Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was part of C-SPAN’s "Contender Series," a look at the nation’s unsuccessful U.S. presidential candidates who still made their mark on history.

The Speaker was interviewed for the C-SPAN profile on Al Smith, a 1928 presidential candidate and former New York Governor and Assembly Speaker. Silver, who like Smith hails from Lower Manhattan, spoke about Smith’s legacy and his many contributions to the state, including his concern for the plight of working men and women.

The live broadcast to a nationwide audience took place from the Assembly Chamber on Friday, October 14 and is available on the C-SPAN Website.

The two hour presentation provided an insightful review of Smith’s storied life, complete with clips from old newsreels, historic photos and video excerpts from the remarks delivered at the annual Al Smith Dinner in Manhattan by the 2008 presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

A fascinating and in depth historical account of the life and times of Al Smith was provided by Yale University History Professor Beverly Gage and John Evers, former Assembly historian and history PhD candidate at the University of Albany, SUNY.