tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post6763467887022498147..comments2024-03-27T18:18:11.525-06:00Comments on American Creation: The Election of 1800: A Model of Crazy, Dirty CampaigningBrad Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-18137827251436631642010-11-07T14:39:53.394-07:002010-11-07T14:39:53.394-07:00Great job Brad. George Will like post that helps e...Great job Brad. George Will like post that helps explain the present by putting it into the larger context. I do not say that lightly.King of Irelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11793825722325763371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-9823251418582443422010-11-06T20:30:03.336-06:002010-11-06T20:30:03.336-06:00In Negro President, Garry Wills points out that th...In <i>Negro President</i>, Garry Wills points out that the 1800 election was so close that Adams would have won if Electoral College votes were distributed according to free population only. The Constitution’s 3/5 clause gave states with large enslaved populations more votes, which were of course cast almost entirely by slaveholders.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-563587756237854412010-11-06T08:53:23.612-06:002010-11-06T08:53:23.612-06:00I love this blog!
Can I be a tory and a federalis...I love this blog!<br /><br />Can I be a tory and a federalist. Whoops, I forgot that John Adams probably came close. After all, he did defend the British Soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre with great success.<br /><br />No wonder I like Adams and hate Jefferson.<br /><br />Besides, there is a family legend that I am descended from Nathaniel Prior. If it weren't for that SOB Jefferson, he wouldn't have been a deadbeat dad and my ggggggreat-grandfather would have known his dad!Laci the Chinese Crestedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07371541369012938298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-57520928117150942272010-11-04T19:19:54.390-06:002010-11-04T19:19:54.390-06:00Or, as my wife put it at the time, we had a choice...Or, as my wife put it at the time, we had a choice between a jock and a hologram. 2 years in, I think it still holds up.<br /><br />[We just had a laugh about that---here in California, she said we just had a choice between an inexperienced corporate wonk and Governor Moonbeam.]<br /><br />[Me, I went Moonbeam, in case you were curious.]Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-3056739893940968102010-11-02T22:36:52.616-06:002010-11-02T22:36:52.616-06:00I tend to agree, Tom. I think the American people ...<i>I tend to agree, Tom. I think the American people have almost always elected the right person at the right time (with maybe an exception being made for Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter).</i><br /><br />Y'know, Brad, I had the same thought but cut it short.<br /><br />And McGovern '72 was still not a better alternative, and neither do I blame the American people for choosing the fresh, pure [and quite qualified, as a 2-term governor] Carter over the unelected Ford---our nation reached for the mouthwash.<br /><br />Nixon's first term was in my view unobjectionable, if not worthy of praise; Hubert Humphrey was an admirable man, a "happy warrior," but a pale imitation of another good man who lost [twice], Adlai Stevenson.<br /><br />Anyway, I find it funny---really, gratifying---that you & I agree that the American people made their best possible and informed choice, at least in our lifetimes.<br /><br />I voted against President Obama, but I will not argue that John McCain would have been the better choice.Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-7594099419370245482010-11-02T22:02:31.347-06:002010-11-02T22:02:31.347-06:00I tend to agree, Tom. I think the American people...I tend to agree, Tom. I think the American people have almost always elected the right person at the right time (with maybe an exception being made for Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter). I know that's not what die-hard partisan hacks want to hear but I think it's the truth.<br /><br />Jason:<br /><br />It's funny you bring up the Sec. of State because J. Q. Adams actually argued that his role as Sec. of State to James Monroe was what entitled him to the president over that SCARY fellow, Andrew Jackson. If we think about it, Jackson is really the person who ended this tradition (and I for one am glad).Brad Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-75052698395914067702010-11-02T21:18:31.476-06:002010-11-02T21:18:31.476-06:00Yes, nice reminder of the wild times of our early ...Yes, nice reminder of the wild times of our early republic. It's more ironic given our founding fathers fear of factionalism and political parties. <br /><br />One minor point, however. Before Andrew Jackson the Presidential electors were often chosen by the state governments, if I remember correctly. This gave us Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Quincy Adams--all formerly Secretary of State. Being Secretary of State seems to be the obvious experience for becoming President back then--given that the Presidency was essentially a foreign policy position of a federation of states. <br /><br />Give that roster (the Virginia Dynasty plus the Adams Family) one wonders if it was a better method than our more direct democratic process. Or am I confessing my personal bias?Jason Pappashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18233796281520274898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-29120006680307730872010-11-02T15:29:57.710-06:002010-11-02T15:29:57.710-06:00Nice, Brad.
I happen to trust the American people...Nice, Brad.<br /><br />I happen to trust the American people. Plus, I really have no choice. ;-)Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.com