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Whistlestop: My Favorite Stories from Presidential Campaign History
From Face the Nation moderator and contributing editor for The Atlantic John Dickerson come the stories behind the stories of the most memorable moments in American presidential campaign history.
The stakes are high. The characters full of striving and ego. Presidential campaigns are a contest for control of power in the most powerful country on earth. The battle of ideas has a clear end, with winners and losers, and along the way there are sharp turning points-primaries, debates, conventions, and scandals that squeeze candidates into emergency action, frantic grasping, and heroic gambles. As Mike Murphy the political strategist put it, "Campaigns are like war without bullets."
Whistlestop tells the human story of nervous gambits hatched in first-floor hotel rooms, failures of will before the microphone, and the cross-country crack-ups of long-planned stratagems. At the bar at the end of a campaign day, these are the stories reporters rehash for themselves and embellish for newcomers. In addition to the familiar tales, Whistlestop also remembers the forgotten stories about the bruising and reckless campaigns of the nineteenth century when the combatants believed the consequences included the fate of the republic itself. Some of the most modern-feeling elements of the American presidential campaign were born before the roads were paved and electric lights lit the convention halls-or there were convention halls at all.
Whistlestop is a ride through the American campaign history with one of its most enthusiastic conductors guiding you through the landmarks along the way.
The stakes are high. The characters full of striving and ego. Presidential campaigns are a contest for control of power in the most powerful country on earth. The battle of ideas has a clear end, with winners and losers, and along the way there are sharp turning points-primaries, debates, conventions, and scandals that squeeze candidates into emergency action, frantic grasping, and heroic gambles. As Mike Murphy the political strategist put it, "Campaigns are like war without bullets."
Whistlestop tells the human story of nervous gambits hatched in first-floor hotel rooms, failures of will before the microphone, and the cross-country crack-ups of long-planned stratagems. At the bar at the end of a campaign day, these are the stories reporters rehash for themselves and embellish for newcomers. In addition to the familiar tales, Whistlestop also remembers the forgotten stories about the bruising and reckless campaigns of the nineteenth century when the combatants believed the consequences included the fate of the republic itself. Some of the most modern-feeling elements of the American presidential campaign were born before the roads were paved and electric lights lit the convention halls-or there were convention halls at all.
Whistlestop is a ride through the American campaign history with one of its most enthusiastic conductors guiding you through the landmarks along the way.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2016
148 people are currently reading
1357 people want to read
About the author
John Dickerson
6 books179 followersJohn Dickerson is a Correspondent for 60 Minutes and CBS News Senior Political analyst. He is also a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He is the former moderator of Face the Nation and Political Director of CBS News as well as a co-host of CBS This Morning. Before writing for The Atlantic, Dickerson was Slate magazine's Chief Political Correspondent. Before that he covered the White House for Time magazine, where he was a correspondent for ten years. Dickerson is a co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest as well as the host of "Whistlestop," a podcast of campaign history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
August 19, 2016
Whistlestop is a collection of fascinating stories of presidential campaigns from the 18th century through to the present day. For all the ways in which 2016's election feels completely unprecedented, Whistlestop provides plenty of evidence that this has all happened before, whether it's the nomination of a candidate with no political background (Willkie in 1940) whose volatile temperament is called out by establishment politicians as dangerous to the country (Jackson in 1824/1828, Goldwater in 1964) and who preaches a politics of dog whistles and white grievance (Wallace in 1968/1972), or the public bemoaning a lesser-of-two-evils election in which they must choose between candidates sullied by different types of scandals (Cleveland/Blaine in 1884), or the Republican party torn between nominating a "true conservative" or a candidate who seeks to appeal to less traditional voters (it is kind of nuts how many elections this applies to, I'd estimate more than 2/3 of the elections from the 1930s-forward), or divisive nominating conventions where losing candidates may have undermined the nominees (Rockefeller in 1964, Reagan in 1976, Kennedy in 1980). And regardless of whether these stories have any obvious bearing on the current election or not, they're all interesting, deeply researched, and well-told. My only issue with this book is that, as a listener of Dickeron's Whistlestop podcast that preceded this book, I was disappointed that there is very little new material here. A few paragraphs here and there are changed, a few details added or removed, but having listened to every episode of the podcast since it launched last March, I didn't actually need this book at all. However, given that I love the podcast, and listened to every one of those episodes for free, I don't regret sending a few dollars towards a version of these stories as a way of thanks.
