Voting Station

Sam Rayburn

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U.S. Congressman

The Resume

    (January 6, 1882-November 16, 1961)
    Born in Kingston, Tennessee
    Represented Texas' 4th District (1913-61)
    Speaker of the House (1940-47,1949-53,1955-61)

Why he might be annoying:

    His marriage to another Congressman's sister broke up in three months (1927).
    He described the House as 'my life and my love.'
    His disliked the term 'minority leader,' so when his reign as Speaker was twice interrupted by Republican majorities, he called himself the 'Democratic leader' instead.
    When freshman Representative Daniel Inouye introduced himself, Rayburn replied, 'I know who you are. How many one-armed Japs do you think we have around here?'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served longer in office than any other Speaker of the House.
    Four months before Pearl Harbor, he wrangled a one-vote majority to extend the peacetime draft.
    He refused to sign the Southern Manifesto protesting school integration (1956).
    He was known for his personal integrity.
    He took part in only one Congressional junket (an inspection trip to the Panama Canal Zone) and insisted on paying his own travel expenses.
    He said, 'Any jackass can kick a barn down. It takes a carpenter to build one.'
    One political reporter wrote, 'No calling that permits the rise of a Sam Rayburn can be all bad.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 20 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 31 Votes: 51.61% Annoying