol went so off the rails, the government wound up poisoning its own people. In today's episode, our threads start weaving together.

Now Mabel was the last batter up. And you better believe she was gonna go down swinging. I'm Ed Helms, and this is Snafu, a show about history's greatest screw-ups. This is Season 3, the story of Formula 6, how prohibition's war on alcohol went so off the rails, the government wound up poisoning its own people. In today's episode, our threads start weaving together.

Prohibition hangs in the balance in the 1928 election. And for Richard Two-Gun Hart, the chickens finally come home to roost.

Prohibition hangs in the balance in the 1928 election. And for Richard Two-Gun Hart, the chickens finally come home to roost.

Leading up to the 1928 election, Mabel Walker Willebrandt was one busy bee.

Leading up to the 1928 election, Mabel Walker Willebrandt was one busy bee.

As author Dan Okrent says, Mabel traveled the country speaking at churches, town halls, and women's groups, all in the hopes of scaring the bejesus out of people as she described a frightening American future under a potential president, Al Smith.

As author Dan Okrent says, Mabel traveled the country speaking at churches, town halls, and women's groups, all in the hopes of scaring the bejesus out of people as she described a frightening American future under a potential president, Al Smith.