August 16, 2016
If you're interested in this year's election, read this book. If you like American history, read this book. If you think Americans could be smarter about candidates--definitely read this book. The downside is that the typos jump off the page a little too often.
September 13, 2016
John Dickerson's easy, funny and details-rich style of storytelling is probably capable of making grocery lists interesting, but he doesn't have to count so much on his skills in this case since the stories picked for this book are already interesting.
While some stories can be harder to follow if you're not familiar with the history of its period, you can still enjoy them as just stories. Stories of men hailed as heroes or deemed as villains of history, and sometimes forgotten to be just men. The scene-setting details in each story removes the spectacle of history and shows the characters of the story as men stressed out and vulnerable to emotions while making decisions that they understand their historical implications.
I've been an early fan of the Whistlestop podcast which led to this book. This, of course, meant getting the audio version of the book with Dickerson's narration.
In a US election year, this book doesn't just offer fun stories from elections' history, but also puts into perspective some of the not-fun stories from this election. Some of the stories reflects this current election either by mirroring many of its events, or by providing explanation of how we got here.
Recommended.
While some stories can be harder to follow if you're not familiar with the history of its period, you can still enjoy them as just stories. Stories of men hailed as heroes or deemed as villains of history, and sometimes forgotten to be just men. The scene-setting details in each story removes the spectacle of history and shows the characters of the story as men stressed out and vulnerable to emotions while making decisions that they understand their historical implications.
I've been an early fan of the Whistlestop podcast which led to this book. This, of course, meant getting the audio version of the book with Dickerson's narration.
In a US election year, this book doesn't just offer fun stories from elections' history, but also puts into perspective some of the not-fun stories from this election. Some of the stories reflects this current election either by mirroring many of its events, or by providing explanation of how we got here.
Recommended.
October 17, 2021
Brilliant - John Dickerson is as entertaining a writer as he is TV presenter and podcaster. Although published 5 years ago the tales it tells and commentary shows there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the style of American politics
November 6, 2016
As I am writing this, the American Presidential election is just three days away. Like most Americans, I am heartily sick of a sordid, tawdry, seedy, mean campaign season. Earlier in the year, I became convinced that a good chunk of the success of the musical “Hamilton” was the collective realization that even our sainted founding fathers were all too human. It was somehow reassuring about the new low that we seemed to have achieved in the 2016 election.
So it was also inspiriting to read in John Dickerson’s Whistlestop about more entanglements from prior elections. A little distance is calming. (Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed the more recent election stories less.)
I listen regularly to the podcast “Political Gabfest,” and I am a fan of John Dickerson’s sage and even-handed contributions to that sometimes turbulent discussion. The podcast leans unmistakably left, but Dickerson’s views always come with historical grounding. This well-researched book helps to explain why he’s so well informed.
This is not the kind of book you’d want to read straight through. It holds up much better for a short dip into one election story. I think it would make a fine airplane book.
Do any of these stories sound familiar?... Andrew Jackson’s volatile temperament was considered a threat to the stability of the nation in 1824. The Republicans repeatedly debated whether to nominate a true conservative or a moderate who will have broader appeal (e.g. Taft and Eisenhower in 1952, Goldwater and Rockefeller in 1964). A fierce convention fight sometimes damaged the ultimate winner (e.g. Ted Kennedy weakened Jimmy Carter’s candidacy in 1980).
Still, nothing quite compares to the current campaign. May John Dickerson live long and write about the strange tale of 2016 for an unbelieving future audience.
So it was also inspiriting to read in John Dickerson’s Whistlestop about more entanglements from prior elections. A little distance is calming. (Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed the more recent election stories less.)
I listen regularly to the podcast “Political Gabfest,” and I am a fan of John Dickerson’s sage and even-handed contributions to that sometimes turbulent discussion. The podcast leans unmistakably left, but Dickerson’s views always come with historical grounding. This well-researched book helps to explain why he’s so well informed.
