Greatest Halloween Movies

For Halloween, here are the top 10 scary movies of all time.

10. Night of the Living Dead: This is a bit campy today, but a classic nontheless.

9. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Also an interesting character study of man's two sides.

8. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: Intermixing comedy and horror is difficult, but they pull it off with the help of Lon Chaney and Bela Legosi.

7. The Wolf-Man: Another classic from the 40s. Lon Chaney nails the tortured soul.

6. Frankenstein: When this came out in the 1930s, people passed out in the aisles. It is tame by today's standards. However, the theme of science run amok still has resonance.

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey: Why is this on here? First, the astronaughts can not be saved by the cavalry as they are out by Jupiter. Second, the computer goes bizzerk. It is more relevant today than in 1969 as we have become more dependent on machines.

4. Aliens: The second Alien installment was the best (3 and 4 were horrid). It upped the ante from the first and like the first movie (and 2001), in space, no one can hear you scream.

3. Dracula: Bela Legosi gives us all the lore surrounding the vampire in this film. He was the prototype by which all vampires are created. Either they follow his lead or they attempt to move away from it. Either way, it is Legosi that set the standard.

2. The Omen: First, it is about the Anti-Christ (no not Nancy Pelosi). Second, the kid playing Damien was as creepy as they come. Third, the hero is Gregory Peck and not even he can defeat the Anti-Christ. Between these three variables, and the creepy storyline and deaths, this movie ranks #2.

1. Silence of the Lambs: I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

The Greatest Halloween Songs

Here is my list of the Top 10 Halloween Songs

10. Nightmare on My Street (Will Smith)- The Fresh Prince Meets Freddy Kruger

9. Monster Mash (Boris Pickett)- Yeah this one has to be on the list somewhere

8. Thriller (Michael Jackson)- Vincent Price and dancing zombies. The Night of the Living Dead meets MTV.

7. Boris the Spider (The Who)- John Entwistle's friend comes to a "sticky end."

6. The Number of the Beast (Iron Maiden)- Could it be Satan?

5. Black Magic Woman (Santana)- Santana adds the dark arts to rock music.

4. Satan Gave Me a Taco (Beck)- Beck is into poison foods. Very dark lyrics.

3. Psycho Killer (The Talking Heads)- Few things say Halloween more than psycho killers.

2. Witchy Woman (The Eagles)-I have known a few of these.

1. Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)- A little old woman got mutilated...great stuff

Recap: #91-100 Rock Artist Countdown

91. KISS
92. Smashing Pumpkins
93. Rage Against The Machine
94. Soundgarden
95. Motley Crue
96. Def Leppard
97. Weezer
98. Tool
99. Foo Fighters
100. Ringo

#90 Green Day

Green Day

Green Day emerged during the mid-90s music revolution. They were considered a punk band, but were really too poppy to be considered true punk. The term that described them best was Pop Punk. They hit the super league with their album “Dookie” before falling off later in the decade. In the mid-00s, they returned with a vengeance with a concept album. “American Idiot” was definitely inspired by “Quadraphenia” and returned Green Day to a more prominent status.

Rock n Roll Moment: The Woodstock Mud Fight of 1994

Essential Green Day: Dookie (1994), American Idiot (2004)

Green Day’s Top 10:
Longview
Welcome To Paradise
Basket Case
When I Come Around
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Minority
American Idiot
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Holiday

Greatest World Series

The Ultimate World Series...game by game.

Game 1: Dodgers: 5 A's: 4 (1988): The Dodgers scored 2 in the first, but that was wiped out by a Jose Canseco Grand Slam in the second. The A's held a 4-3 lead in the 9th and turned to Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley to close it out. With 2 out, Mike Davis (.196 batter for the year) drew a pinch hit walk and stole second. Kirk Gibson came to bat unable to walk. He hit a game winning walk off 2 run shot. The Dodgers beat the mighty A's in 5 games.

