During the run-up to the 1888 presidential election, Americans
flocked to party rallies, marched in endless parades, and otherwise
participated zealously in the political process. Although they
faced a choice between two uncharismatic candidates-Republican
challenger Benjamin Harrison and Democratic incumbent Grover
Cleveland-voters took intense interest in the issues they espoused.
And though Harrison became one of only four candidates to win the
presidency while losing the popular vote, the lasting significance
of the election was its foreshadowing of both the modern campaign
and the modern presidency.
Charles W. Calhoun shows how this presidential contest not only
exemplified Gilded Age politics but also marked a major shift from
divisive sectional rhetoric to an emphasis on voters' economic
concerns. Calhoun first explores Cleveland's rise to the presidency
and explains why he turned to economic issues, especially tariff
reduction, in framing his bid for reelection. He then provides a
detailed analysis of the raucous Republican national convention and
describes Harrison's effective front porch campaign, in which he
proclaimed his views almost daily to visiting voters and reporters.
Calhoun also explores the role of party organizations, business
interests, labor, women, African Americans, and third parties in
the campaign; discusses alleged fraud in the election; and analyzes
the Democrats' suppression of black votes in the South.
The 1888 campaign marked an important phase in the evolution of
American political culture and augured significant innovations in
American politics and governance. The Republicans' performance, in
particular, reflected the party's future winning strategies:
emphasis on economic development, personal participation by the
presidential candidate, a well-financed organization, and
coordination with beneficiaries of the party's agenda.
Harrison set important precedents for campaigning and then, once
in office, fashioned new leadership strategies and governing
techniques-emphasizing legislative intervention, extensive travel,
and a focus on foreign affairs-that would become the stock-in-trade
of later presidents. His Republican successors built upon these
transformations, making the GOP the majority party for a generation
and putting the presidency at the center of American
governance-where it has remained ever since.
General
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