This is not the kind of book you’d want to read straight through. It holds up much better for a short dip into one election story. I think it would make a fine airplane book.
Do any of these stories sound familiar?... Andrew Jackson’s volatile temperament was considered a threat to the stability of the nation in 1824. The Republicans repeatedly debated whether to nominate a true conservative or a moderate who will have broader appeal (e.g. Taft and Eisenhower in 1952, Goldwater and Rockefeller in 1964). A fierce convention fight sometimes damaged the ultimate winner (e.g. Ted Kennedy weakened Jimmy Carter’s candidacy in 1980).
Still, nothing quite compares to the current campaign. May John Dickerson live long and write about the strange tale of 2016 for an unbelieving future audience.
August 1, 2016
A fun read and a great collection of some of the most exciting Presidential elections in our history. When folks complain about the '16 election, it's a good reminder that our country has fought every four years dating back to 1800, and some of the elections captured here remind us how seriously we, the people, take these contests.
The storytelling is fresh, given the numerous books already published on each of these elections. For more detailed histories look to the series published by the University of Kansas, or the books written by Schlesinger on presidential elections.
The storytelling is fresh, given the numerous books already published on each of these elections. For more detailed histories look to the series published by the University of Kansas, or the books written by Schlesinger on presidential elections.
January 6, 2017
This collection of remarkably cohesive and varied stories from the history of Presidential campaigns accomplishes exactly what Ken Burns's back cover blurb says it does: "set us straight" in our arrogant belief that our present political moment is new. There are constantly—nearly without fail— echoes of past campaigns in modern movements and Dickerson artfully and accessibly draws those lines for the reader. In the ruins of the 2016 election, I think a book like this is important now more than ever; as the book implicitly argues, it is imperative that we know our history.
February 6, 2018
A delightful series of well-researched articles on various presidential campaign moments - including the Dean Scream, Muskie cries(?), Tippecanoe & Tyler too, and numerous other stories. All are told with John Dickerson's dry wit - which isn't a surprise, as the book is based on the excellent WHISTLESTOP podcast.
Highly recommended - it's especially good for lunch reading as each chapter stands on its own.
Highly recommended - it's especially good for lunch reading as each chapter stands on its own.
August 7, 2016
4.5 stars. It gives me some hope we'll survive our upcoming election no matter the outcome. These are mostly stories you might have heard before but they're written with such wit and style it's just a pleasure to read.
October 12, 2016
A nice breezy read through some of the more nefarious political campaigns of the past. I particularly liked the 1884, Cleveland "Where's My Pa?", as the first overt sex scandal to rock an election. I was unaware of the '52 nomination machinations of Ike. If you want to draw a straight line to today's headlines, read the Reagan ('64, '76, & '80) as well as the distrubing parallels to the George Wallace campaign of '68.
October 24, 2017
By the time I got to the end of Whistlestop, I nearly forgot what I read at the beginning!
That's not a diss on Mr. Dickerson, that's my shitty memory, and the fact that 90% of the information contained in this book was new to me. (Being non-American.)
I learned about the existence of John Dickerson via Stephen Colbert, his friend, whose idea, incidentally, sparked this very book. Colbert interviewed Dickerson last year (2016, 1 hour 15 mins long video available on Face the Nation's YouTube channel) - I watched it because I wanted to see Colbert outside of the late night context...and increasingly became drawn into what Dickerson was saying.
Once in a while it's nice to hear or read clearly articulated thoughts, which never become burdened with too much emotion. I'd been wondering how much of a dying breed Dickerson is in that regard... But then I read, in this very book, about the late 18th century American press, and the idea that journalism was ever purely impartial becomes truly hilarious.
Indeed, the one time a bit of emotion comes into Dickerson's writing (besides the slight amusement and dad jokes here and there), is his chapter on Callender, in which the mythical Thomas Jefferson is revealed to be just another calculating politician, and hardly a beacon of virtue.
I'm with you, Johnny, I'm disappointed too.
Whistlestop is a page-turner, considering its topic. It's a great way to learn about the behind the scenes of actual US politics, and its history, without West Wing-like idealism, but still with a bit of humour here and there. It invites you to draw your own conclusions about the morality of the whole scene, and its players. It's engaging, but without lowering itself down.