Game 2: White Sox: 7 Astros: 6 (2005): This was a wild game. The Sox held a 6-4 lead in the 9th. Houston tied it. In the bottom of the 9th, Scott Podsednik (0 homers) hit a walk off homer.

Game 3: Mets: 5 Orioles: 0 (1969): Tommy Agee took control of this game. He led off with a homer off Hall of Famer Jim Palmer. He also made two outstanding catches saving the five runs and the game for the Mets (and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan).

Game 4: Yankees: 7 Dodgers: 4 (1941): The Yankees were trailing Brooklyn 4-3 in the ninth. With 2 out and no one on, Tommy Hendrich struck out, but the ball got by the catcher. Mickey Owen's error opened the floodgates. New York scored 4 runs with 2 outs to take a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5: Yankees: 2 Dodgers: 0 (1956): Don Larsen's Perfect Game.

Game 6: Red Sox: 7 Reds: 6 (12 innings) (1975): This game had everything. It was tied 3-3 after 6. The Reds led by 3 in the bottom of the 8th when Bernie Carbo hit a pinch homer to tie the game at 6. Dwight Evans doubled off a runner at first from right field. Oh yeah, Carlton Fisk hit a homer...Sox win.

Game 7: Twins: 1 Braves: 0 (1991): Lonnie Smith stumbled rounding the bases. That was Atlanta's only chance to score. John Smoltz pitched 7 scoreless innings. Jack Morris pitched 10.

Game 8: Red Sox: 3 Giants: 2 (10 innings) (1912): An eight game series?? 1912 featured the Red Sox and their 105 wins and the Giants and their 103 wins. The series went beyond the distance.
Game 2 ended in a 6-6 tie. The two teams battled to an eighth game. It was 1-1 after 9. New York scored in the 10th to take a 2-1 lead. Boston scored 2 in the bottom half to win the series. Christy Mathewson went the distance for the Giants.

2008: Historical Paradigm Shift?

Every couple of generations, there is a political earthquake which changes American politics. 2008 could be such a year. The country could shift away from conservatism and toward European leftism. If this happens, it could mean the country will stay in Euro fashion for generations. It all depends on what happens in the presidential election. If people are willing to roll the dice on Obama, then it will probably happen. If they judge him to be too risky because he is not qualified for office or out of fear of a Democratic government, then it will not happen. (Of course Reid and Pelosi have been pretty incompetent, so even with an all-Dem government, the GOP might be gearing for a takeover that could last a century with those clowns in charge).

Here is a list of American Political Eras:

1. 1789-1800: Federalist Era: Pro-industry and national defense. Against the excesses of the French Revolution. (Washington and Adams presidents).

2. 1800-1860: Democratic Era: Pro-southern, pro-slavery, anti-protectionism, anti-big government, pro-agrarian, expansion of white male voting rights.

3. 1860-1932: Republican Era: The first part of the era is characterized by the Civil War. It was pro-northern and pro-African American. The entire era was pro-industry and pro-tariff.

4. 1932-1968: Democratic Era: The New Deal, Great Society, and Cold War Dems dominated.

5. 1969-present: Republican Era: Dominated by Nixon and Reagan. Pro-nationalist foreign policy, low taxes, against big government (except Bush 43), for expansion of civil liberties and democracy around the world.

US Grant: The Forgotten Underachiever!

I forgot to include U.S. Grant in the Underachiever Category.

U.S. Grant (1869-1877): His administration was racked with scandal and a depression hit in his second term which he could not handle. On the positive side, he defended African American rights, destroyed the first KKK, and helped pass the 15th Amendment which guaranteed black voting rights.

The Failures

Here is the final installment on the presidents. This final list includes the seven presidential failures including the reason for their inclusion on the list. They are ordered chronologically.

1. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857): Pierce got run down and pushed around by Stephen Douglas when leadership was needed most. He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act which led to a civil war within the state of Kansas. He could not deal with that crisis and was denied renomination. Kansas-Nebraska helped lead to the Civil War. Pierce retired to a life of alcoholism.

