Mr. Miller's Classroom
Presidential Election of 1789In 1789, General George Washington was unanimously drafted president by the Electoral College.Every public and personal consideration will demand from you an acquiescence in what willcertainly be the unanimous wish of your country.Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 1789We cannot, Sir, do without you, and I and thousands more can explain to anyone but yourselfwhy…Former Maryland Governor Thomas Johnson, 1789My movements to the chair of government will be accompanied by feelings not unlike those of a culprit who is going to the place of his execution.George Washington, 1789My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.John Adams, the new vice president of the United States, 1789George Washington – the man:Physical – At 6’2”, 175 lbs., broad shoulders and sharp line face (marked by smallpox), Washington was an imposing figure. Personality – He depended on balance rather than brilliance – he commanded with strength of character. He was good-natured but sometimes lost his temper. He was a poor speaker who could be rendered speechless without a script.Faith – He was technically an Episcopalian but religion played only a minor role in his life – he stuck to a strict moral code based on his idea of right and wrong.Recreation – He played billiards and cards and loved the idea of a fox hunt but in later years, read newspapers aloud to his wife and walked daily for exercise.Death – Washington died on 14 December 1799, from pneumonia and inflammatory quinsy. As the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first to be laid aside when those liberties are firmly established.George Washington, 1776 A gentleman whose skill and experience as an officer, whose independent fortune, great talents and excellent universal character would command the approbation of all America and unite the cordial exertions of all the Colonies better than any other person in the union.John Adams on nominating Washington as commander of the continental army, 1775If ever a nation was debauched by a man, the American nation has been debauched by Washington. If ever a nation was deceived by a man, the American nation has been deceived by Washington. Let his conduct, then, be an example to future ages; let it serve to be a warning that no man may be an idol.The Philadelphia Aurora, 1796Washington made the trip from Mt. Vernon to New York (the temporary capital) to take the oath of office overlooking Wall Street.Washington immediately changed things up by establishing a cabinet – it was something not specifically mentioned in the Constitution other than the president “may require” written opinions of the heads of executive branch departments.This step was so cumbersome that the new cabinet meetings soon became protocol in Washington’s and future administrations. At the time, there was only three full-fledge department heads under Washington: Secretary of State Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Hamilton and Secretary of War Henry Knox.Presidential Election of 1796Candidates:F – Vice President John Adams (MA)DR – Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson (VA)F – Fmr. Gov. Thomas Pinckney (SC)DR – Sen. Aaron Burr (NY)Campaign: Washington’s Farewell Address was a signal, like dropping a hat, for the party racers tostart.Rep. Fisher Ames (F-MA)It focused heavily on the personalities but the Jeffersonians focused on the forcefulness of the government against the Whiskey Rebellion and Jay’s remarkably easy terms in the treaty with the British. Adams, with large support from the populous New England states, squeezed a narrow margin of victory in the Electoral College – Jefferson, as runner up, was made vice president (the 12th Amendment of 1804 allowed for a separate vote for vice president).While Washington forced political dialogue to remain above board for the most part, his departure was now a license to go no-holds bar. Federalist Fisher Ames called the Jeffersonians “fire-eating salamanders, poison-sucking toads.” Jefferson was also referred to as an atheist, anarchist, demagogue, coward, trickster and Francophile.[Jeffersonians are] cut-throats who walk in rags and sleep amidst filth and vermin.Federalist newspaper editorialConclusion: Adams (71, 51.4%) narrowly defeated Jefferson (68, 49.3)Adams had a thankless task – following in the footsteps of George Washington.Adams was hated by Hamilton who had resigned the Treasury in 1795 and now headed a war faction of the Federalist Party – the “High Federalists.”Hamilton even engineered a plot with cabinet members against Adams.Adams also had a possible war with France that lacked only a spark to kick it off.[The] second office [VP]…is honorable and easy; the first is but splendid misery.Former Secretary of State Thomas JeffersonJohn Adams – the man:Physical – Adams was short (5’6”), stocky and portly in his middle age. He was also, for a long time, the longest living president (age 90) but one beset with ailments his entire life. By 1800, his hands shook with palsy, most of his teeth had falling out to pyorrhea and because he refused to wear dentures, talked the rest of his life with a lisp.There are few people in this world with whom I can converse…I can treat all with decency and civility, and converse with them, when it is necessary, on points of business. But I am never happy in their company. John AdamsPersonality – Adams was as able a statesman as there was with large respect given to him from all sides. He was stubborn, devoted to his principles, learned, upright and had no tact with no appeal to the masses and no interest in creating any. “His Rotundity” was often regarded with “respectful irritation.” It has been suggested by modern historians and psychologists that he was a manic-depressive with mood swings brought on by traumatic events or excessive criticisms. As a Puritan, he was horrified at frank sexual discussion (at a dinner party in Bordeaux in 1778, a French woman’s musings on Adam and Eve and how they learned to have sex embarrassed him greatly).Faith – He was a part of the Unitarian branch of Congregationalism; he did not believe in the divinity of Jesus.Recreation – He was an expert at algebra and trigonometry and did it for fun, he walked daily – at times 5 miles at one time – he loved to fish but his greatest hobby was reading. Death – He died on 4 July 1826 from heart failure and pneumonia on the same day as Thomas Jefferson. Mr. A…has always appeared to me to add an ardent love for the public good, and his further knowledge of the world seems to have corrected those jealousies which he is represented to have once been influenced by.Alexander Hamilton[Adams] means well for his country, is always an honest man, often a wise one, but sometimes, and in some things, absolutely out of his senses.Benjamin FranklinPresidential Election of 1800Candidates:DR – Vice President Thomas Jefferson (VA)DR – Fmr Senator Aaron Burr (NY)F – President John Adams (MA) F – Fmr U.S. Minister Charles Pinckney (SC)Campaign:Adams was not the only choice for some Federalists as Hamilton hoped that Charles Pinckney of South Carolina could win by winning the South. Hamilton wrote a letter to Federalist officials, blasting Adams on his domestic and foreign policies, much to the ire of the president.[Hamilton is] an intriguant, the greatest intriguant in the world – a man devoid of every moral principle – a bastard.John Adams on discovering contents of Hamilton’s letter, 1800Federalists also went after Jefferson as a French radical or Jacobin, who had obtained his property by fraud and ripped off a widow for an estate worth ?10,000. [Jefferson is] a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father…Federalist campaign leaflet, 1800[With Jefferson as president] Murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will all be openly taught and practiced…the soil will be soaked with blood, and the nation black with crimes.Editorial from the Connecticut Courant, 1800Jefferson’s supporters accused Adams of wanting to reunite America with England and hoping to start an American dynasty.Conclusion:In a couple of ways, the election was a tie and created a never envisioned outcome. Jefferson (73, 52.9% [62.5%]); Burr (73, 52.9 [25%]); Adams (65, 47.1 [0%])The percentage points in brackets represents the House vote.Jefferson defeated Adams by seven electoral votes while Adams lost New York thanks to the energetic campaigning for Jefferson by Aaron Burr.Jefferson’s main area of support was in the south and west, especially in those places where all white men could vote.While Jefferson defeated Adams, he was tied with his vice presidential choice, Burr.The election was thrown to the lame duck Federalist Congress, who could not stand the idea of either but felt that Jefferson was the greater evil.The deadlock in the House went on for months before a couple of Federalist hoping for moderation from Jefferson refrained from voting for Burr and threw the election to the Virginian.We are all Republicans; we are all Federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union, or to change its Republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.President Thomas Jefferson, Inaugural Address, 1801Thomas Jefferson – the man:Physical – He was tall (6’2.5”) and thin – walked with a loping gait that maintained poor posture.Generally, he was a man of good health with the exception of horrible headaches that was stress related and could linger for weeks. In later years, he suffered from rheumatism and after 1786, his right hand was crippled. Personality – He was open to other people but kept a part of him in reserve that he would not share. He never developed a thick skin or a gift for oratory – in small groups, he was captivatingbut in a speech before a large crowd, he could be reduced to mumbling. Faith – While raised Anglican, he was a Deist and he was never a member of any church. He is famousfor a Bible that he had published including only the words of Jesus, suggesting the rest of the book was commentary. I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.Thomas JeffersonRecreation – He was a true Renaissance man who found pleasures in many sciences, both in reading and in practice. He also enjoyed music and was a good fiddle player. Death – He died on 4 July 1826 from complications of an enlarged prostate and chronic diarrhea (on the same day as John Adams). No better minister could be sent to France. He is everything that is good, upright, enlightened and clever, and is respected and beloved by every one that knows him.Marquis de Lafayette on the appointment of Jefferson as minister to FranceAdams would be the last Federalist president and his party would soon fade into historical oblivion.Jefferson compared his victory to the Revolution – he might have been referring to his election returning the US to the spirit of Revolution. Jefferson felt the Federalists had subverted its spirit and betrayed the ideas of the war.Jefferson saw his duty as restoring the republic experiment and checking the power of the government in order to keep it from growing too large. Amazingly, contrary to other countries around the world, the U.S. transferred power without bloodshed.Something that would not happen for another generation in England.It was surprising given the vitriolic debate prior to the election but all parties accepted the result.I have this morning witnessed one of the most interesting scenes a free people can ever witness. The changes of administration, which in every government and in every age have most generally been epochs of confusion, villainy and bloodshed, in this our happy country take place without any species of distraction, or disorder.Philadelphia woman in letter to her sister on the inauguration, 1801Presidential Election of 1804Candidates:DR – President Thomas Jefferson (VA) and Gov. George Clinton (NY)With Clinton leaving the governorship of New York and because he wasnot renominated, Burr decided to run for governor of the state.F – Fmr. French Minister Charles C. Pinckney (SC) and Fmr Sen. Rufus King (NY)Campaign:Things were going so well, Jefferson nearly ran unopposed as he was considered unbeatable – he was very popular, helped by his purchase of Louisiana anda trade boom because of a temporary stall in the European wars.Federalists, thoroughly demoralized, threw their support to Pinckney and made half-hearted and ineffective attacks on President Jefferson.They brought up the Sally Hemmings story which Jefferson’s friends denied and Jefferson himself only indirectly refuted.Rumors to the effect of his relationship was whispered about amongthe power players and polite society. Conclusion: Jefferson (162, 92%) easily defeated Pinckney (14, 8%)Jefferson coasted to a second term but it would be marred by conflict between Napoleon’s France and Britain. That (the Federalists) should acquiesce in the will of the great majority is but a reasonable expectation…yet…I am the single object of their accumulated hatred. I do not care for this now….They can never now excite a pain in mind by anything personal, but I wish to consolidate the nation, and to see these people disarmed either of the wish or the power to injure their country.President Thomas Jefferson, 1803Presidential Election of 1808After two terms, Jefferson was happy to leave the “splendid misery” of being president but recommended a kindred spirit and fellow Virginian – the converted Federalist, James Madison. Candidates:DR – Secretary of State James Madison (VA) and VP George Clinton (NY)F – Fmr. French Minister Charles C. Pinckney (SC) and Fmr. Sen. Rufus King (NY)Campaign:The Embargo Act of 1807 was the largest issue of race.As a member of Jefferson’s cabinet, Madison was saddled with the aftereffects of that decision.Another major issue was the question of continued impressment by both the Frenchand the British but Federalists felt the country should stick with the British.Conclusion:Madison (122, 69.3%) won, defeating Pinckney (47, 26.7%) and Clinton (6, 3.4%)James Madison – the man:Physical – He was the shortest (5’4”) and the slightest (100 lbs) president ever. He had a youthful appearance with scarring on his nose due to a frostbite incident. He suffered from what today might be called epileptic seizures that interfered with his intellectual functions. Personality – Madison spoke in a thin and low voice and it was often said that little could be heard from him during speeches before large crowds. The combination of horrible shyness and his stature led to bad first impressions.Mr. Madison is…slow in taking his ground, but firm when the storm rises.Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin on his deliberateness in making decisionsMr. Madison, a gloomy stiff creature, they say is clever in Congress, but out of it he had nothing engaging or even bearable in his manners – the most unsociable creature inexistence.Martha Bland (wife of a Virginia delegate to Continental Congress), 1781Faith – He was an Episcopalian but was not overly zealous in his worship.Recreation – He loved walking, observing nature, horseback riding, reading, chess and could read ancient Latin and Greek.Death – Madison died on 28 June 1836 from complications of rheumatism. A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy…a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.James MadisonPresidential Election of 1812Candidates:DR – President James Madison (VA) and Gov. Elbridge Gerry (MA)F – Gov. DeWitt Clinton (NY) and U.S. Attorney Jared Ingersoll (PA) Campaign: War of 1812 dominated the campaign and the early difficulties for Americans.Young War Hawks like Henry Clay of Kentucky and John Calhoun of South Carolina were pushing Madison to do something – to reclaim America’s honor.It is a war worthy of such a determination. Having its origin neither in ambitionor in vain glory, and for its object neither an interest of the Government distinctfrom that of the People, nor an interest of part of the people in opposition to thewelfare of the whole.President James Madison, 1812Clintonians courted both sides and tried to take both positions – depending upon the crowds they were addressing.Conclusion: Madison (128, 58.7%) defeated Clinton (89, 40.8%).Clinton was very successful in the New England states but Madison had little trouble in the rest of the country and New Hampshire, the only New England state to vote for the Democratic-Republican. Pleasure is a shadow, wealth is vanity, and power a pageant; but knowledge is ecstaticin enjoyment, perennial in frame, unlimited in space and indefinite in duration.New York Governor DeWitt ClintonPresidential Election of 1816Candidates:DR – Secretary of State James Monroe (VA) and Gov. Daniel Tompkins (NY)F – Sen. Rufus King (NY) and Fmr. Sen. John E. Howard (MD)Campaign:Looming large as an issue was the Federalist opposition to War of 1812.This would be the last election that would feature a Federalist, the party soon fading into historical obscurity. Federalists of our age must be content with the past.Sen. Rufus King, 1816The campaign and election was fairly boring as issues were weak – there was not a great deal to complain about, given the U.S. success in War of 1812. We have obtained nothing but peace.John Quincy Adams on the Treaty of GhentConclusion: Monroe (183, 82.8%) soundly defeated King (34, 15.4%).King was only able to carry Massachusetts and Connecticut, not even carrying his home state of New York. James Monroe easily defeated the last Federalist candidate for president and the Virginia dynasty of Washington, Jefferson and Madison continued. Existence of parties is not necessary to free government.President-elect James Monroe, 1816The election victory led to a victorious Democratic-Republican Party in Congress and one-party rule.James Monroe – the man:Physical – Monroe was a solid built man at over 6’ with broad shoulders and large but stooped frame.Personality – Monroe was part of two worlds – a bygone age of the Founding Fathers (he was the last to wear a cocked hat) and the new age of nationalism. He was, compared to the first eight presidents, the least talented but he was stable and had a good knack for figuring out what people wanted. He had an incredibly warm personality that at times made up for a lack of brilliance and a quick mind. He was incredibly sensitive to criticism and would take offense, even when none was intended.Faith – He was an Episcopalian but none of his writings suggest the depth of his faith.Recreation – He enjoyed horseback riding and hunting.Death – Monroe died on 4 July 1831 from heart failure [Monroe] had a rare ability of putting men at ease by his courtesy, his lack of condescension, his frankness, and by…his essential goodness and kindness of heart.Monroe historian Harry AmmonIf Mr. Monroe should ever fill the Chair of Government he may (and it is presumed he would be well enough disposed) let the French Minister frame his Speeches…There is abundant evidence of his being a mere tool in the hands of the French government.Former President George Washington, c. 1797 Presidential Election of 1820Candidates:DR – President James Monroe (VA) and VP Daniel Tompkins (NY)(F) – John Quincy Adams (MA)The unanimous re-election of Mr. Monroe is morally certain, as certain as almost any contingent event can be.National Intelligencer, 1820There appears no great excitement in any quarter, concerning the next presidential election. In most of the States the elections occur with great quietness, too great, perhaps, for the general safety of the Republic.Ohio Monitor (Columbus), April 1820Campaign:Monroe basically ran unopposed with only New Hampshire Gov. William Plumer casting an electoral vote for Secretary of State John Q. Adams. Rumor had it that Plumer did it to preserve Washington’s status as the only president to win unanimously – but there exists no evidence to this claim but there was also a real dislike for Monroe. The Missouri Compromise calmed the electorate and sectional differences that were boiling over in the years leading up to the election.Surely our government may go on and prosper without the existence of parties. I have always considered their existence as the curse of the country.President James Monroe, 1820Conclusion: Monroe (231, 98.3%) emerged victorious, unopposed with only one dissenting vote; Adams (1, 0.4%). Presidential election of 1824Candidates:Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (MA) and Sen. John C. Calhoun (SC)House Speaker Henry Clay (KY) and former Sen. Nathan Sanford (NY)Treasury Secretary William H. Crawford (GA) and Sen. Nathaniel Macon (NC)Sen. Andrew Jackson (TN) and Sen. John C. Calhoun (SC)Campaign: Sectional differences and the personalities of the candidates were the main focal pointsof the election.John Quincy Adams was highly intellectual, experienced and aloof. He served with distinction in both the Congress and as a diplomat.Newspapers made fun of his slovenly dress and his “English” wife.Henry Clay (“Harry of the West”) was both tough and gallant. He was the Speaker of House for many years and a skilled legislator. Newspapers called him a gambler and a drunkard.William H. Crawford was competent but an ailing “giant of a man.” He was the Secretary of Treasury who was well liked and respected.Andrew Jackson was the gaunt but gutsy hero of New Orleans.Newspapers referred to him as a murderer for executing some mutineers in 1813.I cannot believe that killing 2,500 Englishmen at New Orleans qualifies for the various, difficult and complicated duties of the Chief Magistracy.Rep. Henry Clay, 1825All four men claimed to be Democratic-Republicans or “Republicans” and their philosophical differences were fuzzy – evident in the fact that John C. Calhoun was the vice presidential candidate for both Adams and Jackson.Jackson had the greatest personal appeal, given his hero status and his fight against corruption and privilege in government.He had a large mass appeal in the western part of country.No one candidate won a majority in the Electoral College therefore the election went to the House of Representatives (a la the 1800 election).Conclusion: Jackson (99, 42.16%) was victorious over Adams (84, 31.89%), Crawford (41, 12.95%) and Clay (37, 12.99%).The House, according to the 12th Amendment, had to pick the top three so Clay was out but as the Speaker of House, he would preside over the selection of the winner.Clay was in an unusual position to influence the outcome of the election:Crawford, recently felled by a paralytic stroke, was out of the picture.The sickly thing is to be fed, cherished, pampered for a week, when it isfondly hoped it will be enabled to cry the name Crawford, Crawford, Crawford.Baltimore newspaper, 1824Clay hated “the military chieftain” Jackson and he criticized Jackson’s foray into Florida to go after the Seminoles, for which Jackson deeply hated Clay.This left only Adams, the puritanical New Englander opposite to Clay’s personal behavior. While not friends, they had a great deal politically in common as both were ardent nationalists and advocates of the American system.Shortly before the House vote, Clay met with Adams privately to assure the New Englander of his support.Early in 1825, the House vote carried Adams to the president on the first ballot, thanks to Clay’s influence; a few days later, Clay was announced as the new secretary of state.The Secretary of state was a plum position then, more so than today as it was seen as a pathway to the White House. It appeared that this position was a bribe that Adams offered Clay to ensure his support and it undermined the popular vote cast for General Jackson.John Quincy Adams – the man:Physical – Adams was known for his penetrating black eyes, plain dress and not having much interest. Generally, he was in poor health as he suffered constantly from insomnia, indigestion, nervousness and eye discomfort.Personality – Adams also dealt with mental depression. He admitted having at times the “imaginary wish that (life) were terminated.”I never was and never shall be what is commonly termed a popular man…I am certainly not intentionally repulsive in my manners…but I have no powers of fascination; none of the honey which the…proverb says is the true fly-catcher. John Quincy Adams in a letter to his wifeFaith – He was a member of the Unitarian branch of the Congregationalist Church; a devout Christian who nevertheless was not sure about the divinity of Christ and the virginity of Mary.Recreation – He was into billiards (installed the first pool table in White House), reading, swimming (known for going skinny dipping in the Potomac River in the summer), journal writing and horseback riding. Even at 58, he could swim a mile in less than an hour.Death – Adams died on 23 February 1848 from a massive stroke while on the House floor after yelling loudly his opposition to decorating several generals for actions during the Mexican War.I have found in him since I have been associated with him in the executive government as little to censure and condemn as I could have expected in any man.Secretary of State Henry Clay You are perfectly insane and should apply for admission to the Lunatic Asylum. You have cost the Government more than half your state is worth. You are a curse to the Whig Party and to the nation.An Ohio man, Isaac Milne, in a letter to President Adams objecting to a gag rule, 1842Jacksonians, made up of many common folks, raged for nearly four years against the “corrupt bargain”of 1824. Jackson labeled Clay the “Judas of the West” while John Randolph of Virginia said Clay “shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by moonlight.”Clay, outraged, challenged Randolph to a duel but frayed nerves and poor marksmanship led to a bloodless result.With regards to the supposed “corrupt bargain,” there is no direct evidence that Clay and Adams entered into any kind of alliance or agreement – Clay was the natural choice for Secretary of State and Adams was known as both unwaveringly honest and not given to patronage. Even if this deal did happen, it was not unusual for the day but the subsequent uproar made itclear that such dealings were no longer acceptable and considered undemocratic.Clay would always say, to his dying days, that his biggest regret was taking the position becauseit tainted him for the rest of his career, ruining any chance he had of becoming president.The next election would not be settled in same way.Presidential election of 1828Candidates:D – Sen. Andrew Jackson (TN) and VP John C. Calhoun (SC)One might as well make a sailor of a rooster or a soldier of a goose as a President of Andrew Jackson.Thomas Gilmer, journalistNR – President John Quincy Adams (MA) and Richard Rush (PA)The election of 1828 started as soon as the 1824 election ended and Adams took office.Campaign:Major issues included an argument over National Bank, protective tariff and federal appropriations for internal improvements, science and education. Before the election, the “Republicans” split into two camps:National Republicans led by Adams and the Democratic-Republicans led by Jackson.Jacksonians