A recommended read!
That's not a diss on Mr. Dickerson, that's my shitty memory, and the fact that 90% of the information contained in this book was new to me. (Being non-American.)
I learned about the existence of John Dickerson via Stephen Colbert, his friend, whose idea, incidentally, sparked this very book. Colbert interviewed Dickerson last year (2016, 1 hour 15 mins long video available on Face the Nation's YouTube channel) - I watched it because I wanted to see Colbert outside of the late night context...and increasingly became drawn into what Dickerson was saying.
Once in a while it's nice to hear or read clearly articulated thoughts, which never become burdened with too much emotion. I'd been wondering how much of a dying breed Dickerson is in that regard... But then I read, in this very book, about the late 18th century American press, and the idea that journalism was ever purely impartial becomes truly hilarious.
Indeed, the one time a bit of emotion comes into Dickerson's writing (besides the slight amusement and dad jokes here and there), is his chapter on Callender, in which the mythical Thomas Jefferson is revealed to be just another calculating politician, and hardly a beacon of virtue.
I'm with you, Johnny, I'm disappointed too.
Whistlestop is a page-turner, considering its topic. It's a great way to learn about the behind the scenes of actual US politics, and its history, without West Wing-like idealism, but still with a bit of humour here and there. It invites you to draw your own conclusions about the morality of the whole scene, and its players. It's engaging, but without lowering itself down.
A recommended read!
September 16, 2016
I first heard about this book from Chris Cor, A DC reporter and I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. John Dickerson is the host of CBS Face the Nation and a very good historian and writer. This book is about political campaigns the ones that succeeded and the ones that failed. The best part of this book was the table of presidential campaigns in the beginning. This is a great reference for anyone who wants to know how close some of the races were. Some of the races were blowouts but some were very close. John Dickerson talks about both and their effect on current history. . The most recent one being an analysis of the Howard Dean's scream and its effect on the election. The stories are compelling and need to be told. Our political elections are full of scandal, lies, deception and sex. Everything has been tried, all of had an effect on the history of this country. John Dickerson intersperses his own thought into these scandals. He makes history come alive. This book is well researched and is for anyone who wants to know about these characters and their effect on history. He goes to original sources and first hand accounts. This is written like a history book with notes and a bibliography which by the way is extensive. A WhistleStop is a term first used by Harry Truman with a book of the same name. I love his comments, it makes history come alive. There are the same names in politics, they just keep the system going. This is a good book and can be read in bits, sometimes re-read because they are so interesting. If you pick up a history book, this is the one to read.
October 4, 2016
A well-written account of campaign anecdotes that illustrate the dark side of so many—the dirty tricks, the slandering of opponents, and the overarching manipulation of the truth. Yes, all the things we make us hate politics, and especially presidential campaigns.
Each story is so well-developed that it can be read independently; some are a little on the long side, but the majority are absorbing and quite surprising. For instance, I was stunned to see, in practice a hundred years ago, what we’d assume can only be accomplished with modern social media (political operatives who took back then to letter campaigns, newspapers, and word of mouth, effectively replacing the Internet to quickly spread toxic gossip about the other candidate.) Yes, nothing new under the sun, and rotten apples can be found anywhere in space and time.
There’s no great surprise on that we haven’t changed much in over 200 hundred years of American History. But the true lesson to learn should be how can we improve by learning from those failures. Perhaps in a sleight of hand, Dickerson places the story of George Wallace at the end of the book—as unavoidably, and scarily, it does reflects on elements of Donald Trump’s current campaign. I’d bet that this year’s run will end up on the next book by the author, who has turned out to be an amazing historian.
A timely Goodread, as we tent to repeat the History we don’t know.
Each story is so well-developed that it can be read independently; some are a little on the long side, but the majority are absorbing and quite surprising. For instance, I was stunned to see, in practice a hundred years ago, what we’d assume can only be accomplished with modern social media (political operatives who took back then to letter campaigns, newspapers, and word of mouth, effectively replacing the Internet to quickly spread toxic gossip about the other candidate.) Yes, nothing new under the sun, and rotten apples can be found anywhere in space and time.