2. James Buchanan (1857-1861): Buchanan was the worst of them all. He was unrepentantly pro-Southern. Buchanan pushed for the Dred Scott decision, the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas, and even thought about attacking the Mormons in Utah to unite the country. When South Carolina left the Union, he did nothing.

3. Andrew Johnson (1865-1869): Johnson did everything he could to block Reconstruction. He did nothing to help the freedmen in the South. Eventually, he was impeached, but acquitted. Johnson would later become Senator from Tennessee.

4. Warren Harding (1921-1923): The first Clinton Administration. Harding's Administration was rife with scandal and devoid of achievements. The Teapot Dome scandal is still one of the greatest scandals in history. On the plus side, he did work for arms limitation and supported Blacks in the South.

5. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933): The Great Depression was not his fault. It struck in his seventh month in office. However, Hoover could not solve the country's woes. Ironically, he was the best man for the job having worked on European relief during World War I. Hoover raised taxes and tariffs which made things worse. Hoover did try an unprecedented governmental aid program, but most people do not know this because FDR's New Deal dwarfed it. (FDR did not end the Depression either). The government has never fixed an economic downturn. In 1932, a group of World War I vets marched on Washington asking for their war bonus early. The army rolled in the tanks. It was an American Tiananmen Square and an exclamation mark on the Hoover years.

6. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981): No man has ever been less qualified for office (unless Obama wins in 2008). Carter's policies made an economic slowdown worse and led to the misery index (inflation rate + unemployment rate= Misery Index). While in office, Iran took 52 Americans hostage and Carter looked weak and incompetent. On top of this, gas prices went through the roof as did unemployment and inflation. People have been saying the economy today is the worst since the Depression. This is wrong. It is the worst since Jimmy Carter. On top of this, Carter had a super majority in the Congress. He refused to work with them even when Tip O'Neill promised to help pass anything Carter wanted. Carter was defeated in a landslide by Ronald Reagan.

7. Bill Clinton (1993-2001): Clinton set the record for most scandals. He pushed Fannie and Freddie to make risky loans which collapsed the economy. When offered Osama Bin Laden by the Sudan, he refused. When he could have whacked Bin Laden with a missile strike, he refused. Clinton also gave us Monica and was impeached.

The Underachievers

Continuing the categorization of the 43 presidencies, here are the five guys that were below average. They weren't absolute failures, but they were not successful either. Each one served only one term. They are listed chronologically.

1. John Quincy Adams (1825-1829): Adams was a lame duck when he assumed office. Most people voted against him and he ascended to the White House through the mechanisation of Henry Clay. While in office, he did not do much except wait for the whoopin' Jackson would put on him in 1828. The one major piece of legislation was the Tariff of Abominations. This raised tariffs to a ridiculously high rate and caused a rift between north and south.

2. Martin Van Buren (1837-1841): The minute Van Buren took office, a depression hit. As such, he got the blame. The depression did not end until he left office. Now, that was not the reason for his inclusion here. During the Amistad Case, he supported slaveholder interests and while in office was a southern lapdog. He lost his re-election bid to William Henry Harrison.

3. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853): He took office upon the death of Zachary Taylor. He supported the Compromise of 1850 and the horrible Fugitive Slave Law. On the positive side, he peacefully opened Japan to Western Trade. The Japanese celebrate this event to this day.

4. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893): Presidents can not fix the economy when it heads south. They can help ease the pain or give people hope. On the other hand, presidents can mess up the economy. Harrison's economic plans did just that. In 1893, a panic hit. His one major success was the Sherman Anti-Trust Act which was not really used in the manner it was meant until Theodore Roosevelt.