cried “All Hail Old Hickory” and planted hickory poles for their hickory-tough hero of New Orleans.Adamites adopted the oak as a symbol of their oak-like independent candidate. Jacksonians characterized their candidate as a member of the common class whose election by popular will was subverted by backdoor bargaining. The only way to right the wrong was to sweep the Adams’ gang out and place Jackson in. Much of this political talk was hyperbole for sure:Jackson was no common farmer but a wealthy landowner whose mansion oversaw the labor of many slaves.Adams, while an aristocrat, was far from corrupt – if anything, as one historian put it, “his puritanical morals were too elevated for the job.”The election was one of vicious mudslinging that Americans quickly got a taste for.While Adams was far too principled to engaged in it himself, his supporters were less squeamish. Jackson’s mother was referred to as prostitute and his wife, an adulteress.General Jackson’s mother was a Common Prostitute, brought to this country by the British soldiers! She afterwards married a mulatto man with whom she had several children, of which number General Jackson is one.Anti-Jackson newspaper, 1828Adamites also went after Jackson’s wife, Rachel, who he married while she was still technically married to a man who ran out on her. Rachel, whose health was always poor, died suddenly in December 1828.May God Almighty forgive her murderers as I know she forgave them. I never can.Andrew Jackson at his wife’s funeral, referring to the AdamitesJackson, his entire life, never forgave Adams and Clay for not criticizing their followers for bringing Rachel into the campaign.Prior to the election, Adams bought a billiard table and a set of chessmen which the Jacksonians turned in their rhetoric into gaming tables and gambling furniture for the White House.Criticisms were directed at the large sums in federal salaries (though well earned) Adams received over the years.He was also accused of supplying the Russian czar a servant girl – basically serving as the girl’s pimp. Conclusion: Jackson (178, 56%) defeated Adams (83, 44%).Voting was split largely along sectional lines – Jackson won strong support in the West and South while Adams’ support stemmed from New England and some of the middle states.However, the electoral count produced a sound victory for Jackson – political power was beginning to shift from the eastern seaboard to states across the mountains.I know what I am fit for. I can command a body of men in a rough way; but I am not fitto be President.Andrew Jackson, 1821When I was President of the Senate, he was a Senator; and he could never speak on account of the rashness of his feelings. I have seen him attempt it repeatedly, and as often choke with rage. His passions are no doubt cooler now…but he is a dangerous man.Thomas Jefferson on Andrew Jackson in 1824Andrew Jackson – the man:Physical – Jackson was striking figure – tall, lean, with iron-gray hair. His irritability and emaciated look stemmed from the constant and long-term bouts with dysentery, malaria and tuberculosis – as well as iron poisoning from two bullets he carried within him from duels.Personality – Jackson was the product of a lack of parental restraints – he was more inclined to fight than read. He did make himself literate but his grammar was always sub-par, as many of his contemporaries commented. A native of the Carolinas, he moved west where fighting and roughness were valued over literacy. Personality, leadership qualities and intelligence led to him being a judge and elected to Congress – though he suffered from a violent temper that often led him into duels or other scraps. When Andrew Jackson hated, it often became grand passion. He could hate witha Biblical fury and would resort to petty and vindictive acts to nurture his hatredand keep it bright and strong and ferocious.Robert V. Remini, modern Jacksonian scholarMartin Van Buren, a trusted advisor, felt that some of the anger and fury was an act. Not formally educated but smart – risen from the masses but was not one of them (except for prejudices) – westerner but with eastern ties – owned slaves on one of finest mansions in U.S. – the Hermitage near Nashville, Tennessee. He was hard man to fit into easily defined categories.Faith – Jackson was a Presbyterian; while not religious, he was not the heathen his enemies felt he was.Recreation – His favorite pastime was breeding and racing horses, he loved reading newspapers and was known, at times infamously, for his practical jokes. While studying law in Salisbury, North Carolina, he was chosen to manage the town’s important Christmas ball – Jackson sent invitations to a mother-daughter prostitute team well known in Salisbury but certainly not welcomed at the ball.Death – He died on 8 June 1845 due to complications from chronic tuberculosis and diarrhea. Ignorant, passionate, hypocritical, corrupt and easily swayed by the base men who surround him.Senator Henry ClayThe inauguration of President Jackson was a call to every class of people (mainly lower classes) as the White House was opened to everyone – the “lowest classes” poured into the building and wrecked the furniture and china and were only emptied out of the White House when rumors that spiked punch was being offered on lawns. To many conservatives, this was the rise of “mobocracy” and reminded them of the beginnings of the French Revolution.The simplistic republicanism of Jefferson had gone to hell and a hand basket.Presidential election of 1832Candidates:D – Andrew Jackson (TN) and Secretary of State Martin Van Buren (NY)NR – House Speaker Henry Clay (KY) and Rep. John Sergeant (PA)Campaign:The fate of the Bank of the U.S. was the major issue.The old general, who previously preached the virtue of a one-term president, was easily persuaded to go for a second term.I fear the Bank influences more than anything else. I have no doubt that the Bankmanagers will expend a large sum of money.Jackson supporter, 1832Each candidate’s supporters took to the streets in spreading its message to the masses.Several novelties made themselves known during 1832 election:Third party candidate – the Anti-Masonic party out of New York was created around the possible murder of a New Yorker who threatened to reveal Masonic secrets.The party’s message soon quickly spread to the middle states and New England.It also played on the inherent fear Americans had of secret societies – seen as the vestiges of money, power and privilege.It picked up support from evangelical Protestants in their attempts to ban any and all work or activity that would subvert the Sabbath as holy. Jacksonians were against such measures as an example of more federal involvement and meddling. It called a national nomination convention to name their party’s candidate.Anti-Masons and a group of National Republicans also adopted formal platforms to publicize their standing on the issues.Clay’s National Republicans held a great deal of advantage with large sums of money and the most newspaper editors, some bought by Bank president, Nicholas Biddle, acidly and relentlessly criticized Jackson.The National Republicans characterized Jackson as monarchial and dictatorial.The Democrats painted Clay as an incurable gambler.Conclusion: Jackson, a hero to the common man, won easily the West and South and made inroads into Pennsylvania, New York and even New England. Jackson (219, 55%) easily defeated Clay (49, 42%).Gentlemen, I never until now believed that Calhoun could poison the minds and pervertthe souls of that gallant people. But now I see he has done it. Of course I shall be re-elected. It will be my duty, if God spares my life, to enforce the laws of the UnitedStates , and preserve our Federal Union as it is until the 4th of March, 1837 – more thanfour years hence. President Andrew Jackson, 1832Presidential election of 1836Candidates:D – VP Martin Van Buren (NY) and fmr. Sen. Richard M. Johnson (KY)W – Fmr. U.S. Minister to Columbia William Henry Harrison (OH) and fmr. State Rep. Francis Granger (NY) W – Sen. Daniel Webster (MA) and fmr. State Rep. Francis Granger (NY)W – Sen. Hugh White (TN) and Sen. John Tyler (VA)Campaign:The remarkable character of this election is, that all the candidates are at most third-ratemen.John Quincy AdamsThe smooth-talking, intelligent secretary of state Martin Van Buren became Jackson’s choice as his successor for the election in 1836.Jackson was too old and frail to consider a 3rd term but Van Buren was a quasi-“yes-man.” Jackson rigged the convention and pushed his choice on the Democrats.Jacksonians were not that enthused with Van Buren, who promised to generally go along with his predecessor. I shall, if honored with the choice of the American people, endeavor to tread generally in the footsteps of President Jackson – happy if I shall be able to perfect the work which he has so gloriously begun.Vice President Martin Van BurenWe are to be cursed with Van Buren for President.Thurlow Weed, New York Whig publisher and politicianThe Whigs, not organized enough to put up a successful candidate, decided on a scatter shot.They put several candidates up with regional appeal throughout country in hopes of throwing the election to the House where the Whigs might have a chance.The main candidate, pushing the old standard Clay aside, was General William Henry Harrison of Ohio, the hero of the battle of Tippecanoe. All of the Whig maneuvering came to nothing as Van Buren eked into office by a close popular vote but a decent electoral margin. Van Buren attempted to reconcile the northern and southern Democrats.Conclusion: Van Buren (170, 51%) overcame the Whigs and Harrison (73, 36%) White (26, 10%) and Webster (14, 3%).Martin Van Buren – the man:Physical – Van Buren was short, possessed deep blue eyes and had a classic Roman nose along with unruly white hair and large side burns. Personality – An engaging conversationalist who was optimistic, cheerful and quick to smile. He was very guarded about his views and when speaking about them, he tended to be vague. Faith – He was not overtly religious and he rarely quoted scripture. While in D.C., he attended an Episcopal church but only because there was not a Dutch Reformed church in the capital.Recreation – He loved the theater, fishing, wine and gambling (though modest in the latter).Death – He died on 24 July 1862 due to bronchial asthma and later heart failure.The more I see of Mr. V.B., the more I feel confirmed in a strong personal regard for him. He is one of the gentlest and most amiable men I have ever met with.Washington Irving, 1832This democratic President’s house is furnished in a style of magnificence and regal splendor that might well satisfy a monarch….This is that plain, simple, humble, hard-handed democrat whom (the people) have been taught to believe is at the head of the democratic party….He may call himself a democrat – such, no doubt, he professes to be – but then there is a great difference between names and things.Rep. Charles Ogle (D-PA)Presidential election of 1840Candidates:W – fmr. US Minister William Henry Harrison (OH) and State Rep. John Tyler (VA)D – Pres. Martin Van Buren (NY) – no VP nominatedCampaign:Democrats had little choice but to re-nominate he whom the Whigs called “Martin Van Ruin.” The Whigs, learning their plan in ‘36 was not the best route, united behind a single candidate, the hero of Tippecanoe – General William Henry Harrison.He was not the ablest statesman – that would have been Clay or Webster – but he was thought to be the best at getting votes.His greatest advantages was that he was a war hero, no one knew anything about his stance on the issues and he had no enemies – a recipe used today.John Tyler of Virginia was an afterthought and placed on the ticket as the vice presidential candidate.Had the Whigs considered things and if they knew how things would turnout, they might have given the position of vice president a bit morethought.The Democratic editor played into the hands of the Whigs by disparaging Harrison – the old, poor western farmer who should be content with a pension, a log cabin and hard cider (poor man’s champagne).I am the most persecuted and calumniated individual now living.William Henry Harrison, responding to Democratic mockeryThe Whigs, not announcing their platform to avoid conflict, characterized Harrison has a war hero and a hero of common man, who left his plow and farm to deal with aristocratic Jackson and Van Buren to right the ship. Tippecanoe and Tyler too!Whig campaign slogan for 1840 electionThe Whigs whipped up log cabins and hard cider at any campaign stop possible.The thing was, Harrison was no poor farmer tilling the soil, living in a one room log cabin and drinking hard cider.Harrison was one of the first families of Virginia, not poverty stricken, had a 16-room mansion on a 300-acre farm and preferred whiskey to any other beverage.Yet, facts did not matter with Jackson coming to office and neither with Harrison.Conclusion:Harrison (234, 53%) easily defeated the economically burdened Van Buren (60, 47%).William Henry Harrison – the man:Personality – Harrison was a plain-spoken man who was good humored, affable and accessible and he was described as hospitable, kind and utterly unpretentious.Faith – He was a devout Christian, an Episcopalian who read the Bible daily, attended church regularly and never talked politics on Sundays. Recreation – He enjoyed morning walks, horseback riding, doing his own shopping and reading the Bible. Death – He died on 4 April 1841 in the White House due to pneumonia after delivering at 68 a 1:45 speech in cold and rain.I am ill, very ill, much more so than they think me.William Henry Harrison, 3 April 1841It is true, the victory of 1840 did not produce the happy results anticipated; but it is equally true, as we believe, that the unfortunate death of General Harrison was the cause of the failure. It was not the election of General Harrison that was expected to produce happy effects, but the measures to be adopted by his administration. By means of his death, and the unexpected course of his successor, those measures were never adopted.Rep. Abraham Lincoln (W-IL)The greatest beggar and the most troublesome of all the office seekers during my Administration was General Harrison.Former President John Quincy Adams, 1840John Tyler – the man:Physical – He was tall and thin, had large ears and thin lips with a prominent forehead. He was generally in poor health – could get a cold easily and suffered regularly from indigestion and diarrhea. Personality – He was a typical Southern gentleman with charm, grace and a soft, warm manner. He wasknown as a lone wolf who once quit the Senate rather than take orders from Virginia that he did not agree with – he was highly principled, perhaps too much so. He left the Democratic Party after a strong dislike of Andrew Jackson’s tactics. He was uneasy with the working class that some interpreted as a superiority complex. He was a bit Democratic and a bit Whig – he had states’ rights tendencies which was the reason he was originally on the ticket in the first place – to attract this fringe group of the party. He should have never accepted the nomination because he was at odds with the Clay/Webster attitudes – pro-bank, pro-tariff and pro-internal improvements.Faith – He was an Episcopalian but in practice, more of a Deist who had strong beliefs of religious toleration and separation of church and state. Death – He died on 18 January 1862 due to severe bronchitis.An honest, affectionate, benevolent, loving man, who had fought the battles of his life bravely and truly.Confederate General Henry Wise, 1862John Tyler; the poor, miserable, despised imbecile.Thurlow Weed, Whig leader, editor of Albany Evening Journal, 1845Presidential election of 1844Candidates:D – fmr. Gov. James K. Polk (TN) and fmr. U.S. minister George M. Dallas (PA)Polk emerged as a candidate out of a deadlock at the convention but once selected, he reassured those who worked against him that he wouldonly serve one term.It has been well observed that the office of President of the United States shouldneither be sought or declined. I have never sought it, nor should I feel at libertyto decline it, if conferred upon me by the voluntary suffrages of my fellow citizens.James K. Polk, 1844He supported pro-Texas expansionists to be the first “dark horse” to become a presidential candidate. While a dark horse, he was not an unknown – he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives and served two terms as governor of Tennessee.I can hardly believe such a ridiculous thing.Democratic Louisiana Senator on Polk’s nominationW – Fmr. Speaker Henry Clay (KY) and fmr. Sen. Theodore Frelinghuysen (NY)Clay was enthusiastically chosen by his party in the great city of Baltimore.Campaign:The campaign was, in part, an expression of the idea of Manifest Destiny – many Americans feeling that God had ordained that they should control the land.Manifest Destiny played out in support for Texas and the Oregon Territory to be part of the U.S.Clay tried to straddle the fence on the Texas issue – he claimed to support both the annexation (an appeal to the slave states) and waiting (an appeal to the North).Other issues involved in the election included the tariff, a new Bank of the US and internal improvements. Clay was called by the Democrats a “corrupt bargainer,” a person of bad character and a slaveowner (never mind that Polk owned slaves). Democrats pushed slogans like “All of Oregon or None” and “Fifty-four Forty or Fight,” in reference to the line of latitude above the territory. Whigs pushed slogans of “Hooray for Clay” and “Polk, Slavery and Texas or Clay, Union and Liberty.”Conclusion: Polk (170, 49.5%) defeated Clay (105, 38.2%).Clay could have won had he not lost New York by 5,000 votes but he suffered from the anti-slavery Liberty Party, which took nearly 16,000 votes.Oddly enough, by keeping Clay out of White House, Texas came in as a slave state – the very thing the Liberty Party did not want.This election would be the last that was held on different days in different days.James K. Polk – the man:Physical – He carried himself with an erect bearing with deep set gray eyes and long, combed straight back gray hair.Personality – An introvert, he could be outgoing out of political necessity – he drove himself to make up for his lack of natural brilliance and personal charisma. Politics had become his whole life…aside from which he had no aspirations, intellectual interests, recreation, or even friendships.Charles G. Sellers, Polk biographerFaith – He was raised a Presbyterian but as an adult, he embraced Methodism but continued going to Presbyterian churches out of respect of his mother.Recreation – His single drive towards politics left no time for anything else.Death – On 15 June 1849, possibly from cholera. James K. Polk, a great president. Said what he intended to do and did it.President Harry S. Truman, 1960He has no wit, no literature, no point of argument, no gracefulness of delivery, no elegance of language, no philosophy, no pathos, no felicitous impromptus; nothing that can constitute an orator but confidence, fluency and labor.Rep. John Quincy Adams (W-MA)Presidential election of 1848Candidates:W – Gen. Zachary Taylor (LA) and State Comptroller Millard Fillmore (NY)Taylor was one who knew nothing of politics and had never even voted.D – Sen. Lewis Cass (MI) and William Butler (KY)Cass was the first Democratic presidential candidate from the Northwest and he was experienced and incredibly able but he was pompous with a negative outlook on life.Polk was satisfied that he had achieved all of his goals during his first term andcombined with a pledge in 1844 not to seek a second term and declining health that would take his life a mere four months after leaving office, he was not under consideration.Free Soil – Martin Van Buren (NY) The former Jackson acolyte championed the slogan of “Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor and Free Men.” Campaign:During the 1846 mid-term elections, Whigs railed against the president for his warmeasures and looked forward to campaigning against the conflict.However, in February of 1848, Polk announced the war was over, the treaty ofGuadalupe Hidalgo signed and the US now possessed a large swath of new territories that the Whig dominated Congress approved.With the nomination of one of the war’s heroes, the Whigs had to look elsewherefor an issue against the Democrats.Slavery was to become a major issue in the election as most Americans were beginning to develop strong feelings on the subject one way or another.Cass followed the idea of “squatter sovereignty” – settlers in the new territories should decide the slavery issue in a territorial/state election.A group of anti-slavery advocates called “Barnburners” couldn’t stand Cass and stormed out of the convention to form the Free Soil Party.Some objections to slavery was not so much in support of blacks but in fear that slave labor would cut down possible work for settlers moving west. Democrats attacked Taylor as a glory-hound who was favored by the British and would walk in the tradition of Napoleon, Cromwell and Caesar. …vilest slanders of the most unprincipled demagogues this or any other nationwas ever cursed with, who have pursued me like bloodhounds.General Zachary Taylor, 1848Whether he was in it for attention, he was certainly not in it for his commitment to Whig ideas and policies – in fact, he was not that interested in politics.Whigs struck back, calling Cass a long-winded orator of no substance and referred to theDemocratic nominee as General Gass. Conclusion: Taylor (163, 47.3%) defeated Cass (127, 42.5%).Taylor’s election was a national one with the general carrying eight northern and seven southern states. His death possibly had serious repercussions; he was a westerner who did not want to see slavery extend into the territories. Therefore, he was against the Compromise of 1850 which allowed for popularsovereignty (Cass’ “squatter sovereignty”) The Whig party cannot hold together. It contains the seeds of dissolution….For myself,my day is gone by. I think I have sense enough to know that.Lewis Cass, reflecting upon his and the Whigs’ lossZachary Taylor – the man:Physical – He was farsighted, a condition that often made him squint.Personality – Taylor was considered very warm, open and pleasant to all – shy at first but he was quick to warm up to people. He was a sloppy dresser who preferred what was comfortable rather than what was appropriate.Faith – He was a Episcopalian though he never formally joined a church.Recreation – He was a rugged individualist with simple pleasures (a nod to his military life) and he enjoyed the company of his friends. He did not drink or smoke, though he did chew tobacco and he was said to be a remarkable marksman with a spittoon. Death – He died on 9 July 1850 due to cholera morbus, a gastrointestinal upset common in the capital at the time. Zachary Taylor is dead and gone to hell, and I am glad of it!Gov. Brigham Young of the Utah Territory, 1850He really is a most simple-minded old man. He has the least show of pretension about him of any man I ever saw; talks as artlessly as a child about affairs of state, and does not seem to pretend to a knowledge of anything of which he is ignorant. He is a remarkable man in some respects; and it is remarkable that such a man should be President of the United States.Educator Horace MannMillard Fillmore – the man:Physical – Fillmore was better known for his good looks as a younger man – as the president, he was heavier and gray but a meticulous dresser who was blessed with good health.Personality – He was known as practical and unemotional, he relied heavily on logic and reasoning in his political arguments. He was a likable man who mingled easily with other people though he was better with small crowds than with large audiences.Faith – He was a Unitarian but while serving New York, he never seemed to profess any faith and once tried to have the New York practice of witnesses swearing on Bibles done away with.Recreation – He was a bibliophile with a personal library of over 4,000 volumes (he created the 1st permanent White House library). He was also heavily involved in civic improvement organizations in Buffalo. He did not drink, smoke or gamble.Death – Fillmore died on 8 March 1874 due to complications from two strokes. When he had carefully examined a question and had satisfied himself that he was right, no power on earth could induce him to swerve from what he believed to be the line of duty.Interior Secretary Alexander H. H. StuartIt must always be regretted that such a man as Millard Fillmore had not a mind comprehensive enough to properly meet a great crisis….Upon this one issue [slavery]…one of transcendent importance, he was a politician and not a statesman.A New York Times editorial, 1874Presidential election of 1852Candidates:D – Sen. Franklin Pierce (NH) and fmr. US minister William R. King (AL)King died before he ever officially took office.W – Gen. Winfield Scott (NJ) and Navy Secretary William Graham (NC)FS – Sen. John Hale (NH) and Rep. George W. Julian (IN)Campaign:The major issue was slavery and the Compromise of 1850 – the Southern Whigs retreated from Scott because of his lack of support for the Compromise.The Whigs helped the Democrats win by splitting along sectional lines.However, with both candidates avoiding the issue, the campaign focused on the childish attacks of each candidate.Scott was vulnerable as his personality was a vain one; he was very rank conscious and a bit of a prima donna; his personality was such that it overshadowed an able leader that was unquestionably competent. Scott was attacked by the Democrats as a “pompous ass” and was saddled with nicknames such as “Old Fuss and Feathers.” Meanwhile, the Whigs screwed up as they had plenty of good statesmen who had put together the Compromise but the party felt that they could only win with military heroes and pushed aside the more capable President Fillmore or Sen. Daniel Webster.Pierce, championed by Democrats as a citizen-soldier in the Mexican War, had the habit of fainting in battle – doing it twice.While the Whigs jumped on that fact, the Democrats accurately brought up that one was due to heat exhaustion and other due to serious injuries.The Whigs took to calling him the “Fainting General” – a bit unfair. You are looking at the most surprised man that ever lived.Franklin Pierce upon hearing of his nomination, 1852Conclusion: Pierce (254, 50.9%) defeated Scott (42, 44%).Scott lost but he was also betrayed by his party, in particular the southern part, who doubted his loyalty to the Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Law.The Whig party began to fall apart along sectional lines but had a lasting contribution of upholding the idea of Union by having cross sectional support and fine leaders such as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster – both of whom died during the 1852 campaign. The Whigs would never put forth a candidate for president again. Franklin Pierce – the man:Physical – Considered one of more handsome presidents, he had classical features that was only slightly gray at the temples. He suffered from respiratory ailments and had a persistent cough due to his chronic bronchitis. Heavy drinking over many years also did much to undermine his health.Personality – He was a very open and congenial person who suffered from periodic bouts of depression and fought a longtime battle against alcoholism.Faith – Pierce was an Episcopalian. Never overtly religious in his younger years, he grew increasingly religious after the death of his son, Bennie, because he felt his son’s death was God’s way of punishing him for not declaring his faith in God sooner.Recreation – He was an avid fisherman.Death – He died on 8 October 1869 from dropsy and inflammation of the stomach – thought to be complications from alcoholism. He has in him many of the chief elements of a great ruler. His talents are administrative, he has a subtle faculty of making affairs roll onward according to his will, and of influencing their course without showing any trace of his action.Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1852[Pierce was] a small politician, of low capacity and mean surroundings, proud to act as the servile tool of men worse than himself but also stronger and abler. He was ever ready to do any work that slavery leaders set him.Theodore Roosevelt[Pierce is] a wreck of his former self…his face wears a hue so ghastly and cadaverous that one could almost fancy he was gazing on a corpse.The Philadelphia EnquirerPresidential election of 1856Candidates:D – Fmr. Sen. James Buchanan (PA) and fmr. Sen. John Breckinridge (KY)Democrats considered Buchanan as the most available and least objectionable choice because both Pierce and Douglas were too tied to the Kansas-Nebraska Act.There’s nothing left…but to get drunk.President Pierce after hearing of Buchanan’s nominationBuchanan was serving as the U.S. minister to Britain when the act was passed.There is no such person running as James Buchanan. He is dead of lockjaw.Fmr. Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (W-PA) on Buchanan’s lack of campaigningR – Gen. John Frémont (CA) and fmr. Sen. William Dayton (NJ)Created two years earlier in Wisconsin, Frémont was the Republicans’ first ever candidate for president. You are here today to give a direction to a movement which is to decide whetherthe people of the United States are to be hereafter and forever chained to the present national policy of the extension of slavery.Edwin Morgan, Republican chairman at the party’s conventionKnow-Nothings – Fmr. Pres. Millard Fillmore (NY) and editor Andrew Donelson (TN)Fillmore ran on the slogan – “Americans must rule America.”Campaign:The major issue of the campaign was the extension of slavery into the territories.Republicans rebuffed any attempt to do so and denounced the Ostend Manifesto.The Democratic platform supported popular sovereignty in the territories.There was a threat of secession as Democrats claimed that if the Republicans won, the South would secede from the Union.Republicans declared that there would be no threat to slavery in the South but it could not be allowed to spread into the territories.Frémont was characterized as a bastard as his mother left her elderly planter husband to run away with a French adventurer. Frémont was charged with being a Catholic and despite Republican pressures, he refused to refute charge, though he was no Catholic – actually, he was an Episcopalian. Frémont stated that the election was about freedom and that included religious freedom. Conclusion: Buchanan (174, 45) defeated Frémont (114, 30%) and Fillmore (8 [Maryland], 25%).Much of the results can be explained as a fear of Republicanism equaling disunion. It is probably just as well that Frémont did not win; mentally unbalanced and second rate, he was no Abraham Lincoln.The popular attitude would also have just let the South go without fighting.Having said that, the Republican Party did a great job for a 2-year-old party.James Buchanan – the man:Physical – He was a large man of 6’ and broad shoulders, he had a wryneck due to a vision disorder where one eye was farsighted and the other nearsighted – he coped well with the problem as he did not wear glasses until end of his life.Personality – He was considered a great person and friend, he was free with his money, bought slaves just to free them and carried himself with an air of dignity. He constantly strove to make sure that, in his actions, there was no conflict of interests. He declined all free offers and turned over all gifts to the Patent Office.Faith – A Presbyterian, he was plagued by doubts of his faith his entire life until a 2-hour conversation with a Presbyterian minister while he was president. He delayed actually joining a church until after leaving office as to avoid charges of hypocrisy. He was particularly fond of the preaching of French clergyman Jean Baptiste Massillon.Recreation – He was an avid reader and card player. Death – He died on 1 June 1868 due to pneumonia and inflammation of the lining of the heart – he had a weakened immune system due to recurring attacks of gout and dysentery. Buchanan was not a magnetic man, not a popular man in the common acceptation of the term, but he was respected by all not only for his ability, but for his integrity and generally blameless reputation.A. K. McClure, journalist, 1902Presidential election of 1860Candidates:R – Rep. Abraham Lincoln (IL) and fmr. Democratic Rep. Hannibal Hamlin (ME)ND – Sen. Stephen Douglas (IL) and fmr. Gov. Hershel V. Johnson (GA)Democrats, meeting in South Carolina, immediately split over the slavery issue and eight states walked out of the convention.Northern Democrats later met in Baltimore and selected Douglas.Douglas was the first presidential candidate in U.S. history to make a nationwide tour in person. SD – VP John Breckinridge (KY) and Sen. Joseph Lane (OR)CUP – Fmr. Sen. John Bell (TN) and fmr. Sen. Edward Everett (MA)Campaign:Essentially, the campaign was two, not one – because Lincoln was not on ballot in the South, it was Bell v. Breckenridge in the South and Lincoln v. Douglas in the North.Breckinridge may not be for disunion, but all the disunionists are for Breckinridge.Sen. Stephen Douglas, 1860The Dred Scott decision did much to split the Democrat Party along sectional lines.Northern Democrats maintained the solution of popular sovereignty, despite the Scott decision making the policy irrelevant. Southern Democrats were insistent on taking advantage of the decision and also wanted the annexation of slave-populated Cuba.They also expected the government to protect slavery in the territories.Republicans held on to the idea that slavery should not extend into the territories and were horrified by the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision. Republicans also stumped for the protective tariff, protection of immigrants’ rights, the Pacific railroad, internal improvements paid by the federal government and free homesteads – an appeal to nearly everyone. Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us, to the end, dareto do our duty as we understand it.Abraham Lincoln, 1860During the election, a young girl named Grace Bedell of Westfield, New York wrote Lincoln to say that he would look better with a beard.He wrote back saying he would consider it and he later grew it – he later met Grace while traveling through the area to show her his beard.Conclusion: Lincoln (180, 40%) defeated Breckenridge (72, 18%), Bell (39, 13%) and Douglas (12, 29%). My dear sir, if you are as happy on entering the White House as I am on leaving, you are a very happy man indeed.President James Buchanan in a letter to Abraham Lincoln, 1861A split in the Democratic Party all but assured Lincoln’s victory but the Electoral College would have gone to Lincoln, even if the other three were combined.Douglas, upon Lincoln’s victory, toured the South with amazing courage and preached on the importance of Americans standing behind a democratically-elected president. He threatened to string up the first secessionist with his own hands.It is amazing how well-off the South was, even after Lincoln’s victory, and how unnecessary secession was.The South held a majority on the Supreme Court – Republicans held no majority in either house of Congress and the government could not touch slavery in the South without a constitutional amendment – which could be defeated by 1/4 of the states (slave states made up nearly 1/2).This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional rights to amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.President Abraham Lincoln, 1st Inaugural Address, 1861Abraham Lincoln – the man:Lincoln is the leanest, lankest, most ungainly mass of legs and arms and hatchet face ever strung on a single frame.Editorial in the Houston Telegraph He is a lank-sided Yankee of the uncomeliest visage, and of the dirtiest complexion. Faugh! after him what decent white man would be President?Editorial in the Charleston Mercury Physical – He was the tallest president at 6’4” and weighed 180 pounds; he had a gangly appearance. Much was made of his, at best, homely looks – to others, he was downright ugly. His rather sloppy appearance became a source of humor – he often poked fun at his looks. During his 2nd term, he often complained of frequent fatigue, severe headaches and coldness in the extremities which has led modern physicians to deduce that he may have been dying of heart disease at the time of his assassination. Dr. Harold Schwarz of The University of Southern California School of Medicine has declared Lincoln had Marfan’s syndrome – a hereditary disease that affects bone growth and heart function. Schwarz, based on Lincoln’s account that his left foot would vibrate when it was crossed over his leg, diagnosed the president with also having aortic regurgitation where the valves to his heart do not close properly.Personality – Lincoln was, by all accounts, down to earth and unpretentious – he was genuinely interested in people and their problems. He was well known for his witty anecdotes and down-home humor when in small groups. He had a dark side as well as he battled through bouts of depression most of his life.Whether I shall ever be better I cannot tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.Abraham LincolnFaith – While he attended Baptist services with his parents and he went to Presbyterian services while practicing law in Springfield, he never joined a church or went to services regularly.Recreation – He was an avid reader (apparently he loved Shakespeare so much that he could recite whole passages with such emotion that some observers thought he had missed his calling), theatre, chess and his favorite, swapping jokes with friends.Death – He died on 15 April 1865 in an assassination attempt the night before – gunshot to the head.Presidential election of 1864Candidates:R – Abraham Lincoln (IL) with a change at VP with Andrew Johnson (TN); a famous War DemocratRepublicans teamed with the War Democrats; called the National Union Party. Radical Republicans – General John C. Frémont (CA) and Gen. John Cochran (NY)They felt Lincoln was too soft in his strategy and would be too soft on the South once the war was over. D – Gen. George B. McClellan (PA) and Rep. George Pendleton (OH)While despising Lincoln, McClellan refused to call the war a loss, feeling such astatement would be an insult to his soldiers.I could not look in the face my gallant comrades of the army and navy, who havesurvived so many bloody battles, and tell them that their labor and the sacrifice ofso many of our slain and wounded brethren had been in vain.Gen. George McClellan, 1864Campaign:We cannot have free government without elections. If the rebellion could force us to forgo, or postpone a national election it might fairly claim to have already conqueredand ruined us.President Abraham Lincoln on the idea that the election should not be held, 1864Obviously, the war was of primary importance, especially with the war going so bad for the North at the beginning of the presidential campaign.Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. He cannot be elected.Horace Greeley, journalist, 1864Lincoln’s fortunes changed as the North began making headway with Farragut in the Gulf, Sherman in Atlanta and Grant advancing southwards.Conclusion: Lincoln (212, 55%) easily defeated McClellan (21, 45%).A Lincoln loss was the last ghost of a chance the South had of victory with southern soldiers shouting praises for McClellan.Lincoln’s victory caused a sharp increase of desertions from the sinking southern ship.Andrew Johnson – the man:Physical – Johnson was stocky but well proportioned; he had piercing black eyes and a square jaw. His health was generally good though he suffered from kidney stones. Personality – He was simple and direct in manner, spoke bluntly and came across as cold but went out of his way to remain friendly with old friends and would loan money to the same who were down on their luck. Because of his own common background, he often identified with the underdog.No man has a right to judge Andrew Johnson in any respect who has not suffered as much and done as much as he for the Nation’s sake. President Abraham Lincoln, 1864One of the people by birth, he remained so by conviction, continually referring to his origin….He was indifferent to money and careless of praise or censure.CSA President Jefferson Davis, 1865Faith – He belonged to no church but he admired the Baptist church for its administrative structure andthe Catholic church for its democracy of worship.Recreation – He enjoyed playing checkers and working in his vegetable garden, as well as liking thecircus and minstrel shows.Death – He died on 31 July 1875 due to complications of cholera in the cholera epidemic of 1873.Presidential election of 1868Candidates:R – General Ulysses S. Grant (OH) and Rep. Schuyler Colfax (IN)Peace and universal prosperity, its successor, with economy of administration,will lighten the burden of taxation while it constantly reduces the national debt.Let us have peace.Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, nominating acceptance speech, 1868Colfax was known as the “sticky fingered…congressman and Speaker of the House.”Many loved Grant with some places collecting monies and providing giftssuch as a house – Grant accepted without apologies feeling he earned gifts.D – Gov. Horatio Seymour (NY) and Gen. Francis P. Blair (MO)Campaign:The Republicans favored Congressional Reconstruction, attacked the Johnson administration and sought voting rights for everyone but left black rights up to loyal states.Democrats called the Congressional Reconstruction “unconstitutional, revolutionary and void” – unfortunately, they could agree on little else.A party split between eastern industrialists who wanted war bonds paid back in gold (though they were paid for with depreciated greenbacks) and the agrarian western delegates who needed greenbacks back in circulation and to keep interest rates low.Mid-westerners got the platform they wanted but not a candidate – Seymour rejected the “Ohio idea.”The Republicans began a practice that they would use over the next several decades – “waving the bloody shirt” – calling up the gore of the Civil War and reminding people who started it, the Democrats.“Vote as you shot” – a popular election slogan that was aimed at the Union veterans. Because Seymour was reluctant to accept the nomination, the Republicans called him “Great Decliner.” The Democrats referred to the 46-year-old Grant as “Grant the Drunkard.”They further declared that Grant was a military despot, had an illegitimate daughter by an Indian woman and was not that smart.Grant’s limited exposure to the outside world led to questions of his intelligence, including statements that Venice would be a better city if it was drained.Conclusion: Grant (214, 53%) defeated Seymour (80, 47%)Grant had largely won due to the support from freed blacks.Grant’s win however was uncomfortably close – most whites voted for Seymour and three unreconstructed states’ votes (Mississippi, Texas and Virginia) were not even counted.For the Republicans to stay in power, they had to maintain control of the South. Ulysses S. Grant – the man:Physical – Grant was 5’7” and had a muscular built – his full beard and mustache went with false teeth. He suffered from migraines all of his life and while at West Point, he developed tuberculosis.Personality – For a man of his battlefield competence, he was squeamish and could not stand the sight of animal blood and demanded his meat be cooked well done. Biographer W.E. Woodward went so far as to describe him as effeminate. He was prudish in manner and speech, totally lacking in pretension, loyal to friends and superstitious. Faith – Technically, he was a Methodist but he rarely attended services unless with his wife. He had little use for organized religion but spoke of a belief in God, the Bible and the afterlife. Recreation – He enjoyed smoking a lot – at one point smoking 20 cigars a day which likely explained the mouth cancer he later developed. Death – He died on 22 July 1885 from complications due to mouth cancer.Grant has treated me badly; but he was the right man in the right place during the war, and no matter what his faults were or are, the whole world can never write him down.President Andrew JohnsonI have carefully searched the military records of both ancient and modern history, and have never found Grant’s superior as a general. Confederate General Robert E. LeeThe honest, simple-hearted soldier had not added prestige to the presidential office. He himself knew that he had failed…that he ought never to have been made President.Professor Woodrow Wilson of Princeton University, 1902Presidential election of 1872Candidates:R – President Ulysses S. Grant (OH) and Sen. Henry Wilson (MA)Vice President Colfax was not renominated, namely for his role withinthe Crédit Mobilier scandal.LR – Editor Horace Greeley (NY) and Gov. Benjamin Gratz-Brown (MO).Greeley was a shocking choice for many who felt he was smart and sincere enough but was politically incompetent, crotchety and unpredictable.D – So eager were they to beat Grant, they threw their support behind Greeley.This was particularly shocking given that Greeley had repeatedly called the Democratic Party a party filled with traitors.Sen. Alexander Stephens (GA) felt that the choice between Grant and Greeleywas a choice between “hemlock and strychnine.” One Indiana congressmen felt that Democratic support of Greeley was like a Christian worshipping Muhammad. Campaign:Liberal Republicans wanted to push Grant towards accepting civil service reform and ending Radical Reconstruction. Greeley often said that the war was over, the South was destroyed and the slaverywas dead, therefore, there was no longer a need for reconstruction.They marched behind the slogan – “Turn the Rascals Out” – and urged for the purification of the capital. Republicans introduced the first pro-woman plank in a national platform.Grant was a supporter of civil rights for all and his VP candidate Wilson was a strong pro-Labor candidate.The Republicans denounced Greeley as nearly everything they could including an atheist, a communist, a free-lover, a vegetarian, a brown-bread eater and a cosigner of Jefferson Davis’ bail bond.…if any one man could send a great nation to the dogs, that man is Mr. Greely.The New York TimesFamed cartoonist Thomas Nast was particularly pointed in his criticisms of Greeley. I have been assailed so bitterly that I hardly knew whether I was running for thePresidency or the penitentiary.Horace Greeley, 1873The Democrats called Grant an ignoramus, a drunkard and a swindler. That…a man like Grant should be called…the highest product of the mostadvanced evolution, made evolution ludicrous. One must be as commonplaceas Grant’s own commonplaces to maintain such an absurdity.Henry Adams, historian, 1873Conclusion: Grant (286, 55.5%) defeated Greeley and other candidates (65, 44%). Grant was able to secure support from northern businessmen and bankers, Republican regulars, Union veterans and blacks.Shortly before the election, Greeley’s wife, Mary, died.I am not dead but I wish I were. Horace Greely to a friend after the death of his wifeShortly after the election, family members placed Greeley in a mental hospital where he died three weeks later.I did not want the presidency, and have never quite forgiven myself for resigning command of the Army to accept it.Ulysses S. Grant after leaving officePresidential election of 1876Candidates:R – Gov. Rutherford B. Hayes (OH) and Rep. William Wheeler (NY).Hangers-on tried to convince Grant to run for a third term and Grant showed a willingness to go with it before Congress intervened and put an end to the idea of Grant’s 3rd term.Blaine showed interest but his seemingly corrupt nature turned others off.Hayes was known for his honesty and integrity and was a popular politicianfrom the electorally powerful state of Ohio.D – Gov. Samuel Tilden (NY) and Gov. Thomas A. Hendricks (IN).Tilden was known for his honesty – he helped bring down Tammany Hall asdistrict attorney. Campaign:Republicans hoped to reform the patronage system and start a civil service program. They counted on the Civil War – “not every Democrat was a Rebel, but every Rebel was a Democrat.”The Democrats wanted civil service reform and honest men in government.They went after Grant’s corrupt administration and the country’s economic woes. Both candidates agreed on major policies – an end to Reconstruction and civil service reform.The Republicans accused Tilden of evading his taxes and supporting slavery.Democrats charged that Hayes stole money from dead veterans in his unit during the Civil War and shot his mother in a fit of insanity. Conclusion: Tilden received more electoral votes than Hayes, as well as popular votes – but he wasone electoral vote short than what was needed.South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida were in a power struggle between Radical Republicans and Democrats and both sent their own set of returns to the capital.According to the Constitution, returns are to be sent to Congress and opened by the president of the Senate.But who counts – president of Senate, a Republican; Speaker of House, aDemocrat?The Constitution did not specify who should count the votes. On 10 November, Grant sent federal troops into those states to protect the process of voting. In each state, bribery, forgery, violence, intimidation and ballot-box stuffing werereported while the Democrats tried to scare blacks away from the voting polls.During the controversy, Rep. Henry Watterson (D-KY) said he would bring an army to D.C. to make sure justice was done.Years later, Watterson was sitting next to Grant at a dinner party and asked if it was true that Grant threatened that if Watterson came, he would destroy his army and hang him.Grant said that was not true but if Watterson had come with his army, he would have. The Cincinnati Enquirer called the Commission the “monster fraud of the century.”The New York Sun put black borders on its pages to mourn the demise of democracy.The Electoral Count Act, a bi-partisan committee, set up the Electoral Commission to solve the issue. The Commission comprised five senators, five representatives and five Supreme Court justices. Seven Democrats, seven Republicans and one independent – the one independent was elected to Congress as a Republican and excused himself.The replacement, Justice Joseph Bradley, was a Republican but was supposed to be non-partisan but voted with the Republicans in every issue broughtbefore the Commission.As states were announced, Florida was the first and after much discussion, the Republican count was accepted – Democrats, sensing failure, cried that they would filibuster “until hell froze over.”As the hotheads began shouting for justice or blood, statesmen frantically tried to hammer out a secret deal to end the deadlock called the Compromise of 1877:Hayes would be sworn in as 19th President of the United States.Good God! Has it come to this?New York World, 1877Federal troops were to be taken out of the South – an end of Reconstruction.This would bring a collapse to all carpetbagger governments.Railroads would be built from Texas to the west coast.Conservative Southerners were to be allowed in the presidential cabinet.The Hayes-Tilden deal was accomplished but it sacrificed black freedmen in the South. The Republicans quietly backed off civil rights for blacks.The remaining Radicals tried to one last gasp with the Civil Rights Act of 1875 that was to guarantee the equal accommodations in public places but it had no teeth.The Supreme Court would later rule much of the law unconstitutional in Civil RightsCases (1883).It stated that the 14th Amendment only protected blacks from government infringement of rights, not a violation of rights by individuals.Rutherford B. Hayes – the man:Physical – He was a robust, broad-shouldered and handsome individual who wore a full beard nearly his entire adult life.Personality – He was known as a relaxed, easy going person who was a good conversationalist and a keen observer of human nature. He had an amazing ability to remember names and faces of even the slightest of acquaintances. Faith – He was baptized a Presbyterian, attended Episcopal services when single and went with hiswife to a Methodist church.Recreation – He was an avid outdoorsman and followed a regular regimen of exercise, played chess and was an avid reader of nearly all kinds of literature.Death – Hayes died on 17 January 1893 from the effects of a heart attack while traveling by train through Ohio. …the impartial historian will not fail to recognize the conscientiousness, the manliness, and the courage that so strongly characterized his whole public career.President Benjamin Harrison, 1893Presidential election of 1880Candidates:R – Rep. James Garfield (OH) and Rep. Chester A. Arthur (NY)The Republicans were not interested in Hayes and the president was not interested in running for a party whose was split in their support of him.Nobody ever left the presidency with less regret…than I do.President Rutherford B. Hayes, 1880Garfield represented a belief in civil service reform and Arthur was a hardcore “Stalwart” to appeal to that element of the party. D – Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock (PA) and banker William English (IN)Hancock, who McClellan called superb at the battle of Gettysburg, had been a fair minded military governor of Texas and Louisiana. Campaign:The Democrats spent most of the campaign pointing out the “crookedness” of the 1876 election while Republicans, once again, brought up the Civil War.However, the bulk of the lobs each side launched toward the other was based on eachcandidate’s personality.The Republicans portrayed their man as a self-made man who brought himself out of lower means, while avoiding any direct attack on the well-respected Hancock.Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify; but nine times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed overboard andcompelled to sink or swim for himself. In all my acquaintance, I never knew a man to be drowned who was worth the saving.Rep. James GarfieldThe Democrats brought up the history of Republican corruption, in particularly,bringing up Chester Arthur, a product of the old Spoils System. Conclusion: Garfield (214, 58%) defeated Hancock (155, 42%). Nearly 79% of the population came out to vote – typical of the Gilded Age.James Garfield – the man:The truth is, no man ever started so low that accomplished so much, in all our history. Not Franklin or Lincoln even.President Rutherford B. Hayes, 1880Garfield has shown that he is not possessed of the backbone of an angle worm.Former President Ulysses S. Grant, 1881Physical – He was a muscular, robust and handsome figure at 6’ and weighing about 185 pounds. He was left-handed. He was generally of good health except for periods of being overworked. Personality – He was a good-natured and gregarious man who liked to hug and stroke friends, often throwing his arm around someone as he talked to them. Physically, he was in good health but suffered his whole life from periods of depression and a lack of self-confidence (had a recurring nightmare of being naked and lost).Faith – Garfield was a member of the Disciples of Christ.Recreation – He was an outdoorsman and liked to play chess and billiards. He was a moderate drinker and rejected pleas by temperance groups to take the pledge. Death – On 2 July 1881, while strolling arm in arm with Secretary of State James Blaine at the Baltimore and Potomac train station in D.C., a deranged and upset office seeker named Charles Guiteau shot him twice. After a long period of hanging on and horrible medical malpractice, he passed away on 19 September 1881. I did it and I will go to jail for it. I am a Stalwart and Arthur is now president.Charles Guiteau, assassin of James Garfield upon being arrestedAssassination can be no more guarded against than death by lightening.President James Garfield, 1881Chet Arthur…President of the United States! Good God!A Republican official, 1881 Guiteau’s lawyers tried to get their client off because he was a loony (early version ofnot guilty by reason of insanity defense) but he was found guilty of murder and hanged.One positive aspect of assassination was it shamed politicians into supporting the civil service reform.Shockingly, the leading advocate of reform was Stalwart Chester Arthur – a person written offby critics as a self-absorbed, corrupt dandy.Arthur, however, rammed home reform movement, prosecuted several fraud cases and gave his old Stalwart buddies a cold shoulder. 1883 – Pendleton Civil Service Act – allowed government jobs to be given based on merit and examination performance. The much needed reform had unintended consequences – politicians, no longer able to hold government positions to the highest bidder to gain money, turned to corporations.Chester A. Arthur – the man:Physical – Sturdily built and handsome, he stood 6’2” with a chubby, round face. He had a habit of late night snacks that brought this trim younger man to 225lbs as president. He was known as a bit of a clothes horde, owning as much as 80 pants, dressed impeccably and changed clothes often.Personality – He was very easy going, a man of charm and grace but deeply emotional that led to greatloyalties and capable of being brought easily to tears.Faith – He was an Episcopalian but to his parents enduring disappointment, he never formally joined a church.Recreation – He enjoyed relaxed conversations and dinners to the wee hours of the morning, as well as being an avid fisherman and hunter.Death – Arthur died on 18 November 1886 from the effects of Bright’s Disease, a then-fatal kidney ailment. He was wise in statesmanship and firm and effective in administration. Honesty in national finance, purity and effectiveness in the civil service, the promotion of commerce, the re-creation of the American navy, reconciliation between North and South and honorable friendship with foreign nations received his active support. Good causes found in him a friend and bad measures met in him an unyielding opponent.Secretary of War Elihu Root, 1899I have but one annoyance with the administration of President Arthur, and that is, that, in contrast with it, the administration of Hayes becomes respectable, if not heroic.Sen. Roscoe Conkling (R-NY)Presidential election of 1884Candidates:D – Gov. Grover Cleveland (NY) and Gov. Thomas A. Hendricks (IN)The 47-year-old Cleveland was known as “Grover the Good” for his work asgovernor – he was the former sheriff of Buffalo Co. and mayor of the city. He had a well-deserved reputation for honesty and integrity. R – Rep. James Blaine (ME) and Gen. John A. Logan (IL)Despite the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Act, the Republicans remainedsplit among the Stalwarts, Half-Breeds and Mugwamps – the latter a groupwho were committed to keeping the law intact.Because of various corruption charges attached to Blaine, the Mugwampsended up supporting Cleveland. Other Republicans, who found Blaine distasteful, were not willing to support the Democrats.We are Republicans and don’t propose to leave our party and identify withthe party whose antecedents have been Rum, Romanism and Rebellion.Rev. Samuel D. Burchard, October 1884Blaine had long been a bridesmaid, but never the bride – it was said he possessed every skill a good politician needs with the exception of honesty. Campaign:Blaine attended a church service where the minister made anti-Catholic remarks.Blaine did not hear the remarks and his lack of response cost him support amongIrish-Americans, throughout New England in particular.The release of the “Mulligan letters” was a subject of much controversy – they were a series of letters from Blaine to a Boston businessman and they linked Blaine to a corrupt deal involving federal favors to a southern railroad.Many reformers, including the aforementioned Mugwamps, disgusted by the letters and their implications, backed Cleveland.Very little differentiated the two candidates and the two parties – even the “bloody shirt” did not have the impact it once did. Cleveland hired a sub during the war so he could take care of his mother and two sisters and Blaine was the only Republican presidential candidate from 1868-1900 who had not been a Civil War officer. The Republicans discovered and spread a story that Cleveland, as a young man, was involved with a widow and had an illegitimate son with her.Newspapers referred to Cleveland as the “father of a bastard,” “a man stained with disgusting infamy” and “a wretch unworthy of respect or confidence.” Cleveland supporters found out that Blaine had pre-marital sex with his wife and asked Cleveland for his permission to spread it – Cleveland tossed the story into his fireplace, refusing to acknowledge it. (This is an election over) the copulative habits of one and the prevaricative habits ofof the other.Lord James Bryce, British liberal politician, 1884Conclusion: Cleveland (219, 50.1%) defeated Blaine (182, 49.9%) – the first Democratic presidential victory in 28 years. During the election, Republicans chanted, “Ma, ma, where’s my pa?”After the election, Democrats retorted, “Gone to the White House. Ha! Ha! Ha!”Hurray for Maria! Hurray for the kid! I voted for Cleveland, and I’m damned glad I did.Democratic chant after electionGrover Cleveland – the man:Physical – Cleveland was a massive, hulking figure at 5’11” and 250 pounds and the heaviest president to date. In general, his health was sound with the exception of mouth cancer that developed while he was president. He had two secret surgeries that removed the cancer, replaced his upper jaw and fitted him with a vulcanized rubber prosthesis without revealing the procedures to the public.Personality – Biographer Allan Nevins observed that Cleveland had a dual personality – jovial and carefree in combination with a stern and unbending work ethic. Tactless, he was direct, outspoken, unbending and profanely hot-tempered.Faith – He was a Presbyterian thanks to a strict religious upbringing as the son of a minister. As an adult, he relaxed a bit but maintained a deep faith in God. Recreation – His favorite hobby was fishing but he also hunted, played cards, smoked cigars, drank beer and was particularly fond of German food.Death – He died on 24 June 1908 of heart failure.In the midst of the shifting scene Mr. Cleveland personally came to seem the only fixed point. He alone stood firm and gave definite utterance to principles intelligible to all.New Jersey Gov. Woodrow Wilson, 1907What in the world has Grover Cleveland done? Will you tell me?Rep. William McKinley (R-OH), 1885Presidential election of 1888Candidates:R – Former Sen. Benjamin Harrison (IN) and banker Levi Morton (NY)Harrison was grandson of President William Henry Harrison.D – President Grover Cleveland (NY) and former Sen. Allen G. Thurman (OH)Campaign:Cleveland’s intent to lower tariffs was the biggest issue of the campaign and the only real difference – Cleveland felt that the tariffs were not necessary and therefore, unjust, while Republicans felt that the high tariffs protected American industryand were needed.Our present tariff laws, the vicious inequitable, and illogical sources of unnecessary taxation.President Grover Cleveland, State of the Union message, 1891Cleveland, following the old-fashion way, refused to campaign but his 75-year-old running mate did – Thurman did his best but his speeches often downgraded into stories about his personal ailments – once, he even collapsed. The Republicans released details of a letter from a California Republican posing as anBritish ex-pat named “Charles Murchison” to the British ambassador to the U.S. asking the British official for whom should he vote from a British perspective.The ambassador, Sir Lionel Sackville-West, rather imprudently suggestedCleveland – when the “Murchison letter” was publicized, Sackville-West was sacked and Cleveland lost the Irish vote, the state of the New Yorkand the presidency. Republicans also got into the mud by referring to Cleveland as “the Beast of Buffalo” who got drunk often and beat his wife in a drunken rage.We have men who boast that the cosmopolitans, citizens of the world. I preferto say that I am an American citizen, and I freely confess that American interestshave first place in my regard.Benjamin Harrison, 1888Conclusion: Harrison (233, 48.4%) defeated Cleveland (168, 49.3%).Remember, no bargains, no alliances, no trades. I may like to be President…I don’t propose to go shackled.Benjamin Harrison before the election, 1888I could not name my own Cabinet. They had sold out every place to pay the election expenses. President Benjamin Harrison after the election, 1888Cleveland was the first sitting president the electorate voted out since Martin Van Buren in 1840.However, he also joins Andrew Jackson (1824), Samuel Tilden (1876) and Al Gore (2000) to win the popular vote but lose the election.Benjamin Harrison – the man:Physical – He was a short and stocky figure with a full beard and spoke in a high, soft voice.Personality – He was known as the “human iceberg,” he was stiff and formal and disliked small talk.He was widely respected for his intelligence, honesty, attention to duty and diligence. Some considered him one of the best extemporaneous speakers of his day.Faith – Harrison was a Presbyterian.Recreation – He enjoyed walking several miles in good weather, an avid duck hunter, billiards player and he enjoyed smoking cigars. Death – He died on 13 March 1901 from pneumonia. One of the characteristics of General Harrison always commanded my profound respect – his fearless independence and stand for what he believed to be right and just…A fearless man inwardly commands respect, and above everything else Harrison was fearless and just.James Whitcomb Riley, Populist poet, 1901Damn the President! He is a cold-blooded, narrow-minded, prejudiced, obstinate, timid old psalm-singing Indianapolis politician.U.S. Civil Service Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, 1890Presidential election of 1892Candidates:D – fmr. President Grover Cleveland (NY) and former Rep. Adlai Stevenson (IL)The Democrats nominated Cleveland even though party officials disliked him for being independent-minded and bull-headed. R – President Benjamin Harrison (IN) and publisher Whitelaw Reid (NY)Party officials did not terribly like Harrison because he was considered cold and aloof. Populists – Gen. James Weaver (IA) and James Field (VA)Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, the Populists Party represented a combination of various farmers’ alliances and farmers angry over the political favoritism of eastern industrialists. Campaign:Harrison did not make many speeches because of his ailing wife who died two weeks before the election – Cleveland stopped campaigning during this time out of respect for Harrison.While the Republicans continued the practice of protectionism, the Democrats referred to the practice as a fraud.The Populists had an aggressive agenda they wanted passed for farmers and mid-westerners. Electoral reform issues included term limits for presidents and vice-presidents, the use of a secret ballot and the direct election of senators.Business reform issues included government ownership of railroads, banks and telegraphs as well as the 8-hour work day.Monetary reform issues included inflationary policies with the coinage of silver to assist debtors and sellers. Fantastic crowds often greeted Weaver and Field throughout the mid-west but in the South, crowds were much more hostile.Mary Lease of Kansas, an effective campaigner for the Populists, reported crowds often pelted the Populist ticket with eggs and tomatoes.She jokingly referred to Weaver as a “walking omelet.” The South also held greatest promise of support – a combination of the white members of the Southern Farmers’ Alliance and black members of the Colored Farmers’ Alliance.There is no reason why the black man should not understand that the law that hurts me, as a farmer, hurts him, as a farmer.Georgia State Rep. Tom Watson, Farmers’ Alliance Democrat, 1892Conclusion: Cleveland (277, 46.2%) rose from the ashes to defeat Harrison (145, 43%) and Weaver(22, 8.5%)The two candidates were singular persons, of whom it was the common saying that oneof them had no friends; the other only enemies.Henry Adams, historian, 1892Cleveland was the first president to win two non-consecutive terms as president – the victory was the product of a divided Populist Party and a discredited Republican Party. It was the firsttime since Civil War where the Democrats won both Houses of Congress.Weaver, gaining over a million votes and 22 Electoral votes, made incredible gains as a third party candidate. Wall Street owns the country…it is no longer a government of the people, by thepeople and for the people but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street and for Wall Street.Mary Lease, Populist Party activist, 1892The political threat of black farmers in the South increased the persecution of them to keep them from voting.One trick that kept blacks from voting was the “Grandfather clause” – it exempted any black from voting restrictions if their grandfather voted in 1860 (when blacks were slaves and could not vote). The crusade to eliminate black voting ruined the Populist Party as leaders like Tom Watson abandoned blacks – Watson later turned into a fire-breathing racist.The party would follow – becoming increasingly racist and big advocates for black disenfranchisement.For Harrison, it was a relief to lose the election.For me, there is no sting in (losing the election). Indeed, after the heavy blow the death of my wife dealt me, I do not think I could have stood the strain a re-election would have brought.President Benjamin Harrison, 1892Presidential election of 1896Candidates:R – Gov. William McKinley (OH) and lawyer Garret A. Hobart (NJ)D – fmr. Rep. William J. Bryan (NE) and shipbuilder Arthur Sewall (ME)P – William J. Bryan (NE) and Thomas Watson (GA) Campaign:One of the largest issues of the campaign was the difference between hard or soft money. Republicans tried to waffle on the issue but leaned towards hard money in support of the gold standard (though McKinley’s record in Congress seemed to favor silver) and the protective tariff. McKinley isn’t a silver-bug, McKinley isn’t a gold-bug, McKinley is a straddle-bug.House Speaker Thomas Reed (R-ME)Democrats, initially rudderless and without a leader, gravitated towards the oratorical wonder of Bryan as he spoke out against gold. Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them: “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”William Jennings Bryan, 1896Free silver was Bryan’s answer and many advocates of the same gravitated towards the Populist like a messiah. The incredible fear this caused with the eastern rich allowed the Republicans to raise an unbelievable amount of money for the campaign – around $16m in contrast to the $1m for the Democrats.Eastern businessmen made contracts on condition of McKinley winning and due to that, bosses told workers not to show up if Bryan won. Fear was McKinley’s greatest ally and Bryan’s worst enemy. Ergo, the money issue was not just an economic issue but a sectional one as well:The agrarian west and south v. the urban east. Republicans called Bryan a socialist, anarchist, communist, revolutionary, lunatic, madman traitor and murderer while the New York Times called him irresponsible, ignorant and prejudiced. The Philadelphia Inquirer labeled his followers as “hideous and repulsivevipers.”In many ways, McKinley was the product of one man – Marcus Alonzo Hanna, an Ohio businessman who believed the primary function of government, from an Hamiltonian point of view, was to aid business.Hanna was honest, earnest, tough and direct but was often characterized unfairly as a money-grubbing industrialist with no conscious. McKinley was a kindly and conciliatory man who made few enemies during a respectable career as an army officer during the Civil War and as a longtime Congressman. Bryan was a tireless campaigner, traveling some 18,000 miles and making more than 600 speeches to over 5m people. He was deeply religious and his speeches at times came across more like an oldtime revival than a political meeting. (William J. Bryan), like the Platte River, is six inches deep and six miles wide at the mouth. Sen. Joseph Foraker (R-OH)Conclusion:McKinley (271, 51%) easily defeated Bryan (176, 46.7%) with record numbers coming to polls.The election showed the divide that existed in the country with Bryan winning more acreage of the country but the less populated part as well – factory workers could not relate to the inflation demands as they were fixed wage workers.The election showed that the future of presidential politics lay with the cities, not in the dwindling population of Midwest.William McKinley – the man:Physical – A brawny image with a barrel chest and a growing belly; at 5’7, he weighed close to 200 pounds; he had blue-gray eyes, large nose and cleft chin. Personality – He was open, friendly and universally well-liked. One historian noted a “sweetness” to his personality that was admired by both Democrats and Republicans alike. Faith – He was a devout Methodist. He maintained his faith his entire life, being overheard reciting the Lord’s Prayer before going into surgery after the anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot him. Recreation – He did very little outside. He enjoyed the opera and theater. He enjoyed time withhis wife and friends, playing euchre or cribbage, smoking cigars and talking.Death – He was shot on 6 September 1901 at the American Exposition in Buffalo, NY. He died on14 September 1901 from complications of the shooting. William McKinley has left us a priceless gift in the example of a useful and pure life, in his fidelity to public trusts and in his demonstration of the value of kindly virtues that not only ennoble but lead to success. Former President Grover Cleveland, 1901McKinley has no more backbone than a chocolate éclair. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, 1897Presidential election of 1900Candidates:R – President William McKinley (OH) and Gov. Theodore Roosevelt (NY)D – William J. Bryan (NE) and fmr. VP Adlai E. Stevenson (IL)Campaign:Free silver, for all intents and purposes, was a dead issue and played no major partin the campaign with the exception of a few die-hards – including Bryan whostill rammed the issue onto the Democratic platform. Hundreds of thousands of our prominent Democrats are convinced that Bryan’snomination means defeat and yet, they are silent….What a sad condition.Former President Grover Cleveland, 1900Imperialism was a major debate throughout the election as it pertained to, particularly, the Philippines. The Democrats declared that Lincoln freed 3.5m African slaves and McKinleyenslaved some 7m Filipinos.McKinley’s first term was a successful one – a victorious war, more territory, the goldstandard and domestic prosperity. Roosevelt was a wild card as New York bosses looked to get rid of TR by bumping him up to the VP slot, never thinking he would be president. His eastern connections and western experience made him an invaluable candidate for the Republicans. TR’s support out west severely cut into Bryan’s support and he out-campaigned Bryan. It is a choice between evils, and I am going to shut my eyes, hold my nose, vote, go home and disinfect myself.Citizen’s letter to former president Grover ClevelandNeither McKinley nor Marcus Hanna were keen on Roosevelt, who they saw asunpredictable and dangerous.Don’t any of you realize that there’s only one life between that madman and the presidency? Marcus Hanna, 1900Roosevelt worried that the VP position would be one of political obscurity but he sought to make sure that he could be productive within the role.Conclusion: In round two, McKinley (292, 51.6%) easily defeated Bryan (155, 45.5%). A good chunk of the Mid-west, normally a Bryan-controlled area, went in larger numbers to McKinley – including states like Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. Your duty to the country is to live for four years from next March.Marcus Hanna to President McKinley, 1900For most people, the election was about the two P’s: prosperity and protection.On 6 September 1901, while visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot McKinley twice in the chest – he died eight days later. At 42, TR was the youngest to date to take the presidency and with a history of compulsiveness and radicalism, he sought to assure the country that he would carry on the tradition and policy of McKinley.Theodore Roosevelt – the man:Physical – He was about 5’8” and around 200 pounds on a brawny frame that he built up on his own. He spoke in a high-pitched voice and wore pince-nez to correct severe myopia. Personality – He constantly craved attention and as one historian pointed out, he sought to be “the bride at every wedding, the corpse at every funeral.” He was fearless, decisive, ambitious, proud and had a charm that affected both men and women.Faith – He was part of the Dutch Reformed Church but often went to a Presbyterian or Episcopal Church when a Reformed church was not accessible. He dismissed Lutheran and Calvinist theologies as well as Catholicism. Recreation – He was a big supporter of an active life. He constantly engaged in various sports including boxing, jujitsu, horse-riding, hiking, polo and rowing. He also reveled in reading on subjects wide and varied.Death – He suffered a coronary embolism in his sleep and died on 6 January 1919.I had never known such a man as he, and never shall again. He overcame me…He poured into my heart such visions, such ideals, such hopes, such a new attitude toward life and patriotism and the meaning of things, as I had never dreamed men had.William A. White, journalistTheodore Roosevelt was always getting himself in hot water by talking before he had to commit himself upon issues not well-defined.Former President Calvin Coolidge, 1932 Presidential election of 1904Candidates: R – President Theodore Roosevelt (NY) and Sen. Charles Fairbanks (IN)D – NY Chief Justice Alton Parker (NY) and banker Henry Davis (WV)S – Labor leader Eugene Debs (IN) and Benjamin Hanford (NY)Campaign:Parker had little chance as TR had adopted many reform policies as well as wrapping himself up in foreign policy victories with Panama, the conquest of Philippines and the Venezuela affair. Only one issue forced TR to backtrack on – Joseph Pulitzer’s paper uncovered alleged corruption in the TR’s administration dealing with corporations and his campaign manager, George Cortelyou, but TR was so loved, his explanation of no intentional wrong doing was accepted. TR felt he had no chance of winning – a notion that would force him to accept derisive comments of his presidency such as “His Accidency.” I’d rather be elected to that office than have anything tangible of which I know. But I shall never be elected to it…(The old guard Republicans) don’t want me.President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904Conclusion:TR (336, 56.4%) easily defeated Parker (140, 37.5%) and Debs (0, 2.9%). I am stunned by the overwhelming victory we have won.President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904It was most decisive election since Andrew Jackson defeated Henry Clay in 1832. In late October, TR grew paranoid about a possible defeat in New York and asked the railroad magnate E.H. Harriman and U.S. Steel head Henry Frick to lend financial support. The two, along with their friends, ponied up hundreds of thousands of dollars and upon his victory, TR went after the “criminal rich” leading Frick and Harriman to feel betrayed. He got down on his knees to us. We bought that son of a bitch and then he did not stay bought! Henry Clay FrickTR strode into his second term on a wave of mass popular appeal but lost, increasingly, the support ofthe old Republican guard.TR angered the “old guard” for being unpredictable and dangerous in his ever pursuit for corporate regulations, taxation and protecting workers. However, TR shot himself in the foot by announcing after the election that he would not seek a new term in 1908. His opponents had only to wait out TR before getting their way after 1908. Presidential election of 1908Candidates:R – Secretary of War William H. Taft (OH) and Rep. James S. Sherman (NY)I am not a politician and I dislike politics. I do want to go on the bench and myambition is to be Chief Justice of the United States. I would be of more servicethere to the United States than I could be as President.William Howard Taft, 1908D – William J. Bryan (NE) and former State Sen. John W. Kern (IN)S – Labor leader Eugene Debs (IN) and Benjamin Hanford (NY)Campaign:TR, kicking himself for but honored-bound by his promise not to run again, sought out Taft as a man who would carry out his policies once