There’s no great surprise on that we haven’t changed much in over 200 hundred years of American History. But the true lesson to learn should be how can we improve by learning from those failures. Perhaps in a sleight of hand, Dickerson places the story of George Wallace at the end of the book—as unavoidably, and scarily, it does reflects on elements of Donald Trump’s current campaign. I’d bet that this year’s run will end up on the next book by the author, who has turned out to be an amazing historian.
A timely Goodread, as we tent to repeat the History we don’t know.
June 9, 2020
Five stars only because six weren't available......It's nice to be reminded that "the silly season" has been with us, at least, since 1800.
October 3, 2016
Dickerson, host of CBS' Face the Nation and a longtime writer at Slate, put together a book that is pretty much a cleaner, easier to read version of his podcast on U.S. Presidential campaign history with the same name. And if you enjoy the podcast, like I do, this book will not disappoint.
It's not perfect and it looks at times to have some chapters put together a little too quickly. The chapter on Howard Dean's 2004 run has a lot of typos and a URL that appears in the middle of the text, but any such errors are not too distracting.
The book tries to arrange the campaign stories into themes instead of going chronologically (the oldest chapter deals with the election of 1800, the newest is from 2004.) The book reflects Dickerson's sly sense of humor and tosses in a few pop culture references, but nothing that is too distracting.
The best chapters in the book deal with campaigns that Dickerson covered actively as his reporting is more personal and detailed. Some of the 19th Century pieces could use a bit more fleshing out, but most readers today probably care more about the failed 2000 campaign of John McCain (to the extent that they do at all) than what the issues were in the controversial election of 1824.
It's not perfect and it looks at times to have some chapters put together a little too quickly. The chapter on Howard Dean's 2004 run has a lot of typos and a URL that appears in the middle of the text, but any such errors are not too distracting.
The book tries to arrange the campaign stories into themes instead of going chronologically (the oldest chapter deals with the election of 1800, the newest is from 2004.) The book reflects Dickerson's sly sense of humor and tosses in a few pop culture references, but nothing that is too distracting.
The best chapters in the book deal with campaigns that Dickerson covered actively as his reporting is more personal and detailed. Some of the 19th Century pieces could use a bit more fleshing out, but most readers today probably care more about the failed 2000 campaign of John McCain (to the extent that they do at all) than what the issues were in the controversial election of 1824.
May 4, 2017
I become a political junkie every four years during a presidential campaign season. I haven't calmed down from the 2016 election, so was interested to read stories of campaigns of the past, from 1880 to the present day. This serves as a good history book, too, and I came to the conclusion that the subtitle could be, "Same old, same old."
Man's desire for power is at the heart of each of these stories. Having spent part of the time in D. C. while reading this book, it became apparent to me that roaming the halls of the Rayburn and Capitol Buildings is heady stuff. I can see how a person can become drunk on power. No excuse, though, for the immoral, unethical, lying,self-serving, manipulating ways in which candidates set out to best, and in many cases, destroy, one another.
Dickerson's writing is engaging and sometimes laugh out loud amusing. The book was certainly well researched and includes pages and pages of notes and a lengthy bibliography.
Man's desire for power is at the heart of each of these stories. Having spent part of the time in D. C. while reading this book, it became apparent to me that roaming the halls of the Rayburn and Capitol Buildings is heady stuff. I can see how a person can become drunk on power. No excuse, though, for the immoral, unethical, lying,self-serving, manipulating ways in which candidates set out to best, and in many cases, destroy, one another.
Dickerson's writing is engaging and sometimes laugh out loud amusing. The book was certainly well researched and includes pages and pages of notes and a lengthy bibliography.
January 2, 2018
I read this book for the stories and there were lots of them. The title speaks for itself, these are the presidential campaigns stories that John Dickerson considers his favorite. I liked some a lot, others not so much.
From the stories its clear that there are similar undertones in nearly all elections, the more things change, the more they stay the same. There were the in-party usurpers the likes of Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the usual campaign dirt, flawed candidates and things you've probably heard or seen before.
What the rich story set conveys in the end is that America for all its ills,its electoral system still reflects the wishes of the people. John Dickerson did an amazing job, the writing was effortless and the quotes apt that I found myself laughing on a couple of occasions. If you have an interest in campaign politics, this is a recommended read.