5. William Howard Taft (1909-1913): The Era of Bungled Diplomacy, the Payne-Aldrich Tariff fiasco, the Income Tax, Dollar Diplomacy, the Ballinger-Pinchot rift, and the Republican Party schism...Taft's Administration sells itself! However, he did bust many monopolies and the country was in decent shape despite the bungling. So, he was not a complete failure!

Greatest Baseball LCS Games Ever

Game 1: Phillies: 4 Braves: 3 (1993): Curt Schilling struck out the first five Braves he faced and 10 overall in 8 innings. The Phillies led going into the 9th, but Atlanta tied it. Kim Batiste doubled in John Kruk in the 10th for the win.

Game 2: White Sox: 2 Angels: 1 (2005): The AJ strikeout play game. AJ strikes out. Josh Paul throws the ball back to the mound. AJ runs to first and is safe. Sox score. Sox win. It gave the Sox the momentum for the rest of the series.

Game 3: Detroit: 1 Kansas City: 0 (1984): Milt Wilcox pitched the game of his career. Willie Hernandez finished it off. Darrell Evans won a footrace with Willie Wilson. Tigers win their first pennant since 1968.

Game 4: Boston: 6 New York: 4 (2004): Yanks were looking to sweep. Boston rallied to tie the game off Mo Rivera in the 9th. In the 12th, David Ortiz homered and the Sox would not lose again.

Game 5: Boston: 7 California: 6 (1986): The Sox were down to their final strike. California and Gene Mauch were onto their first ever World Series. Then, something funny happened on the way to the champagne. Dave Henderson hit a 2 strike homerun to give Boston a 6-5 lead. California would tie it in the bottom half of the 9th. Hendu would win the game on a sac fly in the 11th. The Red Sox would go to the series.

Game 6: Mets: 7 Astros: 6 (1986): Perhaps the greatest game ever. Houston led 3-0 in the 9th. If the Mets lost, they would have to face Mike Scott in Game 7. They tied the game in the 9th. In the 14th, they took the lead, but Billy Hatcher tied it with a homerun. In the 16th, the Mets scored 3 and the Astros scored 2 before Jesse Orosco struck out Kevin Bass on a 3-2 count. Prior to the strikeout, Keith Hernandez told Orosco that if he threw a fastball to Bass, Orosco would die.

Game 7: Atlanta: 3 Pittsburgh: 2 (1992)
Pittsburgh led 2-0 in the 9th. Atlanta had cut the lead to 1. With two out, Francisco (10 at bats) Cabrera hit a pinch hit single to score the tying run and then after what seemed like a year, Sid Bream to win the pennant.

The Jacobins

Two presidents decided it was their job to spread Democracy to the known universe. One was Woodrow Wilson and the other was George W. Bush. Each believed that a democratized world would lessen the chance of war. At home, each pushed liberal reform agendas, were accused of violating civil liberties, and left office unpopular. Wilson is generally considered a good president. It will take twenty plus years for the final word on George W. Bush. However, if Wilson was a good president, then quite frankly Bush was as well. If Bush was a failure, then so was Wilson. Their records are too similar for it to be any other way.

The Average Joes

Continuing my categorization of the 42 (43 if you count Cleveland twice) presidents. These are the Average Joes. They did not do a bad job, but were not great either. As a result, they are lumped together here. Once again, they are listed chronologically.

1. John Tyler (1841-1845): Tyler took over when Harrison died after one month. He had two major accomplishments. Firstly, Tyler was the first Veep to assume the presidency upon the death of his predecessor. He asserted the right of a Vice President to be President and not just serve as an interim president. This was highly controversial. Second, he annexed Texas on his way out of office. On the downside, Tyler ran as a Whig, but was really a Democrat. When the Whigs passed legislation and sent it to him, he vetoed it. His cabinet resigned and he became a man without a party. After leaving office, he supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.

2. Zachary Taylor (1849-1850): Taylor did not do much in office. He died about a year and a half into office. When California wanted to enter the Union a free state, he supported their petition which caused a firestorm. Despite owning slaves, he opposed the expansion of slavery and the Compromise of 1850. Taylor also threatened to hang anyone that threatened secession from the Union.