he was away. Americans’ choice was one between a government devoted to people’s rights and a government by privilege.Taft, at the beginning of campaign, was horrible – reading lengthy speeches, filled with statistics and referring to court decisions that left audiences bored to tears. He remarkably improved after coaching by TR, to the point that he began to enjoy the process of running for office.Taft’s willingness to heed TR’s coaching led Democrats to feel his name stood for “Taking Advice from Theodore.” Taft, preferring to be on Supreme Court bench, felt pressure to take the job from TR, who hoped he would continue his policies as he set forth, his wife and his brother. TR suggested Taft give up riding horses saying it was dangerous for him and cruelty to the horse.Despite TR’s warnings against it, Taft would often sneak off to play golf and since many of reporters who covered him also played, they kept it out of papers. For Bryan, he carried with him a great deal of personal charisma and people liked himpersonally but the legacy of Roosevelt, the former president’s support of Taft andBryan’s own shortcomings as a politician led to another (and his last) defeat.He would not run for office again.Conclusion:On the coat tails of TR, Taft (321, 51.6%) easily defeated Bryan (162, 43%) and a surprising Debs (0, 2.8%). It was a vote more against Bryan than for Taft.Elihu Root, cabinet member under McKinley and RooseveltAfter the election, TR left for a lion and safari hunt in Africa while his enemies toasted to the lions’ health and prayed that one lion would “do its duty.” TR’s legacy was that of a cowboy who tamed business from its more destructive nature to ensure its long-time survival. His efforts to protect the environment and strike a balance between responsible usage and dogmatic protection is one of his lasting achievements. He increased the power and prestige of the presidency while using the “bully pulpit” to carry out his policies.His progressive reforms and policies lay the groundwork for a more liberal reform movements in the coming decades such as the New Deal by his 5th cousin, FDR. He showed Americans that they shared the world with other countries and one must be respectful regarding that. William Howard Taft – the man:Physical – A tall man with a soft voice, Taft struggled with his weight his entire adult life. After once losing 75 pounds, he regained it and more once he was president to weigh in at 332 pounds. After his time in office, he once again began watching his weight and dropped to 244 pounds by the late 1920s.Personality – Typically known as cheerful and with an infectious giggle, he grew irritable and depressed, once coming to tears, while president. Normally surrounded by friends, his time in the White House was without such company and he faced much of his troubles alone. His spirits and happy disposition returned after his time as president. Faith – He was a Unitarian who wrote on his disbelief in the divinity of Christ and many other precepts of the Christian faith. At the same time, he professed a belief in God. Recreation – He was the first president to take up golf and the first president to throw the first pitch at the beginning of the baseball season (he followed the sport). He particularly enjoyed musical theater. Death – Towards the end of his life, he suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure and inflammation of the bladder. He deteriorated quickly and began drifting in and out of conscious. He died in his sleep on 8 March 1930. Mr. Taft’s service to our country has been of rare distinction and was marked by a purity of patriotism, a lofty disinterestedness, and a devotion to the best interests of the nation that deserve and will ever command the grateful memory of his countrymen. President Herbert Hoover, 1930Taft was a man of real intelligence, great working power, abundant physical courage, high legal attainments and immense personal charm. Weak rather than wicked, he was one of those genial men who are everything that fancy paints until a showdown comes along that demands real toughness of moral fiber. Gifford Pinchot, forester and former Secretary of the InteriorPresidential election of 1912Candidates:D – Gov. Woodrow Wilson (NJ) and Gov. Thomas R. Marshall (IN) R – Pres. William H. Taft (OH) and Columbia Univ. Pres. Nicholas Butler (NY)VP James Sherman was renominated for his position but he died a month before the election, leading to the nomination of Nicholas Butler. P – Fmr. President Theodore Roosevelt (NY) and Sen. Hiram Johnson (CA)S – Labor leader Eugene Debs (IN) and Emil Seidel (WI)Campaign:1912 was considered one of the liveliest presidential elections in some time, as personalities dominated the headlines as well as issue-oriented campaigning. It was one of the most significant elections in all of American history because it involveda philosophical debate about the nature of government…rarely seen in American politics.David Kennedy, American historian All three understood the duty of government to concern itself with the general welfare. The government no longer adhered to laissez-faire as a viable economic policy.TR’s New Nationalism called for social welfare, direct democracy and federal regulation of businesses. Wilson’s New Freedom favored small enterprise, entrepreneurship and an unregulated and unmonopolized market – Wilson pushed for fragmentation, not regulation, of the large corporations. Taft suffered from disinterest, both in himself and from the big-money investors who helped his campaign in 1908. Things got rough when TR referred to Taft as a “fathead” with the “brains of a guinea pig”, finally riling the normally docile Taft, who swore to defeat TR.Whether I win or lose is not the important thing. I am in this fight to perform a great public duty – the duty of keeping Theodore Roosevelt out of the White House. President William H. Taft to journalist Charles ThompsonHe declared TR a “dangerous egotist” and “demagogue.” Debs and the Socialists had little money but enjoyed support from some labor groups andhe went on the attack early and often.He attacked Taft for his injunction of labor laws and called Roosevelt a “charlatan…and fraud” and attacked both major parties of being funded and ran like trusts. Only a year ago workingmen were throwing decayed vegetables and rotten eggs at us but now all is changed…Eggs are too (expensive). There is a great giant growing up in this country….He is a little giant now but he is growing fast. Thename of this little giant is socialism.Emil Seidel, Socialist vice presidential candidate, 1912On 14 October, as TR was getting into his car to deliver a speech in Milwaukee, a fanatic named John Shrank yelled something about 3rd terms and shot TR in chest.Supporters immediately jumped Shrank as TR yelled for no one to hurt him.Advisors begged TR to go to the hospital but TR refused, saying he would give this speech, even if it cost him his life. TR arrived at the hall, pulled his speech out (which was covered in blood), told the crowd it was nothing but he could not talk long and preceded to give an hour and an half speech. I will make this speech or die. It is one thing or the other.Theodore Roosevelt after being shotUpon the conclusion of the speech, he relented and went to the hospital. Doctors said had he not been in such great shape, he would have died. Taft and Wilson both sent messages of condolences and halted their campaigns. Many questioned TR’s sanity, including doctors while others offered money to anyone who could prove he was sane. Some levied charges of alcoholism against the former president but in fact, TR seldom drank and then, only lightly. Conclusion: With a split in the Republican Party, Wilson (435, 41.8%) easily defeated TR (88, 27.4%), Taft (8, 23.2%) and a surprising Debs (0, 6%). Debs’ 6% (900,672) showing was the largest of any third party candidate in US history. Socialists, buoyed by Debs’ doubling of the 1908 results, dreamed of winning the White House in 8 years. Had TR won the Republican nomination, he stood a good chance of winning as the “old guard” of the party would not have switched – a claim that cannot be made if only Taft had won.Progressives were more likely to vote Democrat (as they did with the collapse of the Progressive Party in the coming years) than conservatives would. Taft retired from politics much happier than when he entered it – he spent eight enjoyable years teaching law at Yale and in 1921, he was awarded with his dream job of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, nominated by President Warren Harding. Wilson was only the second Democratic president (after Cleveland) since 1861.Born in Virginia and raised in Georgia and South Carolina, he was the first president from a seceded state to become president since Zachary Taylor of Louisiana 64 years earlier.Woodrow Wilson – the man:Physical – He had a long, drawn-out face that gave him homely looks. Never in good health, he was adversely affected by overworking though he grew accustomed to the schedule of president. Personality – He described himself as a dormant volcano – placid on the outside and boiling within. He craved attention and demanded unquestionable loyalty. His closest confidents were women. Faith – A Presbyterian like his minister father, he remained devout his entire life. His religious principles led him to see the world in black and white with no gray. This attitude led to seriousproblems with American and international leaders. Recreation – An avid golfer, he only did it on doctor’s advice. He loved the theater, was a gifted mimic with stories to match his many voices, loved to play billiards and read poetry. Death – Due to complications of influenza (contracted in 1918), asthma, a stroke and acute indigestion, Wilson succumbed on the morning of 3 February 1924. Three qualities of greatness stood out in Woodrow Wilson. He was a man of staunch morals. He was more than just an idealist; he was the personification of the heritage of idealism of the American people. He brought spiritual concepts to the peace table. He was a born crusader.Former President Herbert Hoover, 1958I regard him as a ruthless hypocrite, and as an opportunist, who has not convictions that he would not barter at once for votes….He surrenders a conviction, previously expressed, without the slightest hesitation, and never even vouchsafes to the public the arguments upon which he was induced to change his mind.Former President William Howard Taft, 1916Presidential election of 1916Candidates:D – Pres. Woodrow Wilson (NJ) and VP Thomas R. Marshall (IN)R – Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Hughes (NY) and fmr. VP Charles W. Fairbanks (IN) It seems to me very clear that, as a member of the Supreme Court, I have no rightto be a candidate, either openly or passively.Charles Evan Hughes, Republican primaries, 1916Campaign:Due to the eruption of violence in Europe, foreign policy was quickly the major issue of the entire campaign. Progressives enthusiastically urged TR to run but Roosevelt, with no stomach to split the Republicans again and allow Wilson to win, did not participate and his absence all but killed the progressive movement and its party. Democrats campaigned for the president with the slogan, “He kept us out of the war.”Campaigners said that a vote for Hughes was a vote for war. Given Hughes’ blundering, Wilson preferred to ignore Hughes on the idea that one should not try to murder someone committing suicide. In many ways, Hughes was severely handicapped in his fight against Wilson.If he sided with the hawk TR, he could alienate many Americans who sought to avoid war but if he took a softer line, he could be seen as being pro-German.Hughes also had to concede that Wilson had gotten the Germans to suspend sub attacks, if only for a limited time. Hughes made things worse with intraparty fighting between the old guard and the militant progressives by visiting California and not visiting with the governor and soon to be senator Hiram Johnson, progressive and former VP running mate of TR in 1912. One observer said if Hughes had visited with Johnson, had a couple of scotch whiskeys and chatted a bit, he would have won California and the election. Yet another death nail was the fact that Hughes would tailor his message dependent upon his audience, leading his opponents to call him “Charles Evasive Hughes.”One of the minor issues of war was women’s suffrage – Wilson wanted to leave it to the states.When Wilson asked why his Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels supportedwomen’s rights, Daniels reportedly said for two reasons – “My mother andmy wife.”TR had much to say about the two candidates – first saying he would support Hughesbut demanded to know where he stood on the important issue of day.Yet, he saw little difference between the two candidates, saying the only difference was “a shave.”He called Wilson the “damned Presbyterian hypocrite” and a “Byzantine logothete.” The people as a whole are heartily tired of me and of my views.Theodore Roosevelt, 1916Conclusion:Wilson (277, 49.2%) narrowly but amazingly defeated Hughes (254, 46.1%).The story goes that at midnight, Hughes had won nearly the entire northeast and many northern mid-west states and with 254 electoral votes (needing only twelve more), he went to bed, secured in his victory.That night, however, the western states began ringing in, all for Wilson.When a reporter called Hughes’ hotel early the next morning, an aide told him that President Hughes was asleep. The reporter said, “When he wakes up, tell him he is no longer president.”The United States does not want to go to war and the elections have clearly shown that the great mass of Americans desire nothing so much as to keep out of war. It is undoubtedly the cause of the President’s re-election.Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, British ambassador to the U.S., 1916If I had known that Johnson was in that hotel, I would have seen him if I had beenobliged to kick the door down.Charles Evan Hughes after his loss in the 1916 election Presidential election of 1920Candidates:R – Sen. Warren Harding (OH) and Gov. Calvin Coolidge (MA)D – Gov. James Cox (OH) and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY) S – Labor leader Eugene Debs (IN) and lawyer Seymour Stedman (IL)Campaign:The people, indeed, do not know what ideas Harding or Cox represents; neither do Harding or Cox. Great is democracy.Brand Whitlock, reporter, 1920Americans were seething over the high cost of living, widespread unemployment, resentment over wartime controls and disillusionment with Wilson’s campaign to make the world safe for democracy. Wilson hoped the election would be a “solemn referendum” on the League of Nations but both candidates were reluctant to embrace fully the idea. Democrats, true to their ailing leader, chose a ticket that was internationalist in thinking and progressive in action – they worked for the League, assuring Wilson his vision was not dead in the U.S.However, Cox and Roosevelt had an albatross around their neck by the name of Wilson – German-Americans were not going to vote for them and neither were Irish-Americans who felt that Wilson sold out Ireland at Versailles. The Republicans, so sure of victory, did not bother putting their best foot forward, settling for what some called a “puppet candidate” and a “party hack.”There ain’t any first-raters this year….we got a lot of second-raters and Warren Harding is the best of the second-raters.Sen. Frank Brandegee (R-CT), 1920Harding and the Republicans sought a return to the good ol’ days – “a return to normalcy.”For the most part, Harding stayed home and made speeches to those who came to see him – he was much better in informal situations than planned ones.Well, I never saw this before. I didn’t write this speech and don’t believewhat I just read.Sen. Warren Harding during a pre-packaged speech, 1920Eugene Debs, running once more for the Socialist party, was sitting in an Atlanta penitentiary where the Wilson administration had put him.For Harding’s call to old values, he did not contribute to them as he chewed tobacco, played poker, drank (at the time, outlawed by 18th amendment) and engaged in extra-marital love affairs. Harding’s father once said it was a good thing he was not born a woman or he would be in “family way” all the time. There were also reports to suggest that Harding was part black.Harding wanted to refute these stories but his wife and Republican leaders advised against it. How do I know, Jim? One of my ancestors may have jumped the fence.Pres. Warren Harding upon being asked if stories were trueConclusion:Harding (404, 60.3%) drummed Cox (127, 34.1%) and Debs (0, 3.4%) thoughDebs still pulled nearly a million voters while sitting in prison. It wasn’t a landslide, it was an earthquake.President Woodrow Wilson on Harding’s victory, 1920The defeat of the Democrats was a complete one with many in Congress also losing theirseats, including 28-year Congressional veteran, Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri. When asked to comment on his loss, he spit one word, “Wilson.” For Harding, there were those who had concern over his health while in the service ofhis new duties.I can see but one word over his head if they make him President, and that word is “tragedy.” Florence Harding, wife of the president, 1920It was the first election where women from every state were allowed to vote following the 19th Amendment. Warren G. Harding – the man:Physical – He was six foot tall with Hollywood looks – white hair and blue eyes with a smooth and dark complexion. His features were so Roman that some joked he was the only senator who could wear a toga and not look ridiculous. Personality – He had a very affable personality and attempted to avoid conflict by trying to make peopleas happy as he could. His friends and wife took advantage of this to get him to do things that he would not normally do or wanted to do. Faith – He was a proclaimed Baptist.Recreation – He was an avid fan of golf and loved to ride horses. Death – During a cross-country tour in the summer of 1923, he suffered a heart attack, followed by bronchopneumonia. On 2 August 1923, he died from what most believe was a cerebral hemorrhage. Warren G. Harding gave his life for his country. No one can do more than that. He exhausted himself in service, a martyr in fidelity to the interest of the people for whom he labored with a passionate devotion. He was a man of the people, indulging no consciousness of superiority, incapable of arrogance, separated from neither by experience nor by pride nor by eccentricity.Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes, 1924Harding was not a bad man. He was just a slob.Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of President Theodore RooseveltHarding’s death can be attributed to the scandals for as they began to come to light, he went on a speaking tour to defend himself and his administration.While in San Francisco, on this tour, he died of pneumonia and thrombosis – his heart had never been strong and must have broken at the acts of “friends.”This active inactivity suits the mood and certain of the needs of the country admirably. It suits all the business interests which want to be let alone…And it suits all those who have become convinced that government in this country has become dangerously complicated and top-heavy.Walter Lippmann, journalist, on Coolidge’s style of leadershipCalvin Coolidge – the man:Physical – Slightly built, he had chiseled features, pointed nose, deeply set blue eyes and pursed lips. He spoke with a New England nasal twang and suffered from asthma, hay fever, bronchitis and stomach issues. He tired easily and slept eleven hours a day, nine hours a night with a two hour nap in the afternoon. Personality – He was shy, restrained, cautious and one with few friends. His taciturn nature became famous and more so when a White House hostess walked up to him and said, “You must talk to me, Mr. President. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you.” Coolidge replied, “You lose.” Faith – He was a Congregationalist who often attended Sunday services but did not join a church. Recreation – He was not much for “activities,” except for walking and fishing while on vacation.Death – On 5 January 1933, he suffered a coronary thrombosis (heart attack) after a period of prolongedbreathing problems, indigestion and fatigue. Mr. Coolidge belongs rather in the class of Presidents who were distinguished for character more than heroic achievement. His great task was to restore the dignity and prestige of the Presidency when it had reached the lowest ebb in our history, and to afford, in a time of extravagance and waste, a shining public example of the simple and homely virtues which came down to him from his New England ancestors.Former New York governor Alfred Smith, 1933He believes in machine politics….He possesses no outstanding ability.Sen. George Norris (R-NE), 1924With the death of Warren Harding, the quiet vice president, visiting his father in New Hampshire, took the oath of office to become the next president – Calvin Coolidge. The man from Vermont and former governor of Massachusetts was known for an economy of words and money, living up to the New England traits of frugality, honesty, morality and industry.His personality, or some would say the lack of, made him come across as stiff and boring,a very dry wit only surfacing in private and he was not in office to make waves,serving instead as a force to promote business.The business of America is business.Calvin CoolidgePresidential election of 1924Candidates:R – Pres. Calvin Coolidge (MA) and businessman Charles Dawes (IL).D – John Davis (WV) and Gov. Charles Bryan (NE).P – Robert LaFollette (WI) and Sen. Burton Wheeler (MT).Campaign:The Republicans were excitedly behind their candidate early on and nominated him by a wide margin.The widely-known honesty of Coolidge and his actions to fire or jail wrong-doersmitigated the controversy surrounding the Harding scandals.The Republicans, however, suffered, losing 78 congressional seats during the 1922 mid-term elections. The Democrats were hopelessly divided over the two, very divergent parts of their party and arguments broke down between wet, urbanite, modernists liberals of the North and the dry, rural, Fundamentalist conservatives of the South. William McAdoo, former Treasury secretary from California and Al Smith, the governor of New York, fought tooth and nail for the nomination but the convention could reconcile the large differences between the two men.Davis was a candidate that the tired convention could not muster any objection to but was as conservative as Coolidge.I’m not a member of any organized political party, I’m a Democrat.Will Rogers after the 1924 Democratic Convention in New York CityEverything is still uncertain in this convention but one thing. John W. Davis willnever be nominated…(After Davis’ nomination) Why that’s incredible! I’ve already sent off a story that it’s impossible. I wonder if those idiots in Baltimore will have sense enough to drop the negative. H.L. Mencken, journalist for the Baltimore SunLaFollette meant well but with little money from the struggling farmers and little backingoutside the ostracized radical labor unions and Socialists, he had little chance.The aforementioned taciturn Coolidge was countered by the equally stoic Davis whobravely went after the KKK, though his convention refused to do so, and who, as solicitor general, spoke openly for black voting rights which cost him votes in theSouth.Conclusion: Coolidge won an easy popular victory (382, 54%) over Davis (136, 25.6%) and LaFollette (13, 16.6%) with the Democrats carrying no states in the former Confederacy, upholding the concept of the Solid South.While LaFollette represented the only real liberal voice in the election and he did not do horrendously but he was shouted down by a population experiencing unprecedented economic growth and prosperity.Presidential election of 1928Candidates:R – Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover (IA) and Sen. Charles Curtis (KS).We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land.Herbert Hoover, accepting the Republican nomination, 1928D – Gov. Al Smith (NY) and Sen. Joseph T. Robinson (AR). I have taken an oath of office nineteen times. Each time I swore to defendand maintain the Constitution of the United States….I have never knownany conflict between my official duties and my religious beliefs.Al Smith, 1928Campaign:Many have speculated as to why Coolidge chose not to run in 1928, which he could have done (no law limiting presidential terms existed at that time and if the current law was in place then, he could have run again).One theory suggests he knew what was coming economically while another popular theory suggest the death of his son in a freak bloodpoisoning incident (playing tennis without socks created an infected blister) was to blame.When he went, the power and glory of the Presidency went with him. I don’t known why such a price was exacted for occupying the White House.Calvin Coolidge regarding the death of his son, 1924With a sound economy, most of the heavyweight Democrats stayed away from election, preferring to not run against Hoover.Smith himself was a large issue but not from the Republican side but from withinhis own party.In Smith, the southern Democrats had a man who epitomized everything they were against – a wet, an immigrant, a northern liberal, sarcastic and spoke with a “funny accent” – worse yet, he was Catholic.Hoover felt the attacks were beyond the pale but did not have much control over the actions of some of the more prejudiced elementsof his party and the Democrats.A Vote for Smith is a Vote for Rum, Romanism and Ruin.Campaign poster, 1924Radio played a large role, for the first time, in the campaign and though more charismatic, Smith did not come across as well as Hoover did.Smith is one of the more colorful and interesting presidential candidates and were he to have ran in more tolerant times, he would have stood a chance as a “happy warrior” as some called him.However, his aforementioned issues derailed his candidacy before it began. Though born in the Midwest (Iowa) and raised in Oregon, Hoover had a great deal of experience internationally, serving as an engineer in China duringthe Boxer Rebellion.It was that experience that shaped his isolationist tendencies.His Quaker faith had produced a serious minded, quiet persona that was often interpreted as snobbish or milquetoast. Conclusion:Hoover (444, 58.2%) easily defeated Smith (87, 40.8%) to win the presidency.The divided Democrats led to the first Republican to win a state that seceded, taking five in total, including the Border states. Herbert Hoover – the man:Physical – At 5’11”, Hoover was known for a fleshy face, ruddy in complexion and with a huskybuild. He was known to dress simply. Personality – While he was shy (some said aloof), awkward at small talk and sensitive to criticism, Hoover was also very self-assured, self-reliant and extremely hard-working. He was a “details” man, rarely considering the larger picture and was extremely dull as a public speaker, sometimes never lifting his eyes from his speech.Faith – He was a Quaker, the first president to profess this Christian sect. He actively attended services while president. Recreation – He was known for tossing a medicine ball every morning before breakfast for 30 minutes. He also enjoyed fishing, reading and he drank moderately, typically at the Belgian embassy with friends because during Prohibition, this slice of Belgian territory had no laws against alcohol. Death – At the age of 84 and nearly deaf and blind towards the end, he suffered from internal bleeding that pushed him into a coma. He died the next morning, 20 October 1964. I never reflected on the personal character or integrity of Herbert Hoover. I never doubted his probity or his patriotism. In many ways he was superbly equipped for the Presidency. If he had been President in 1921 or 1937 he might have ranked with the great Presidents.Former vice president John Nance Garner, 1948I have the feeling that he would rather see a good cause fail than succeed if he were not the head of it.President Woodrow WilsonPresidential election of 1932Candidates:D – Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY) and Rep. John Garner (TX).