From the stories its clear that there are similar undertones in nearly all elections, the more things change, the more they stay the same. There were the in-party usurpers the likes of Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, the usual campaign dirt, flawed candidates and things you've probably heard or seen before.
What the rich story set conveys in the end is that America for all its ills,its electoral system still reflects the wishes of the people. John Dickerson did an amazing job, the writing was effortless and the quotes apt that I found myself laughing on a couple of occasions. If you have an interest in campaign politics, this is a recommended read.
August 26, 2016
I've enjoyed John Dickerson's Whistlestop podcasts (as well as his work on Slate's 'Gabfest' podcast and CBS's Face the Nation). This was a fun read for a political junkie like myself---a look at many of the memorable and not so memorable (for the modern audience) campaigns. There are lessons to be learned, echoes of 1884 and 1968 for 2016--just for example. Are there two candidates that were so strongly disliked as Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump? Go back to 1884 and meet Senator Blaine and Grover Cleveland. As for 1968, many try to compare Trump to Wallace. However, some may go as far as to compare Clinton to Nixon.
A great read and I'm glad to have had the time to finish it before September... Well worth the time...
A great read and I'm glad to have had the time to finish it before September... Well worth the time...
October 10, 2018
Nice read about many past presidential campaigns and how they have changed over the years. One of the interesting take-aways was that the candidates did not actually campaign in early presidential campaigns. Rather, the candidates had to appear like they were not interested and needed to be drafted to be President. Oh how the times have changed. One thing that has not changed is the use of salacious detail of the opposing candidate. For example, Andrew Jackson was accused (probably correctly) of marrying a women who was still married to another man - it was probably true. Washington society's snub of his wife shaped a lot of his early Presidency.
Overall a well written and enjoyable book.
Overall a well written and enjoyable book.
September 5, 2016
It's easy to tire of overwrought gloom-and-doom analysis from both the left and the right this season, so John Dickerson's Whistlestop podcast, which tackles presidential primaries with the lightest of touches without losing any analytical fire, has been my go-to. Fortunately, he's expanded many of the stories here without losing any humor or immediacy. If you're interested in the connections between the NeverTrump and Stop Goldwater movements, Reagan's Nashua moment, or the infamous Howard Dean Scream, you'll find Dickerson's insights both entertaining and informative.
August 19, 2016
The material is current and gives a different perspective to the current insane circus that is this years presidential race for the White House. The voice of the book gives the feel of sitting with the author in your living room and having him tell stories that we probably haven't heard about past elections and are so very current. To read this book in February 2017 will be fun to see if the perspective he offers changes at all. It could be interesting.
August 21, 2016
I loved this book! It's the perfect bipartisan read for this fraught political season. It goes to show that presidential campaigns have always been kinda crazy & never lacked for drama. Dickerson's asides & comparisons to the 2016 campaign made the book even more enjoyable!
September 19, 2016
Whistlestop is a series of vignettes of presidential primaries. It is marred occasionally by typos and poor editing, but what campaign isn't. Dickerson has an eye for a story, and the wit to tell it. I wish that were true of the politicians he covers.
November 19, 2016
I received this as part of a Goodreads Giveaway. Very interesting read about how certain events and approaches can make or break a campaign.
February 17, 2019
I LOVE John Dickerson!!!
August 18, 2016
Really interesting and entertaining book if you love politics and how the game is played.
March 17, 2018
This book is collection of stories from various campaigns from both centuries of America’s existence. From the “corrupt bargain” that saw John Quincy Adams into the White House, denying Andrew Jackson the prize; to the immortal “Dewey Beats Truman” moment where, once again, the pollsters were overwhelmingly wrong in their predictions; to the disastrous Dukakis in a tank photo shoot.
The book puts the 2018 election into perspective. We all might remember it as a particularly vicious election with both sides painting the other as sub-human monsters intent on only evil, but surprisingly it was not the bloodthirsty election in American history. They have all been particularly brutal in one form or another, with character assassinations on both sides. At some point nearly every candidate since 1952 has been accused of racism and thus by extension anyone who follows him must be a racist as well.
