Dan Smoot

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Howard "Dan" Smoot
Born(1913-10-05)October 5, 1913
DiedJuly 24, 2003(2003-07-24) (aged 89)
Alma materSouthern Methodist University
Harvard University
Occupation(s)Federal Bureau of Investigation agent
Journalist; Conservative political activist
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)Mabeth Evans Smoot (divorced)
Virginia McKnight Smoot
(died 1996)
Children2[citation needed]
Parent(s)Bernie and Dora Allbright Smoot

Howard Smoot, known as Dan Smoot (October 5, 1913 –July 24, 2003), was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a conservative political activist. From 1957 to 1971, he published The Dan Smoot Report, which chronicled alleged communist infiltration in various sectors of American government and society.

Background[edit]

Smoot was unsuccessful in his campaign for public office, but he rose to fame as a pundit on radio and television. He initially served as the spokesperson and face of H.L. Hunt's Facts Forum before leaving to create his own.[1]

Spreading his conservative message[edit]

In 1962, Smoot wrote The Invisible Government concerning early members of the Council on Foreign Relations. Other books include The Hope of the World; The Business End of Government; and his autobiography, People Along the Way. Additionally he was associated with Robert W. Welch, Jr.'s John Birch Society and wrote for the society's American Opinion bi-monthly magazine.[2][3]

In 1972, Smoot served as campaign manager for American Independent Party presidential candidate John G. Schmitz.[citation needed]

Books[edit]

  • The Hope of the World (1958)
  • The Invisible Government (1962)
  • The Business End of Government (1973)
  • People Along the Way: The Autobiography of Dan Smoot (1993)

References[edit]

  1. ^ academic.oup.com https://academic.oup.com/chicago-scholarship-online/book/21460/chapter-abstract/181243010?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Retrieved 2023-02-12. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ Smoot's autobiography and review by Jane Ingraham (1994)
  3. ^ Peter B. Gemma (2000). "Dan Smoot: The Man and His Message". The New American. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.

Further reading[edit]

  • Hendershot, Heather. What's Fair on the Air? Cold War Right-Wing Broadcasting and the Public Interest (University of Chicago Press; 2011) 260 pages; covers the rise and fall of prominent far-right radio hosts: H. L. Hunt, Dan Smoot, Carl McIntire, and Billy James Hargis.

External links[edit]