(Roosevelt) is no crusader. He is no tribune of the people. He is no enemy of entrenched privilege. He is a pleasant man who, without any important qualifications for the office, would very much like to be president.Walter Lippman, journalist, 1932I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people….Give meyour help, not to win votes alone, but to win in this crusade to restore America to its own people.Franklin D. Roosevelt, nominating acceptance speech, 1932R – Pres. Herbert Hoover (CA) and Vice Pres. Charles Curtis (KS)We are told by the opposition that we must change, that we must have a new deal. It is not the change that comes from normal development of national life to which I object, but the proposal to alter the whole foundations of our national life whichhave been builded through generations of testing and struggle, and of the principles upon which we have builded the nation.President Herbert Hoover, 1932Campaign: While Roosevelt could be quite compelling on the campaign trail (he was considered one of the great speakers of his political generation), he was assisted by his wife Eleanor, who connected to the working man and those who were at the lower ends of society.The Democrats attacked the Republican economic plan and were more forceful in their objection to and desire to repeal Prohibition.They further demanded great, large-scale social and political reforms.However, though he promised much to the working class, he was remarkably and frustratingly vague about the details.Not outwardly spoken about, but there were some concerns whether one bound to a wheelchair had the capacity to run the country and Roosevelt did much to show, with constant touring and speaking, that he had the strength.Hoover himself remained on the job, working longer hours with shorter breaks, convinced that not a single thing can be improved upon by making speeches and shaking hands. When he finally began making speeches a couple of weeks before the election, he was shocked over the hatred he received from crowds and it shook him, sometimes leaving him reading his speech verbatim with trembling hands.Conclusion: If it is true that Hoover was swept into office on a wave of prosperity, it was a wave ofdespondency that swept him out.Roosevelt (472, 57.4%) defeated easily Hoover (59, 39.6%), as a socialist and a communist candidate registered no electoral votes but managed, collectively, 2.5% of the popular vote.The election represented the first time that black Americans began voting for the Democrat Party and would soon make up an important part of the party’s base.During the lame duck period, Hoover tried to pass various things that would have kept Roosevelt from enacting some of his more radical ideas but Roosevelt was incredibly resistant to his predecessor. Franklin D. Roosevelt – the man:Physical – He was an impressive figure, over 6 foot tall, very athletic and handsome. Being far sighted, he was required to wear glasses but his biggest ailment was the contraction, in his early 20s, of polio. While he would wear braces the rest of his life, his natural athletic ability pushed him to walk and occasionally, he could do so without assistance. Through the rest of his life, his legs withered but his upper body remained strong.Personality – Roosevelt was an ebullient character, gregarious and willing to talk (wanting to talk) to anyone. He was sensitive to other people’s troubles and conscious to make people comfortable around his disability. He worked well under pressure but his close colleagues often complained about his lack of candor with them.Faith – He was raised an Episcopalian but he was never terribly vocal about his faith. He knew his Bible and felt particularly connected to the Sermon on the Mount. While he attended an Episcopal church when in Washington, he would occasionally visit a Baptist or Methodist one.Recreation – He was particularly fond of swimming and did it often (it was the one exercise he could do regardless of his polio condition). He was an avid birdwatcher and prolific stamp collector. He was also keen on sailing and fishing. He was a moderate drinker and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. Death – On 12 April 1945, while vacationing at his favorite locale, Warm Springs, Georgia, he was looking over paper work when he began to complain of a headache before slipping into unconsciousness. He had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and would never regain consciousness. He has great imagination…if he had been president at the time when the Treasury was overflowing, he would have gone down in history as the greatest build since the world began.Interior Secretary Harold Ickes, 1934If (President Roosevelt) became convinced tomorrow that coming out for cannibalism would get him the votes he so sorely needs, he would begin fattening a missionary in the White House backyard come Wednesday.Journalist H. L. MenckenPresidential election of 1936Candidates:D – President Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY) and Vice President James Garner (TX)R – Gov. Alfred Landon (KS) and publisher Frank Knox (IL)Knox would later serve Roosevelt as his Secretary of the Navy during World War II. Campaign:With Landon, the Republicans had a man who was not as stringent against the New Deal as the party platform was – indeed, Landon agreed with some of the president’s programs.Therefore, his strong attacks on Roosevelt and the New Deal towards the end of the campaign lessened his credibility and he, no doubt, loss some support.One of the programs under the greatest scrutiny was the Social Security Act with speeches and campaign ads:You’re sentenced to a weekly pay reduction for all your working life. You’ll have to serve the sentence unless you help reverse it November 3.Republican campaign ad on Social Security, 1936Roosevelt, who welcomed the hatred of many conservatives in the country, said that the Republicans were a bunch of “economic royalists” who hid “behind the flag and the Constitution.”Conclusion:Roosevelt (523, 60.8%) won an easy victory over Landon (8, 36.5%) as the Republican only won Maine and Vermont. The electoral landslide was the most lopsided in 116 years.The old axiom that “as Maine goes, so goes the nation” was changed to, by some Democrats with a sense of humor, “as Maine goes, so goes Vermont.”The president won mainly due to his appeal to the “forgotten man” which also explains his strengthened hold on a growing number of blacks voting Democrat. Furthering the shift was the endorsement of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).More importantly, the Democrats extended their hold over Congress with a 2/3 majority in both Houses.Some Republicans and disenchanted Democrats bemoaned the fact that a great many New Deal checks were doled out prior to the election.Nobody shoots at Santa Claus.Former New York governor Al SmithThe 1937 inauguration was the first to be held at the end of January, in accordance to the 20th Amendment to get rid of the excruciatingly long lame duck period.Presidential election of 1940Candidates:D – Pres. F. D. Roosevelt (NY) and Agricultural Secretary Henry Wallace (IA)Well, damn it to hell, they will go for Wallace or I won’t run and you canjolly well tell them so.President Roosevelt on misgivings about Wallace as VP, 1940Garner had been replaced because the VP had grown disenchanted by hisboss’ increasingly liberal economic and social policies. Wallace was seen as mentally unstable and many whispered aboutan eccentric private life that included a messianic Buddhistbelief system.R – Businessman Wendell Willkie (NY) and Sen. Charles McNary (R-OR) Nothing exactly like it ever happened before in American politics. Willkiehad never held public office or even sought it. Virtually a neophyte in politics, he had entered no primaries, made no deals, organized no campaign….His backers were uninitiated volunteers, as strange to the ways of the ward bosses and state chairmen as their hero.Newsweek, 1940Campaign:For Republicans, one of the biggest issues was whether to take a stance in favor of isolationism or intervention as there were both factions within the party. Worse yet, the Republicans had a hard time choosing a candidate who could balance the two ideas – they spurned Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey as too young, Sen. Robert Taft (R-OH) as too ultra-conservative and isolationist Sen. Arthur Vandenberg (R-MI) for being too lackluster in his campaign.Willkie, though a Democrat his whole life and representative of the class of people many people still blamed for the Depression, was chosen as a compromise candidate.You have been a Democrat all your life. I don’t mind the church converting a whore, but I don’t like her to lead the choir the first night.Sen. Jim Watson (R-IN) to Wendell Willkie at the Republican convention, 1940Willkie did not oppose FDR’s New Deal programs but he did not likethe extravagant and wasteful character of them.For the Democrats, there were many in the party that did not like Roosevelt running a third term but the president felt that he was the best man in the party to deal with the potential threat of Hitler.Roosevelt himself was not sure and was receiving some challenges withinhis party such as his own vice president.If one man is indispensable, then none of us is free.Wendell Willkie, 1940Some conservative Democrats were also hoping to see an end to some of the New Deal programs.Conclusion:Roosevelt’s electoral margin of victory (449, 54.7%) was much more comfortable than his actual popular vote margin against Willkie (82, 44.8%). Willkie ran very strong in the rural regions and picked up 6m more votes than Landon in 1936 but Roosevelt was able to carry the urban centers and that proved the difference.Presidential election of 1944Candidates:D – Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY) and Harry S. Truman (MO)R – Gov. Thomas Dewey (NY) and Gov. John Bricker (OH)Campaign:Dewey, while the country was in the midst of war, would not attack FDR on theissue of foreign policy.He instead made vague references to FDR’s failing health and those whomade up his administration over the last three terms.He labeled the FDR administration as the most “wasteful, extravagant and incompetent” in U.S. history.For the most part, FDR did not campaign as his beleaguered health was decliningbut his doctor, Vice Admiral Ross McIntire gave him a publicly announced good bill-of-health. Conclusion:FDR (432, 53%) easily defeated Dewey (99, 46%) for his fourth term in office.Dewey’s strongest support and the states he won were some of the leastpopulated states of New England and the Mid-west.It would be a mistake, of course, to establish it as a tradition but I think I can wellplead extenuating circumstances.President Franklin D. Roosevelt, after winning a fourth termHarry S. Truman – the man:Physical – Standing at 5’10”, a normal height for the day, he lost ten needed pounds during his time as president. Extremely nearsighted, he was never without glasses and suffered froma very low blood pressure. Always seen in tailored suits, he was often considered one of the ten best dressed senators during his time in that chamber. Personality – Though publicly and in speech, Truman was very humble, in his mind, he was anything but as he was extremely confident man who, once he mulled over a decision and came to a conclusion, he never thought about it again. Like Andrew Jackson, he could display explosive temper filled with embarrassingly salty language that some loved and others fretted over. His speaking ability was better on the stump than in prepared speeches in front of large crowds.Faith – Truman was a Baptist and while president, irregularly attended the First Baptist Church of Washington. An avid Bible reader and moved by the Sermon on the Mount, Truman otherwise was suspicious of religious dogma and felt religious differences explained much of the world’sproblems. Recreation – A daily walker (two miles a day), Truman played poker and was a decent pianist. He wasalso a love of art but detested modern art. He did not smoke but was a moderate drinker of bourbon and white wine. Death – Truman died the day after Christmas in 1972, the victim of systematic organ failure. He was 88 years old. There never has been a decision made under this man’s administration…that has not been made in the best interest of his country. It is not only the courage of these decisions that will live, but the integrity of them. Former Secretary of State George Marshall, 1962(Truman) is vastly concerned with being right; he does not seem sufficiently concerned with getting the right things done. The great thing about Mr. Roosevelt was his sense of urgency….One misses this in Mr. Truman.Columnist Samuel Grafton, 1949Presidential election of 1948Candidates:D – Pres. Harry S. Truman (SC) and Sen. Alben Barkley (KY)R – Fmr. DA Thomas Dewey (NY) and Gov. Earl Warren (CA)Dx – Gov. Strom Thurmond (SC) and Gov. Fielding Wright (MS)The time has arrived for the Democratic party to get out of the shadows ofstates’ rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.Minneapolis Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey, 1948P – Fmr. Vice President Henry Wallace (IA) and Sen. Glen Taylor (ID)Campaign:Having gained control of the Congress during the 1946 mid-term elections, theRepublicans felt good about nominating the re-hashed candidacy of Dewey.The Republicans were further confident over the splitting of the Democratic Party between Truman, Thurmond and Wallace. As a result of this confidence, the Republicans and Dewey took a non-confrontational path and stuck with generic, non-specific speeches.Despite the blistering attacks by Truman against Dewey and the “do nothing” Republican-controlled Congress, Dewey said little in response.Ours is a magnificent land. Don’t let anybody frighten you or try to stampede you into believing that America is finished. America’s future…is still ahead of us.Thomas Dewey, 1948The Democrats could not have been less enthusiastic towards Truman (“I’m justmild about Truman” was a popular song) and southern Democrats hatedthe president’s strong civil rights stand.As soon as Truman’s nomination was secure, the southern Democrats walked out of the convention and met in Birmingham, Alabama, declared themselves Dixiecrats and nominated Thurmond.However, with little money and fewer supporters, Truman went on tour to make roughly 300 speeches from his train and railed against a do-nothing Congress, pushing civil rights and better benefits for workers.To add to the confusion, former vice president Henry Wallace was selected to lead an oddball group of old New Dealers, pacifists, liberals and communists to rail against the hurtling towards a final conflict.Reporter Walter Winchell reported the odds in Vegas as being 15 to 1 in favor ofDewey, giving Truman, though he had climbed in the polls, little to no chance.The smart boys say we can’t win. They tried to bluff us with a propaganda blitz, but we called their bluff, we told the people the truth. And the people are with us. The tide is rolling. All over the country. I have seen it in the people’s faces. The people are going to win this election.Pres. Harry Truman in last campaign speech in St. Louis, 1948Conclusion:In one of the most stunning, unpredictable victories in presidential politics, Truman (303, 49.5%) defeated Dewey (189, 45.07%), Thurmond (39,2.4%) and Wallace (0, 2.37%). So sure was the Chicago Tribune of Dewey’s victory, they published avery early a copy of the next day’s paper with the headline,“DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN”Truman held it up during his victory speech.Truman’s election victory was based on farmers (surprisingly), workers and blacks, as well as those who admired his “never-say-die” attitude.Presidential election of 1952Candidates:R – Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R-NY) and Rep. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA)D – Gov. Adlai Stevenson (D-IL) and Sen. John Sparkman (D-AL)Campaign:As the Democrats prepared for the election, Truman declared he would not runfor re-election though, despite the new constitutional amendment (22nd) setting term limits for presidents, he would have been allowed.Of those who sought a chance to run, Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN) was a favorite but was challenged by the candidacies of Richard Russell, Jr. (D-GA) and Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN).What hurt Kefauver the most however was the idea that many Democrats and big money people who supported the party did not trust the Tennessee senator, considering him too much of a maverick.As the convention began to bog in search of a candidate, one with littlepolitical weakness, Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson, gained momentum. I just don’t want to be nominated for the Presidency. I have no ambition to be President. I have no desire for the office, mentally, temperamentally, or physically. (If I’m nominated anyway) Guess I’ll have to shoot . Adlai Stevenson, 1952The Republicans had a neck-and-neck race going into the convention between Sen. Robert Taft (R-OH) and General Dwight D. Eisenhower (R-NY).After an unusual contentious floor debate (that even led to fistfights), Eisenhower won the nomination.During the election, Eisenhower was one of the first campaigns to try and appealdirectly to women and they helped give him a comfortable victory.The biggest issue of the campaign was the Korean conflict and Eisenhower made the point of looking to deal with “Korea, Communism and Corruption” – all allegations against the Truman administration.I shall go to Korea.Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1952A big scandal was the accusation that Nixon had taken tens of thousands of dollars in “gifts” from donors and Nixon, always talking about the corruption of Truman, was put on the defensive.As Eisenhower (“Ike”) considered dropping Nixon from his ticket, Nixonsaved himself with an amazing speech on television called the “Checkers” speech in which he declared the “gift” was actually a dog named Checkers, obtained for his little girl while accounting for all the other cash donated to his campaign.The speech worked and he garnered nation-wide support and remained on the ticket – it also showed the power of television as a political weapon. Conclusion:Not surprisingly, the man who defeated Hitler won easily (442, 55.18%) over the well-meaning, decent Gov. Stevenson (89, 44.33%) who had difficultyconnecting to the people.Stevenson did not prove competitive outside the South (he lost his home state by 10%) and Eisenhower became the first Republican to crack the Solid South, taking Tennessee, Virginia, Florida and Texas.Dwight D. Eisenhower – the man:Physical – A slight man, he wore reading glasses but was known for his broad grin. He had a trick knee that dated back to his football career with Army. He caught colds easily. During his presidency, he had a heart attack in 1955 and in 1957, he suffered a stroke that left him slurring his speech for a day.Personality – Eisenhower was an affable, well-liked, decent and honest person who was able to, without a lot of arm waving or shouting, to inspire confidence and engender respect. He was reluctant to speak ill of anyone and rarely did. His well-known smile was a sign of his rather optimistic way in which he viewed life. However, he was also superstitious, carrying around with him a few coins of which he was always in possession.Faith – Eisenhower was a Presbyterian and was raised in a strictly religious family. He once said that six years of war will convince anyone of the need of prayer and divine guidance, in which he often consulted. He began the interdenominational White House Prayer Breakfast and would often begin cabinet meetings with a prayer.Recreation – Eisenhower was an avid golfer, having a putting green put in on the White House lawn. Since a young age, he was also a devastatingly good poker player but gave it up when people lost to him who did not have the money to lose. He painted landscape paintings but insisted they were not good. A life-long smoker, he gave it up cold-turkey on advice of his doctor. He did drink moderately, mainly Scotch. Death – At the age of 79, Eisenhower died as the result of congestive heart failure. After surviving a heart attack in office, he had two more in retirement, weakening his heart. He was a far more complex and devious man that man people realized, and in the best sense of those words. Not shackled to a one-track mind, he always applied two, three or four lines of reasoning to a single problem and he usually preferred the indirect approach where it would serve him better than the direct attack….His mind was quick and facile.Richard M. Nixon, 1969Ike didn’t know anything and all the time he was in office he didn’t learn a thing….In 1959, when Castro came to power down in Cuba, Ike just sat on his ass and acted like if he didn’t notice what was going on down there, why maybe Castro would go away or something.Former President Harry S. Truman, 1961Presidential election of 1956Candidates:R – Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower (NY) and VP Richard Nixon (CA)D – Fmr. Gov. Adlai Stevenson (IL) and Sen. Estes Kefauver (TN)Campaign:Stevenson was the nominee for the Democrats but it was not easy as he had to endure a strong opposition by Sen. Kefauver (D-TN) during the primariesand at the convention, was stymied by former president Truman’s supportof Gov. Averell Harriman (D-NY) but eventually Stevenson came through.The idea that you can merchandize candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is the ultimate indignity to the democratic . Adlai Stevenson, 1956The strongest point the Democrats had against Eisenhower, though they did not address it directly, was the president’s health which prompted an active campaign and tour by Eisenhower to show his vitality. Eisenhower also hoped to win back black votes that the Republicans lost during the New Deal and the Republicans did this by trumpeting what Eisenhower had done for civil rights (a noted weakness of his administration).Eisenhower was also helped by his condemnation of the Soviet oppressionof the Hungarian student revolt and the president’s strong actionsagainst his allies when the French and Israelis took control of the Suez Canal.Conclusion:Eisenhower (457, 57.3%) easily defeated Stevenson a second time (73, 41.9%). Eisenhower’s victory included the first crack of the Solid South (he won Florida, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas) and winning 40% of the black vote due to Eisenhower’s support of the Brown v. Board of Education court case (no Republican has come close since).Presidential election of 1960Candidates:D – Sen. John F. Kennedy (MA) and Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (TX)R – VP Richard Nixon (CA) and UN Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (MA)Campaign:During the primaries, Kennedy was the odds on favorite though he was challenged by Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) and Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN).Kennedy’s primary victory in West Virginia suggested a Catholic could win in a predominantly Protestant state.For Richard Nixon, the only major challenge for the vice president was Gov. Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY), who was convinced to support Nixon upon the vice president’s promise to push forward liberal civil right reforms.The two major issues of the election was the economy and the threat posed bycommunism.However, a secret issue that Nixon told his people expressly not to bringup was religion and the fact that Kennedy would represent the firstCatholic president.Kenney’s speech before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association won him much support on the issue of his Catholicism.If this election is decided on the basis that 40 million Americans lost their chance of being president on the day they were baptized (Catholic), then it is the whole nation that will be the loser in the eyes of Catholics and non-Catholics around the world, in the eyes of history and in the eyes of our own people.Sen. John F. Kennedy, Greater Houston Ministerial Association, 1960The biggest rocks thrown by Kennedy was the Eisenhower administration’s failure to prevent the development of a communist country in Cuba – just 90 miles from the United States.Nixon and the Eisenhower administration, however, were in the process of planning something about Cuba but could not talk about it publicly, giving credence to Kennedy’s charge.The campaign was put on hold when Nixon injured his knee and in doing so, developed an infection that ultimately led to his hospitalization for three weeks.Upon his discharge, he was thin, weak and looked awful but he had an important date to keep.Nixon was also hurt by his own boss – when a reporter asked Eisenhower whatmajor decisions Nixon had been a part of, the president said, “If you giveme a week, I might think of one.” While it was meant as a joke, the Democrats used it to hammer Nixon.One of the biggest moments was a debate, the first live televised presidential debate between the two candidates.The tan, rested and comfortable looking Kennedy looked measurably well in comparison to the weak, sweating and struggling Nixon, who was trying to overcome the impact of his hospitalization.For those who saw the debate, the general sense was that Kennedy won while those who heard the debate on radio felt Nixon won.For some political observers, it was the beginning of style over substancebut Kennedy demonstrated an ability to match Nixon with his knowledge of foreign events and domestic issues.Conclusion:In one of the closest elections at that time in U.S. history, Kennedy (303, 49.7%) narrowly defeated Nixon (219, 49.6%) though election irregularities in Texas and Illinois (both favored Kennedy) were reported and investigated.Though Nixon lost, he once again demonstrated that the Democrats no longer had a singular hold over the South. John F. Kennedy – the man:Physical – With matinee idol looks and a build that was characterized as muscular and athletic, he suffered from horrible back pain (old war injury) so bad that at one point, it led to an infection he almost died from in 1954 (from a spinal infusion surgery). He often wore a back brace for support and took regular shots from his personal physician. He also suffered from an adrenal insufficiency, a skin disease that is similar to Addison’s disease. Personality – Kennedy possessed charm, grace and wit but was very sensitive so he would keep people at a distance to avoid getting overly attached to or affected by others. His famous Irish temper was a bit overrated, seldom emerging but it did on occasion, as it did with negotiations with the steel industry as president. Faith – While Kennedy was and is the only Catholic president, he was not particularly talkative about his faith (the Houston meeting notwithstanding). To show his independence, he refused to have relations with the Vatican at the ambassadorial level.Recreation – Kennedy’s biggest off-time activities were swimming, sailing and golf but his activities were limited because of his back. His golfing was pretty impressive, consistently shooting in the 70s and 80s. He was a voracious reader and read the newspaper every morning. He also enjoyed the occasional cigar.Death – Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November 1963 and died due to a bullet to the throat and head. He was, perhaps, a step or two ahead of the people at times. But as an American who understood America, who brought form to its amorphous yearnings, who gave direction to its efforts, John Kennedy walked with the people.Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN), 1963I sincerely fear for my country if Jack Kennedy should be elected president. The fellow has absolutely no principles. Money and gall are all the Kennedys have.Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), 1960Lyndon B. Johnson – the man:Physical – One of the most distinctive things about Johnson was his size, at 6’3” and weighing 210pounds. He often used his size to intimidate and/or pressure people. In 1955, he had a severeheart attack but was able to recover. He did suffer, periodically, from kidney stones. Beyondthat, he was in pretty good health.Personality – By all accounts, Johnson was a pretty complicated individual with many conflicting traits.Publicly, he could be manipulative, ruthless, stubborn and secretive but at home and among hisneighbors and family, he was warm, friendly and relaxed.Faith – Johnson was a part of the Disciples of Christ. However, as vice president and president, he would often visit churches of different denominations. After Kennedy’s assassination, he prayed much more often in the White House, as well as saying grace prior to meals.Recreation – While he played golf, he kept his scores secret. He loved swimming and often relaxed by playing dominos or poker. He was also famous for driving guests to his ranch around the property at 90 m.p.h. in his Lincoln Continental. He was once a smoker but after his mid-1950s heart attack, he stopped.Death – Plagued by arteriosclerosis, he survived another heart attack shortly after his retirement began. However, on 22 January 1973, he suffered a fatal heart attack while napping. While he reached his Secret Service agent by phone and was driven to the hospital, he died in route. He was 65 years old.Millions of Americans will always remember a bitter day in November, 1963, when so many of our people doubted the very future of this Republic….Lyndon Johnson rose above the doubt and the fear to hold this Nation on course until we rediscovered our faith in ourselves.President Richard Nixon, 1973The inspiration and commitment of the Great Society have disappeared. In concrete terms, the President simply cannot think about implementing the Great Society at home while he is supervising bombing missions over North Vietnam. There is a kind of madness in the facile assumption that we can raise the many billions of dollars necessary to rebuilt our schools and cities and public transport and eliminate the pollution of air and water while also spending tens of billions to finance an “open-ended” war in Asia.Sen. J. William Fulbright (D-AR), 1966Presidential election of 1964Candidates:D – Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson (TX) and VP Hubert Humphrey (MN)R – Sen. Barry Goldwater (AZ) and Republican official William Miller (NY)Campaign:The strengths of Barry Goldwater, strength of character and assuredness of beliefs, was a weakness in the political machinations of a national campaign. While he abhorred racism, he refused to recognize the role of the government to force peoples of different races to mingle and co-exist – therefore, he voted against the various civil rights legislation.Additionally, his comments about how he would treat communist expansionism led some to fear a possible Goldwater administration.I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.Sen. Barry Goldwater, 1964These comments particularly applied to America’s quagmire in Viet Nam,where Goldwater suggested nuclear weapons were a possible option.In comparison, Johnson seemed like the peace candidate and often promised thathis candidacy was one of limited American action in Viet Nam and the chance of a quicker peace.We don’t want our American boys to do the fighting for Asian boys. We don’t want to…get tied down in a land war in Asia.President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964One of the most famous political campaign commercials occurred during this election when a Democratic National Conference supported a spot that showed a very young girl counting the petals of a flower, when a menacing voice began a countdown and the camera focused on the eye of the girl in time to see a mushroom cloud of a nuclear bomb.The commercial only ran once but it was all it took to permanently crippleGoldwater’s campaign.Conclusion:Johnson (486, 61%) easily won the election over Goldwater (52, 38.4%), who won the Gulf coast states of the Deep South and his home state. The election also marks the permanent end to the Democratically controlled South. Presidential Election of 1968Candidates:R – Fmr. VP Richard Nixon (CA) and Gov. Spiro Agnew (MD)D – VP Hubert H. Humphrey (MN) and Sen. Edmund Muskie (ME)AI – Gov. George Wallace (AL) and fmr. Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay (CA)Campaign:Richard Nixon was the favorite during the Republican primaries though he received competition in big names such as Gov. Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY), Gov. Ronald Reagan (R-CA) and Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC).It was Gov. Spiro Agnew (R-MD) that put Nixon over the top.Hubert H. Humphrey was the Democratic challenger but his road was unlike anyother candidate in U.S. history.First, the earlier front runner Sen. Robert Kennedy (D-NY) was assassinated after his California primary victory. Second, President Johnson announced in March 1968 that he would not run for a second term.I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term.President Lyndon Johnson, 1968Though he did face opposition by Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) and Sen. George McGovern (D-SD), ultimately the vice president prevailed because the other two were seen as too liberal.In a move not unlike Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nixon avoided specifics but maintained he had a plan to get the U.S. out of Viet Nam.Keeping vague also prevented any split between moderate and conservative Republicans.With an early and consistent lead in the polls, Nixon had to simply avoid doing something stupid or controversial to win the presidency.The chaos of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where protestors ofthe war and Chicago police created a large-scale riot and in conjunction with the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., Nixon made the case that he could provide “law and order” – something for which the Americans were desperate.Gestapo tactics on the streets of Chicago.Sen. Abraham Ribicoff (D-CT)Under the American Independent Party, segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace ran a campaign promising victory in Viet Nam, law and order inthe U.S. and an end to all civil rights legislation. Conclusion:In a close popular vote, Nixon (301, 43.2%) defeated Humphrey (191, 42.7%). George Wallace finished a distant third (46, 13.5%).Richard M. Nixon – the man:Physical – He was physically distinctive with jowls and a prominent nose and protruding jaw. He suffered from motion sickness and hay fever since he was a kid. As president, he developed phlebitis in the leg. In appearance, he was conservative, normally bedecked in a plain dark suit.Personality – There is likely no other president whose personality has received as much psychoanalyzing as Richard Nixon. Most who knew him felt he was torn. He was secretive and suspicious of the intentions of others, suffered from crippling shyness but also felt that his downfall would be the result of the many people who sought his power and his prestige. As a result, he ruthlessly drove himself to work harder to maintain his status. He had a crucifixion complex but on other occasions, he could be quite nice to be around. However, he never let his guard down. Even among friends, he did not divulge personal issues or struggles. When he was told that, near the end of his presidency, few Americans felt they knew him, he retorted, “and they shouldn’t.”Faith – Nixon was a Quaker but broke with his faith on issues of pacifism and swearing oaths (and swearing – like a sailor). While president, he attended services of various denominations but while in California, he attended a Quaker house. Recreation – Nixon played golf, bowled and occasionally swam. He was a sharp poker player and actually funded his first congressional run for office from the profits of playing poker. He was an avid reader of history.Death – On 18 April 1994, Nixon suffered a massive stroke and he died four days later, on 22 April. He was 81 years old.The irony about Nixon is that his pre-Watergate record is a lot better than most liberals realize. It was Nixon, after all, who opened the door to China and who eventually brought American troops home from Vietnam.Former House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, 1987In two hundred years of history, he’s the most dishonest president we’ve ever had. I think he’s disgraced the ernor Jimmy Carter (D-GA), 1974Presidential election of 1972Candidates:R – Pres. Richard Nixon (CA) and VP Spiro Agnew (MD)D – Sen. George McGovern (SD) and R. Sargent Shriver (MD)I am not embarrassed to be George McGovern’s seventh choice for vice president. We Democrats may be short of money but we’re not short of talent. Pity Mr. Nixon – his first and only choice was Spiro Agnew.Sargent Shriver, 1968Campaign:McGovern began the 1972 push for the presidency as a dark horse, but a string ofevents allowed him to rise to the . George Wallace (D-AL) made a series of impressive primary victories in the south, as well as Maryland and Michigan but while campaigning in Maryland, he was shot and paralyzed by a crazed man named Arthur Bremer.Meanwhile, former VP Hubert Humphrey bowed out after a loss in the California primary. McGovern’s first three choices for vice president all declined and his fourth, Sen. Thomas Eagleton (D-MO), was forced off the ticket when news surfaced that he had undergone electric shock treatment. I am 1,000% for Tom Eagleton and I have no intention of dropping him from the ticket.Sen. George McGovern, 1972It was after this setback that McGovern chose former Peace Corp directorR. Sargent Shriver. I think we lost the election in Miami (scene of the Democratic National Convention)….The American people made an association between McGovern and gay liberation, and welfare rights and pot-smoking and black militants, and women’s lib and wise college kids.Rep. James O’Hara (D-MI)For the campaign, McGovern could not shake the image of a radical leftist and some of his policy suggestions, such as given every American $1,000, seemed a little unsound and certainly not advisable. Even as the Watergate scandal emerged and McGovern charged that Nixon and his administration was the most corrupt in U.S. history, few paid attention.He called for an immediate end of the war and promised that after his first few months as presidency, all soldiers would be returned home.Nixon, in a comfortable lead, followed an old-style campaign strategy of very fewpersonal appearances and a reliance on supporters speaking on his behalf. It was the first election where 18 to 20 year-olds could vote and it was thought itwould prove to be a benefit for McGovern – they did not help.Conclusion:Nixon (520, 60.6%) coasted to an easy victory over McGovern (17, 37.5%), who won only Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Gerald R. Ford – the man:Physical – His muscular, handsome features gave hint to those features he wowed people with as a football star at the University of Michigan. His health was generally good with the exception of bad knees from the Halcion days of playing football. Given his natural athletic ability, he was the subject of many jokes and comic skits on television, mocking his seemingly lack of agility. Personality – He was largely considered a warm, considerate, open, friendly and honest person who had a genuine affection for most people he met. This partly explains a near 30 year career in the Congress without making many enemies. However, if pushed, he could lull people into thinking they got one over on Ford only to discover later, it was the other way around.Faith – Ford was an Episcopalian and often turned to prayer during the difficult years of his presidency. Recreation – A natural athlete, Ford was quite adept at golf (an 18 handicap), swimming, tennis and skiing. He also began each day with an exercise bike and weight lifting. He was an avid football fan, particular for his former team, the Wolverines. He also smoked a pipe, about eight bowls a day.Death – As Ford entered his 90s, he began suffering strokes and later, had to be fitted for a pacemaker. However, he soon learned he was in the last stages of coronary artery disease. On 26 December 2006, he died of arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease at the age of 93.In all the years I sat in the House, I never knew Mr. Ford to make a dishonest statement nor a statement part-true and part-false. He never attempted to shade a statement, and I never heard him utter an unkind word.Rep. Martha Griffiths (D-MI), 1974I think this Republican administration has been almost all style and spectacular and not substance…As far as foreign policy goes, Mr. Kissinger has been the President of this country. Mr. Ford has shown an absence of leadership, and an absence of a grasp of what this country is and what it ought to . Jimmy Carter, as the Democratic candidate for president, 1976Presidential Election of 1976Candidates:D – Gov. Jimmy Carter (GA) and Sen. Walter Mondale (MN)R – Pres. Gerald Ford (MI) and Sen. Robert Dole (KS)Campaign:Jimmy Carter was about as dark of a dark horse as has ever been as he declared his candidacy nearly two years before the election under the theme of restoring trust in government.By the primaries, Carter methodically knocked out his opponents, including former Governor George Wallace (D-GA), Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ) and Sen. Henry Jackson (D-WA).When Jimmy Carter says he’ll beat you, he’ll beat you, and he beat us fairand square. As I leave the convention hall tonight, I’m going to have one of those (Carter) buttons that dogged me all over America.Rep. Morris Udall, 1968Ford was the favorite for the Republican nomination but he had strong challenges from Sen. Robert Dole (R-KS) and even more so from former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA).At the convention, Ford barely eked out a victory over Reagan and took on the occasionally combative Dole as his running mate.Ford came out of the convention 30 points behind but a blistering attack of Carter’s less-than-secure handle on the issues as well as a damaging interview Carter did for Playboy, in which he confessed to committing adultery in his mind often, did much to close the gap.By election night, most experts said the election was too close to call.Ford’s biggest handicap was his pardon of President Nixon for his role in the Watergate break-in and cover-up. With such an even race, much fell to the debates – while observers felt that Fordtook the first debate, he stumbled badly in the second, suggesting eastern Europe was not under communist control and in the third debate, Carter pressed harder on Ford, taking the last debate, according to experts.In the vice presidential debate, Dole caused a bit of a row by suggesting that all the wars of the 20th-century was started by Democrats.The inability of President Ford and Jimmy Carter to excite, arouse, and mobilizethe country, can be ascribed to many reasons. The principal one is that vast numbers of voters have looked at the two men and see no practical differences.Jerald ter Horst, staffer for President Gerald Ford, 1976Conclusion:Carter (297, 50%) narrowly defeated Ford (240, 48%) as Carter used support fromthe South, northern urban centers, minorities and labor to slip past the president. Jimmy Carter – the man:Physical – A small, slight man, his most distinctive feature was a large, toothy grin. He had a bad knee and a permanently bent finger from an early cotton gin accident. He speaks with a soft, southern accent, dressing simply.Personality – Carter has always been considered an inward person, capable of introspection and self-analysis. As president, he was strikingly unpretentious, often known for carrying his own bag. Despite his down-home mannerisms, he is very self-confident and has been known to be a bit steely with people who upset him or cross him.Faith – A life-long Baptist, he experienced an intense revitalization in his faith and he carried that with him into the White House. During the campaign, he returned to Plains, Georgia to teach Sunday School at Plains Baptist Church. He did the same at the First Baptist Church in Washington while president and at night, he and his wife took turns reading the Bible to one another.Recreation – An avid sportsman, Carter jogs, hikes, bikes, plays tennis and was known for cross-country skiing. He is also known for reading 2,000 words a minute and can rip through four books a week, along with his work-related reading. He enjoys classical music as well as modern folk music. He drank Scotch moderately and occasionally enjoyed a cigar.When it came to understanding the issues of the day, Jimmy Carter was the smartest public official I’ve ever known. The range and extent of his knowledge were astounding; he could speak with authority about energy, the nuclear issue, space travel, the Middle East, Latin America, human rights, American history and just about any other topic that came up.Former House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, 1987The Carter administration has managed the extraordinary feat of having, at one and the same time, the worst relations with our allies, the worst relations with our adversaries and the most serious upheavals in the developing world since the end of the Second World War.Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, 1980Presidential Election of 1980Candidates:R – Fmr. Gov. Ronald Reagan (CA) and Fmr. CIA Dir. George H.W. Bush (TX)D – Pres. Jimmy Carter (GA) and VP Walter Mondale (MN)I – Rep. John Anderson (R-IL) and Ambassador Patrick Lucey (D-WI)What’s to spoil? Spoil the chances of two men at least have the country doesn’t want?Rep. John Anderson (R-IL) on charges he was playing the spoilerCampaign:Carter had a great deal going against him in his re-election bid, including rampant inflation, gas shortage, high cost of living and the continuing hostage crisis in Iran.The hostage crisis, had come to symbolize the collective frustration of theAmerican people. And in that sense, the President’s chances for re-election probably died on the desert of Iran with eight brave soldiers who gave their lives trying to free the American hostages.Hamilton Jordan, Jimmy Carter’s chief strategist Carter even had trouble working with the Democratic Congress.The Reagan camp was quick to point out his list of promises that he released, filled with his lost opportunities including failure to balance the budget and cutting the Pentagon’s funds.Minister Jerry Falwell, representing what he called the “Moral Majority”,attacked the Carter administration, though Carter was known for his support by evangelical Christians.Behind Falwell’s attacks, 2/3 of white evangelical Christians supported Ronald Reagan. Reagan touted his supply-side economics plan, something ridiculed by Carter. Meanwhile, Reagan constantly asked whether Americans were better offnow than they were four years ago and many decided they were not.Are you better off now than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago?....And if you answer all of those questions “yes”, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. Ronald Reagan, 1980During the debates, Reagan responded to Carter’s attempts at painting his opponent as a warmonger with a rueful, “There you go again.”His likeable persona was seemingly at odds with Carter’s characterization as a dangerous war-monger. Conclusion:Ronald Reagan (489, 51%) easily defeated Jimmy Carter (49, 41%) Ronald Reagan – the man:Physical – At the time of his inauguration, he was the oldest president in history. Throughout his term in office, he was in good health, vigorous and youthful. He was severely nearsighted and was hard of hearing. As president, he had hay fever and colon cancer. During the last years of his presidency, it is believed that he was suffering from the onsets of Alzheimer’s disease. Personality – Known as the Great Communicator, he was a gifted story teller and seemingly had plenty of them to tell. He was jovial, affable, even-tempered and optimistic. Privately, he could be aloof and intensely private. He was not given to detail-oriented issues, sticking to broader concepts.Faith – While often speaking of God and an intense faith in Christianity, he seldom attended services. He was associated with the Disciples of Christ and the Presbyterians. Recreation – He was an avid fitness devotee. He worked out strenuously each day. His time at his ranch were his favorite moments, filling his time clearing brush, building fences and chopping wood. He did not smoke and rarely drank. Death – He died on 5 June 2004 due to pneumonia, a complication of his Alzheimer’s disease from which he suffered for a decade. He was 93 years old.Let us above all thank President Reagan for ending the West’s retreat from world responsibility, for restoring the pride and leadership of the United States, and for giving the West back its confidence. He has left America stronger, prouder, greater than ever before and we thank him for it.British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 1988Reaganites say that Reagan has lifted our “spirits” – correct if they mean he led the nation in a drunken world-record spending binge while leaving millions of American workers, consumers and pollution victims defenseless.Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, 1989Presidential Election of 1984Candidates:R – Pres. Ronald Reagan (CA) and VP George H.W. Bush (TX)D – Fmr. VP Walter Mondale (MN) and Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (NY)I know myself, I am ready. I am ready to be President of the United States.Former VP Walter Mondale, 1982Campaign:The Mondale campaign began shakily after the Democrat convention when Ferraro had to explain her lack of disclosure regarding her husband’sfinances.Once allowed to get back to his message, Mondale hammered Reagan onfailure to balance the budget and large-scale deficit spending.Mondale advocated higher taxes on the wealthy and greater protectionistmeasures with regards to trade.He supported a nuclear freeze and supported the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).He further ridiculed the administration for skyrocketing defense spending and a wasteful and seemingly inoperable space defense measure called SDI. The Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few shortphrases: if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stopsmoving, subsidize it.Ronald ReaganThe first presidential debate saw a confused and ineffective Reagan leading to questions about his age and whether he was up for the job any longer.When age was brought up during the second debate, Reagan had one of his most memorable lines. I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I’m not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience. Ronald Reagan, 1980This led to laughs from the crowd, the moderators and Mondale himself. It TV can tell the truth…you’ll see that I was smiling. But I think if you come in close, you’ll see some tears coming down because Iknew he had gotten me there. That was really the end of my campaign that night, I think. (I told my wife) the campaign was over, and it was.Walter Mondale, 2012As the election neared, the only clear groups that Mondale seemed to be favored in were blacks, Jews and Hispanics as well as the very poor – in everyother demographic group, Reagan held large leads.Conclusion:Reagan cruised to an even bigger victory (525, 59%) over Mondale (13, 41%).Mondale only carried his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia. When asked in December 1984 what he wanted for Christmas, Reagan said, “Well, Minnesota would have been nice.”Reagan, to date, is the last Republican to win the entire northeast and Pacificcoast.Presidential Election of 1988Candidates:R – VP George H.W. Bush (TX) and Sen. Dan Quayle (IN)D – Gov. Michael Dukakis (MA) and Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (TX)Campaign:Bush was seen as the standard bearer for the Reagan philosophy but ran into trouble fairly early during the campaign – his image.The decorated WWII fighter pilot had to deal with comments such as Newsweek’s headline – “Fighting the Wimp Factor.”Dukakis was little known throughout the country at the beginning of the campaignand was attacked early and often by the Bush team for his record asgovernor, including his furlough program for prisoners. This election is not about ideology, it is about competence.Michael Dukakis, 1988By September, Bush was well behind the newcomer but in the remaining monthsand as a result of a blistering negative campaign, he made up the difference.He also made a stand on Dukakis’ suggestion that he would raise taxes and the only difference between him and Bush was that he wouldadmit it.My opponent, my opponent won’t rule out raising taxes. But I will. And the Congress will push me to raise taxes and I’ll say no. And they’ll push and I’ll say no, and they’ll push again, and I’ll say, to them, “Read my lips – no new taxes.Vice President George H.W. Bush, 1988Three things in particular hurt Dukakis and allowed Bush to erase an early deficit.One, Willie Horton, a prisoner from the aforementioned furlough program, was granted release and ended up raping another woman.Two, during a debate, CNN moderator Bernard Shaw asked if Dukakis’ wife was raped and murdered, would he still be against the death penalty – Dukakis responded with a cold reply of statistics on theineffectiveness of the death penalty.Third, a photo op meant to show the tough side of the governor ended in mockery with a picture of a smiling Dukakis in a tank, with a helmet on – he looked completely out of place.One of the most quotable moments of the 1988 campaign came from an unlikely source – the vice-presidential debate.The quote followed an attempt to answer charges by some that Quayle wastoo young to run for office by bringing up the age of John F. Kennedy.Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, 1988Conclusion:In a stunning come-from-behind victory, Bush (426, 53%) defeated Dukakis (111, 46%). George H.W. Bush – the man:Physical – He is 6’2” and his most noticeable trademark is his uneven grin, a trademark seen on his father and his eldest son. He is hard of hearing, the result of his time as a WW II pilot and being around loud engines. He is left handed and speaks with a lisp. Personality – As vice president, people assumed he was deferential and reserve but it was simply the role he was playing. As president, he was seen as tough when called upon and tenacious. He could get emotional but still preferred to speak off the cuff and in small groups as opposed to prepared speeches in front of large crowds. His friends refer to him as funny, warm, generous, considerate, unpretentious and “unerringly polite.” George is not John Wayne. He’s more like Gary Cooper in High Noon. He’s very gentle. He would much rather talk than fight. But he’s capable of taking care of himself.Republican strategist, Roger AilesFaith – He is a lifelong Episcopalian whose family often read out loud passages from the Bible. He and his wife regularly attend Sunday services and maintain the family tradition of Bible reading and nightly prayers. Recreation – He has regularly jogged since 1976 and engages frequently in outdoor activities. He is known for his abilities in tennis but also plays golf. He is a frequent fisherman and a longtime baseball fan. He also enjoys reading.I’ve always felt if there’s one thing you could count on George Bush for, it’s decency and fairness.Mayor Andrew Young of Atlanta, 1988For all the credit that President Bush deserves for his magnificent leadership after the Iraqi invasion, the truth is that his administration not only resisted imposing sanctions on Iraq before August 2, but, by giving Mr. Hussein the impression he could invade his defenseless neighbor with impunity, made the aggression more likely. Rep. Stephen Solarz (D-NY), 1991Presidential Election of 1992Candidates:D – Gov. Bill Clinton (AR) and Sen. Al Gore (TN)That’s why we need a new approach to government, a government that offers more empowerment and less entitlement…A government that is leaner, not meaner…a government that understands that jobs must come from growth in a vibrant and vital system of free enterprise….(Based on) a solemn agreement between the people and their government based not simply on what each of us can take but what all of us must give to our Nation.Bill Clinton, Acceptance Speech at Democratic National Convention, 1992R – Pres. George H.W. Bush (TX) and VP Dan Quayle (IN)I – Businessman H. Ross Perot (TX) and fmr. Admiral James StockdaleWell, they’ve got a point, I don’t have any experience in gridlock government, where nobody takes any responsibility for anything and everybody blames everybody else….I’ve got a lot of experience in not taking ten years to solve a ten-minute problem.H. Ross Perot, 1992Campaign: Though Bush had an unprecedented 90% approval rating in the aftermath of the Gulf War, the economy sagged and it appeared he had little answers to the problem and others declared he did not care.Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign hammered the president under the slogan, “It’s the Economy, Stupid.”Bush received a great deal of pushback from the conservative wing of his party due to breaking his pledge not to raise taxes. Unhappiness within his party made the likelihood of a third party more imminent and it came in the form of H. Ross Perot, a businessmanfrom Texas.Representing the Independent Party, Perot made great use of television appearances, particularly on CNN’s Larry King Live. He represented the concerns of “real” Americans who were fed up with the lack of credibility from both major parties.Bush’s campaign seemed in disarray in the aftermath of 1988 mastermind LeeAtwater’s death to brain cancer the year before – without his guiding voice, the Bush campaign seemed less focused.Clinton battled through the primaries and the campaign and through one potentially devastating scandal after another – including sexual harassment, dodging the Vietnam draft and smoking pot in college, claiming he did not inhale.This fellow (the Democrats) nominated claims he’s the new Thomas Jefferson. Well, let me tell you something. I knew Thomas Jefferson. He was a friend of mine. And governor, you’re no Thomas Jefferson.Ronald Reagan, 1992 Republican National ConventionConclusion:Clinton (370, 43%), taking advantage of a hampered Bush campaign and loss votes to Perot, cruised to a plurality victory against the president (168, 38%) and the Texas businessman (0, 19%).William Jefferson Clinton – the man:Physical – Standing 6’2”, he has piercing blue-gray eyes, thick, gray hair and struggled withfluctuating weight issues. The left-handed president deals with chronic laryngitis, often losing his voice. He suffers from allergies and he is slightly hard of hearing.Personality – One trait that stands out is his ability to throw off opponents with misdirection ofthought and stances, leading to a rather unflattering nickname of “Slick Willie.” A partof this persona includes making many people of varying positions to feel as if he empathizes with them when in actuality, he is simply playing the peace maker – a skill that some suggested came from dealing with a chronic alcoholic father. He is personable and outgoing, loves speaking with people and can play up the folksy Arkansas personawhen called upon but can also shift to more proper English in more formal settings.Faith – He is an ardent Southern Baptist. He has fluctuated however in his attendance with hisearly years and most recent years seeing greater church attendance. He is a member of aBaptist church in Little Rock.Recreation – His hobbies and loves are as varied as a man of such education and intelligence would suggest. Physically, he loves golf, swimming and jogging but intellectually, he is a voracious reader and a crossword puzzle junkie which he does in pen at championship speed. He frequently reads German language books and magazines. He is an accomplished musician, particularly with the saxophone. In order to overcome the Reagan ascendency Democrats needed to advance the rights secured during the 1960s while returning to more traditional political bedrock. To a remarkable extent, Clinton delivered on that promise….Governor Clinton said in 1991, “Government’s responsibility is to create more opportunity for everybody, and our responsibility is to make the most of it.” These are Democratic ideas, and liberal ones. Bill Clinton reaffirmed, updated and carried them forward into the twenty-first century.Sean Wilentz, 2011He has been through the hottest fire American politics has ever had to test somebody. And he’s come out like fire-tempered Pennsylvania steel.Sen. Harris Woffard (D-PA), 1992Clinton didn’t, as he now claims, lead us “to a new era of peace.” He inherited a hard-won peace, failed to lead and part of his legacy is 9/11. It was understandable (if unfortunate) that in 1992, after the end of the Cold War, the American people would think they could afford a president who would fatuously think it enough to claim to be “on the right side of history” (whatever that means), rather than being willing to make tough decisions.William Kristol, 2008Presidential Election of 1996Candidates:D – Pres. Bill Clinton (AR) and VP Al Gore (TN)R – Sen. Bob Dole (KS) and fmr. Housing Secretary Jack Kemp (NY)Reform – H. Ross Perot (TX) and economist Pat Choate (TX)Campaign:The 1994 mid-term elections, leading to the first Republican majority in the House since the 1950s, promised a great deal of hope for Republicans.However, a budget showdown with the president painted the HouseRepublicans in a negative, uncompromising light and dampenedDole’s chance for the White House.Much was done by the Clinton campaign to characterize Dole as an aged conservative who was out of touch with the issues important to Americans.At 72, he was the oldest person to run for president for the first time buthis age led to some unfortunate incidents.Dole did damage by falling off a platform during a speaking engagement and referred to the Los Angeles Dodgersas Brooklyn Dodgers – the place they left in the 1950s.And it must be said because of misguided priorities there have been massive cuts in funding for our national security. I believe President Clinton has failed to adequately provide for our defense. And for whatever reason the neglect, it is irresponsible.Sen. Bob Dole, 1996Clinton painted Dole as in league with House Speaker Newt Gingrich, establishing this in the mind of Americans before Dole could even get outof the primaries.Though Perot was running again, he failed to land a place in the presidential debates, leading to a lawsuit by the Perot campaign – he lost both the election and the lawsuit.Towards the end of the campaign, Dole began showing some of his personality that he was known for and even managed to close the gap but not nearly enough to threaten the comfortable lead in the polls that Clinton enjoyedthe entire campaign.Conclusion:Despite the comfortable lead, Clinton (379, 49%) managed only a plurality victory over Dole (159, 41%) and Perot (0, 8%). Presidential Election of 2000Candidates:R – Gov. George W. Bush (TX) and fmr. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney (WY)Our current president embodied the potential of a generation – so many talents, so much charm, such great skill. But in the end, to what end? So much promise to no great . George W. Bush, nominating acceptance speech, 2000D – VP Al Gore (TN) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT)But let me say it plainly: I will not go along with a huge tax cut for the wealthy at the expense of everyone else and wreck our good economy in the process.VP Al Gore, nominating acceptance speech, 2000Campaign:Most of the issue-oriented discussion centered on domestic affairs as the candidates argued over Social Security and Medicare – both candidates suggesting their own recipe for tax relief.Regarding Clinton’s foreign policy, the Bush campaign highlighted concern over the actions in Somalia, suggesting that American troops should not be in the business of “nation building.”A couple of non-issue discussions were held against the Gore campaign:One, Bush portrayed himself as an outsider and suggesting that the atmosphere in Washington prevented anything getting done.He said he would work with Democrats the way he successfully did while governor of Texas.Two, Bush promised to bring honor and integrity back to the White Houseas he connected Gore to the scandal-ridden last years of the Clinton White House.To combat this, Gore seldom invited Clinton with him on the campaign trail. One of the more memorable moments during the presidential debates was anincident when Gore, upset at something his opponent was saying, marched defiantly up to Bush as the governor was answering a question – Bush gave a surprised look and a nod with a smirk and then returned to answering the question. Gore fought perceptions that he was stiff, over-rehearsed and not natural compared with Bush, who came across, in small groups, as relaxed and friendly.Gore’s vice presidential running mate, Joe Lieberman, was the first Jew on a national major party ticket.Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every politicalpractitioner in the country and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in the its politicians.Charles Krauthammer, political analystConclusion:As the election results were coming in, news broadcasts first declared Florida forBush, then Gore, then undecided – in fact, the election results in Florida,reminiscent of 1876, were skewed and left many unsure as to who won.The initial count suggested Bush won by the slimmest of margins but Gore, unlikeNixon in 1960, demanded a recount and the waters grew muddier.The recount was hampered by different counting standards and methodsin different voting districts.The state of Florida declared the results in favor of the Republican but shortly thereafter, the Gore campaign sued to have a recount performed on the whole state.When the Supreme Court ruled against a re-count, on the basis that uniformity was impossible, Bush (271, 47.9%) eked out a victory over Gore (266, 48.4%). It was the closest election in U.S. history.George W. Bush – the man:Physical – Standing 6 feet and weighing just under 200 pounds, he is described as handsome and with a strong semblance to his father. He has an athletic build, the result of running daily. He has mild hearing loss, is farsighted and after an early life filled with alcohol and drug abuse, he has remained sober since the mid-1980s. While a good communicator, he is most known for his Texas drawl and grammatical mistakes.Personality – He is considered a very personable individual with the ability to put people at ease with humor and storytelling. He is very confident in his abilities and has a strong understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. He is fiercely competitive and when he cannot best someone physically, he is known to distract them with humor or other psychological ploys.Faith – While raised in the Episcopalian Church, as an adult, he has been a member of the United Methodist Church.Recreation – He is an avid runner who also enjoys fishing, painting and tending to his ranch.You know, Vince Lombardi once said that success is not about strength, it’s not about knowledge, but it’s about will. And that’s the leadership that President George W. Bush has provided. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, 2007 Mr. President, let me say that I am filled with admiration for you and deep gratitude for you about the great contributions you have made to the most needy people on Earth.President Jimmy Carter on President Bush’s work in Sudan and AIDS in Africa, 2013(President George W. Bush) has a vision which can be described with two other words: Manichaean paranoia…the notion that he is leading the forces of good against the empire of evil, that in that setting, the fact that we are morally superior justifies us committing immoral acts. And that is a very dangerous posture for the country that is the number one global power….The fact is he squandered our credibility, our legitimacy and even respect for our power.Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor under President Carter, 2007Presidential Election of 2004Candidates:R – Pres. George W. Bush (TX) and VP Dick Cheney (WY)D – Sen. John Kerry (MA) and Sen. John Edwards (NC)Campaign: The major issue of the campaign centered on Bush’s actions in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks with actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.Bush emphasized that America was safe since the 2001 attacks and that he stood resolute and unwavering.Meanwhile, he characterized Kerry as uncertain, pointing out his various blundering attempts explaining his own divided opinion on the war. I actually did vote for the $87b dollars before I voted against it.Sen. John Kerry in explaining his support for the war in Iraq, 2004Kerry decided to focus on what he would do domestically while saying Bush andhis policies had made the U.S. more resented abroad. The president’s job is not to take an international poll. Our national security decisions will be made in the Oval Office, not in foreign capitals. President George W. Bush, 2004Kerry also sought to exploit Bush’s dwindling approval ratings since its apex shortly after the 9/11 attacks and the capture of Saddam Hussein.Kerry also suggested that Bush’s war in Iraq was illegitimate since thepresident’s reason for going in, the presence of weapons of massdestruction, were never found.You’ve got about 500 troops here, 500 troops there and it’s American troops that are 90% of the combat casualties and it’s American taxpayers that are paying 90% of the cost of the war. It’s the wrong war, in the wrong place at the wrong time.Sen. John Kerry, 2004The past loomed large for both candidates throughout the campaign:For Bush, documents were released to say he did not fulfill his duties to the Texas Air National Guard, reported by CBS who later had toconcede the documents were from a dubious source and not credible.Additionally, there was a movement among some Democrats to right the wrong committed during the 2000 election similarto the Democratic support of Andrew Jackson in light of the “corrupt bargain” of 1824.To these people, Bush should never have been president and thiswas a chance to correct the wrong four years earlier.Meanwhile, a 504 group called Swift Vets, referring to Vietnam vets who served on swift boats as Kerry did, conducted a damaging attack on the Democrat, saying Kerry had misrepresented his service andexaggerated “war crimes” by Americans he said he witnessed. For more than thirty years, most Vietnam veterans kept silent as we were maligned as misfits, drug addicts and baby killers. Now that a key creatorof that poisonous image is seeking the Presidency we have resolved to end our silence.Swift Boat Veterans for TruthA released video by Osama bin Laden shortly before the election drove up Bush’spoll numbers and in essence, closed the door for a possible Kerry upset.Kerry, like Gore, was criticized for his lack of persona, emerging during the lasttwo debates – he created controversy bringing up VP Cheney’s daughter’shomosexuality – following a comment that Edwards made during the VPdebate.In response, Cheney suggested that his family be kept out of Democratictalking points. Conclusion:While still close, President Bush (286, 51%) managed a more comfortable victory over Kerry (251, 48%). Presidential Election of 2008Candidates:D – Sen. Barack Obama (IL) and Sen. Joe Biden (DE)R – Sen. John McCain (AZ) and Gov. Sarah Palin (AK)Campaign:Barack Obama’s escape from the Democratic primary field was protracted due toa lengthy fight with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nominee.Some suggested that because Clinton stayed in the race for the nomination for so long, she damaged Obama in competitionagainst the Republicans.With an eye toward the future, with resolve in our hearts, let us rememberthis history, and answer our destiny, and remake the world once again.Sen. Barack Obama, Berlin, Germany, 2008John McCain had often been a bride’s maid, never the bride but after eightyears of President Bush, some felt that his more moderate and respected voice was what was needed.Fight with me. Fight for what’s right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people….We’re Americans and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.Sen. John McCain, nominating acceptance speech, 2008Iraq and Bush’s involvement in the country was under heavy debate early onduring the campaign – the campaigns were easily divided as McCain wasstrongly in favor of the war and Obama was clearly not in favor of a continued American presence in Iraq.Bush’s unpopularity was also an issue but McCain was also known for buckinghis Republican colleagues and going his own way, minimizing his connection with George Bush.The McCain campaign tried to make an issue, as the Clinton campaign did duringthe Democratic primaries, of Obama’s lack of experience and unsuitability to be president.Obama and other Democrats countered with the inexperience and politicalna?veté of Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin.Late in the campaign, the biggest bolster for the Obama camp was a downturn of the American economy as Wall Street sunk to new levels – Obama was able to make the adjustment to an economic policy but McCain was slower to do so, leading some to question if he could be a good domestic president.America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.Sen. Barack Obama, 2008Obama’s desire for a nationalized health care system was also a big issue. While Gov. Sarah Palin drew amazingly large crowds, more so than McCain, she was lampooned and heavily criticized for her lack of knowledge of political and economic facts.While some have characterized Palin as being responsible for the lack of support for McCain, others have suggested she nearly won it forthe Republicans because of her popularity. Conclusion:Obama (365, 53%) cruised to an easy victory over McCain (173, 46%). Barack H. Obama – the man:Physical – The left-handed president is listed at a little above 6 foot but is thought to be muchtaller. He has maintained good health, despite being a smoker prior to entering the OvalOffice.Personality – Charming, charismatic and possessing a strong personality, he presents the image of a laid back individual while inside, is driven and determined. He has been characterized as confident and scholarly.Faith – While raised in a largely secular home, he considers himself a Christian as a member of Trinity United Church of Christ.Recreation – An avid gym-rat, he is committed to time in the gym. He is also a huge basketball fan and plays the sport often. It is said, he is quite good though he added, “he has difficulty going to his right.” His time as an Illinois politician drew him into Chicago sports. He also enjoys reading and having dinner with friends.He has been…open, practically apolitical, certainly nonpartisan, in terms of welcoming every idea and solution. I think that’s one of the reasons the Republicans want to take him down politically, because they know he is a nonpartisan president, and that’s something very hard for them to cope with.Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), 2013He went to Massachusetts to campaign against Scott Brown; Brown is now a senator. He went to New Jersey to campaign against Chris Christie, who’s now governor….He campaigned for the health care plan extensively, it became less popular. He campaigned in 2010 for the Democrats, they were shellacked. He began, in a sense, his presidency flying to Copenhagen to get Chicago the Olympics; Chicago was the first city eliminated. There is no evidence that the man has the rhetorical powers that he is relying on. George Will, 2011Presidential Election of 2012Candidates:D – Pres. Barack Obama (IL) and VP Joe Biden (DE)R – Fmr. Gov. Mitt Romney (MA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (WI)Campaign:Whereas in 2008, with a campaign that began with foreign issues and segued into domestic issues, 2012 was one long domestic treatise by both candidates.This time, it was Romney, though a presumptive favorite, who had to fight through a protracted primary fight, leaving some to suggest that he had been too beaten up and forced too far to the right to be a viable national candidate.The main issue during the campaign was the nature and extent of the economic recovery since Obama’s first days in office.Obama stated that he prevented a worse economy and brought the countryback from the brink with major improvements in various sectors.Romney said that the economy was stagnated and it was due to the anti-business policies of the president.He championed his own business practices and résumé in order toshowcase his ability to turn around a company and his ability to turn around the country.Most predicted an Obama victory but during the first debate, Romney came out strong and on the offensive, while the president seemed tired and not engaged – it was a performance that led many to question whetherObama could bounce back.The following two debates showed an improved Obama but not a resounding one as Romney maintained a steady pace of performance.The campaign featured a horribly unfortunate comment by Romney, recordedsecretly during a fundraising dinner in which he appeared to “write off” 47% that the Republicans have no chance with and who look to the government for handouts and assistance. It was reminiscent to Obama’s comments during the 2008 election whenhe criticized those who “cling to their guns or religion” – Romney’s comment proved much more damaging.Romney also fought those who criticized his bland personality, similar to the arguments made against Al Gore and John Kerry in previous elections.Others feared that some voted against him (or simply did not vote for him)because he was a Latter Day Saint. Conclusion:In a much closer election than his first and much closer than some pundits predicted, Obama (332, 51%) defeated Romney (206, 47%) to win re-election. Presidential Election of 2016Candidates:D – Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (NY) and Sen. Tim Kaine (VA) R – Donald J. Trump (NY) and Gov. Mike Pence (IN)Campaign:The campaign was a horribly negative, ad hominem laden affair where members of both parties could not tolerate their party’s nomination.Trump, contrary to past candidates, seemed to be able to weather all sorts of controversies. However, the presence of the litany of issues including crassness and charges of sexual impropriety caused many Republicans to shy away from him.Clinton was also saddled with a host of controversies, most notably her handling of the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi,Libya.That and issues with secrets through private email servers (plus thepopularity of her primary opponent – Bernie Sanders) keptmany Democrats from voting for her.The quality of the candidates and the consistent waves of controversy led many people to refer to the election as one of the worst ran and representedelection in U.S. history.Conclusion:In what many felt was the most shocking presidential election result in recent memory, Trump managed an electoral victory (304, 227) but the popularvote eluded him (46%, 48%). The key to the Trump victory was his success in former Democratically-controlled blue collar states and unions, as well as Republican safe territory like rural regions. ................
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