For instance, the first incumbent to call his opponent a Nazi was Harry Truman, only a few years after W.W. II. Grover Cleveland had a sex scandal involving an illegitimate child he fathered and then refused to marry the mother as she was a “person of intemperate habits”- that means she was a crazy whore only good for a pump and dump. Cleveland was able to overcome this and become president. Both of the presidencies of Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison were popular uprisings of the common man against the snotty elites who felt they were owed the election (sound familiar anyone?). In fact, the rise of Jackson was more telling than one might think. It occurred on the eve of male suffrage (you didn’t realize there was such a thing did you?) where all men were given the vote. Previous to that, only men who owned property were eligible.
I think we get the idea of old presidential elections as austere affairs, with educated up-right men debating points of interest in a polite manner. This primarily comes from old time television where, due to censorship, it was presented as such. In reality, each one has been incredibly wild, scandal packed, and emotionally charged. In addition, biased reporting by news outlets has nearly always been the rule, rather than an exception.
Keep in mind however that the author’s bias is showing. He seems to have no problems categorizing republicans in a bad light, or adding ad hominem slurs, but always shies away from writing anything negative about Democrats. Their “downfall” always seem to be the result of dirty tricks, not gross mismanagement, corruption, and plain old dumb ideas.
The book puts the 2018 election into perspective. We all might remember it as a particularly vicious election with both sides painting the other as sub-human monsters intent on only evil, but surprisingly it was not the bloodthirsty election in American history. They have all been particularly brutal in one form or another, with character assassinations on both sides. At some point nearly every candidate since 1952 has been accused of racism and thus by extension anyone who follows him must be a racist as well.
For instance, the first incumbent to call his opponent a Nazi was Harry Truman, only a few years after W.W. II. Grover Cleveland had a sex scandal involving an illegitimate child he fathered and then refused to marry the mother as she was a “person of intemperate habits”- that means she was a crazy whore only good for a pump and dump. Cleveland was able to overcome this and become president. Both of the presidencies of Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison were popular uprisings of the common man against the snotty elites who felt they were owed the election (sound familiar anyone?). In fact, the rise of Jackson was more telling than one might think. It occurred on the eve of male suffrage (you didn’t realize there was such a thing did you?) where all men were given the vote. Previous to that, only men who owned property were eligible.
I think we get the idea of old presidential elections as austere affairs, with educated up-right men debating points of interest in a polite manner. This primarily comes from old time television where, due to censorship, it was presented as such. In reality, each one has been incredibly wild, scandal packed, and emotionally charged. In addition, biased reporting by news outlets has nearly always been the rule, rather than an exception.
Keep in mind however that the author’s bias is showing. He seems to have no problems categorizing republicans in a bad light, or adding ad hominem slurs, but always shies away from writing anything negative about Democrats. Their “downfall” always seem to be the result of dirty tricks, not gross mismanagement, corruption, and plain old dumb ideas.
May 19, 2017
Presidential campaigns are some of the most fascinating and entertaining stories from the genre of history. They are important too because the similarities help us understand modern campaigns. The 1840 campaign between Harrison and Van Buren was dominated by slander and propaganda. It was the first campaign when the candidates actively participated in the campaign. Harrison spread propaganda about himself as someone growing up in a log cabin and had to pull himself up by his own bootstraps while he portrayed Van Buren as an out of touch aristocrat. The truth was actually the reverse and Van Buren had grown up in a family living in a single room above his father's tavern. Another fascinating campaign was the 1976 Republican primary. Ford became the clear winner early on but Reagan started gaining momentum and campaigned hard against Ford through to the end of the primary. Reagan's campaign was hopeless but it seems like he kept going out of ego. As a result the momentum had been lost for Ford by the convention and he had lost so much popularity to Reagan that the people at the convention were chanting Reagan's name and Ford had to let him come onstage. It's a fascinating story because it seems like Reagan was just mindlessly promoting himself or positioning himself for 1980 instead of supporting the Republican ticket and it helped lose the 1976 election for the Republicans. It shows what people like that are really thinking when they run for office and it explains how so little gets fixed for the majority of the population during their presidency. Other interesting campaigns discussed were the Howard Dean debacle in 2004, and the crazy 1968 election. It was especially informative to learn about the mostly forgotten campaigns from the 1800s like Jefferson in 1800, Jackson in 1824, and Cleveland in 1884. Great book to read if you like history. I watch John Dickerson's excellent TV show Face The Nation and it's good to know that he has such a strong background on presidential campaign history.
September 18, 2020
With less than two months until Election Day 2020, Dickerson gives us insights into previous Presidential campaigns which demonstrate that there is nothing new under the sun.
Dickerson’s chapter on the election of 1824 gives the reader a sense of deja vu. His comments concerning Andrew Jackson often apply to the 45th President who would be happy with the comparison.
This chapter, unfortunately, is also an example of the poor editing which can be seen throughout the book. Repeated words and inappropriate use of commas challenge the reader. (In a later chapter, the word “letter” is spelled with three tees.) Dickerson also omits a crucial fact concerning the application of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution that decided that election. He gives us the total votes of the members of the House of Representatives but that does not determine the winner. Each State gets one vote, no matter the size or its number of Representatives.
On page 349-50, Dickerson gives us Edward Kennedy’s answer to Roger Mudd’s question,
“Why do you want to be President?”
Kennedy’s answer, a “train wreck”, while indeed a series of ramblings, is beautifully poetic when compared with Donald Trump’s “off script” remarks.
Presidential politics has always been dirty. Dickerson shows us that the best man does not always win. Indeed, there are no methods or strategies that guarantee victory.
If you want your candidate to win, get out and vote. He/She may lose anyway, but the chances of winning improve with your vote.
Four stars slightly waning.
Dickerson’s chapter on the election of 1824 gives the reader a sense of deja vu. His comments concerning Andrew Jackson often apply to the 45th President who would be happy with the comparison.
This chapter, unfortunately, is also an example of the poor editing which can be seen throughout the book. Repeated words and inappropriate use of commas challenge the reader. (In a later chapter, the word “letter” is spelled with three tees.) Dickerson also omits a crucial fact concerning the application of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution that decided that election. He gives us the total votes of the members of the House of Representatives but that does not determine the winner. Each State gets one vote, no matter the size or its number of Representatives.
On page 349-50, Dickerson gives us Edward Kennedy’s answer to Roger Mudd’s question,
“Why do you want to be President?”
Kennedy’s answer, a “train wreck”, while indeed a series of ramblings, is beautifully poetic when compared with Donald Trump’s “off script” remarks.
Presidential politics has always been dirty. Dickerson shows us that the best man does not always win. Indeed, there are no methods or strategies that guarantee victory.
If you want your candidate to win, get out and vote. He/She may lose anyway, but the chances of winning improve with your vote.
Four stars slightly waning.
February 22, 2018
If, like me, your exposure to John Dickerson is limited to watching him host the buttoned-up Sunday morning show Face the Nation, it may come as a surprise to learn that John Dickerson is FUNNY. And by FUNNY, I mean laugh-out-loud, rolling on the floor, did-he-really-write-that FUNNY. Here's a sample, talking about William Henry Harrison:
Once you've decided that Dickerson could moonlight on the open mic circuit, a big takeaway from the book is that politics have been pretty much the same for nearly 250 years now. Yes, the tools have changed, but the basic tactics and tenor have always been more boxing ring than show jumping. That wasn't a particularly reassuring takeaway, but it did put recent events into historical perspective. The book is also highly readable - broken into easily digestible chunks that can be read independently of each other.
Maybe that's what makes the president with the raccoon eyes and prominent nose look most like an undertaker in the lineup of presidential portraits. Though it may have been the style of the times: his running mate and successor, John Tyler, also looks like he's very sorry for your loss and might be on the cusp of making a suggestion about a high-quality casket.Dickerson's sense of humor makes the topic - which easily could have ventured into "boring" territory - highly engaging.
Once you've decided that Dickerson could moonlight on the open mic circuit, a big takeaway from the book is that politics have been pretty much the same for nearly 250 years now. Yes, the tools have changed, but the basic tactics and tenor have always been more boxing ring than show jumping. That wasn't a particularly reassuring takeaway, but it did put recent events into historical perspective. The book is also highly readable - broken into easily digestible chunks that can be read independently of each other.
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