3. Rutherford B Hayes (1877-1881): Due to the nature of his elevation to the presidency, he did not get much done and promised to serve only one term. He ended Reconstruction as part of the deal to get the White House, busted the Railroad Strike of 1877, signed a bill to allow women to argue cases before the Supreme Court, and arbitrated the end of The War of Triple Alliance between Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay against Paraguay. His decision made him a hero in Paraguay.

4. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): After the corrupt administration of Warren Harding, Coolidge was a breath of fresh air. He kept spending down and cut taxes. Coolidge also signed immigration reform measures. Additionally, he gave citizenship to American Indians and oversaw the first regulations on transportation and radio. Coolidge's Secretary of State, Frank B. Kellogg, negotiated the Kellogg-Briand Pact which renounced and outlawed war. He was elected in his own right in 1924, but declined to run again in 1928.

5. Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977): Ford entered office as a result of Watergate. He started out with a very high approval rating, but decided to pardon Nixon which ended his honeymoon. His rationale was two-fold. First, he feared Nixon's health would continue to deteriorate and he'd die if the pressure was not released. Second, he felt it was better to spare the country the pain of a trial. It was a profile in courage, but cost him the 1976 election. For this, he is known as the "Great Healer." During his term, the economy faltered as a result of government welfare programs and an end of the Vietnam War. Ford's WIN program attempted to fix inflation, but it raised unemployment. Ford admitted it was "too gimmicky." The Vietnam War came to a crashing end as the Communists illegally entered Saigon and the US mounted a day and night rescue mission (you can see the ladder to the helicopter at the US embassy at the Ford Museum). Most importantly, he got the USSR to sign the Helsinki Accord which bound the Soviets to maintain human rights. This treaty sparked Solidarity and signalled the beginning of the end for the Soviets.

#91: KISS

KISS emerged during Rock’s third age. The 60s were dead and glam was the rage. During this period, image was as important as the music. KISS dressed up in Halloween costumes and were determined to give fans their money’s worth. Their music ranged from hard rock to classic rock to glam rock to disco to metal. Critics complain that KISS is too image conscious and more interested in making a buck than in the music. As a result, some have postulated that while most bands want to be The Beatles, KISS wants to be Coca Cola. Whatever the case may be, KISS is the only rock band out there with their own army.

Rock n Roll Moment: Gene’s photo album contains pics of all the girls he has been with. According to Mr. Simmons, he has been with over 1000 women.

Essential KISS: KISS (1974), Alive! (1975), Destroyer (1976)

KISS’ Top 10:
Rock n Roll All Night
Deuce
Strutter
Detroit Rock City
Beth
Hard Luck Woman
I Love It Loud
Creatures of the Night
Lick it Up
Heaven’s on Fire

#92: Smashing Pumpkins

The Pumpkins got a lot a grief for being successful in the 1990s. During that time, every band wanted to be a success, but acted indifferently when success came. When it appeared that a band was trying to be successful, they are accused of selling out. This happened to the Pumpkins. Billy Corgan came from a classic rock background as well as an alternative one. This dichotomy led to Corgan embracing more mainstream influences than others of his generation. They climaxed by the mid 90s and then the decline began. It was a classic "Behind the Music" story. Internal squabbles, personal issues, and drugs tore the band apart by 2000. Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain recently reconstituted the Pumpkins without D’arcy or James Iha hoping to recapture the glory without all the baggage.

Rock n Roll Moment: Nothing like a good feud. In 2004, Billy Corgan called D’arcy Wretzky “a mean spirited drug addict” and blamed James Iha for the band’s 2000 breakup.

Essential Pumpkins: Gish (1991), Siamese Dream (1993), Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

Smashing Pumpkins Top 10:
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Tonight, Tonight
Cherub Rock
Today
Disarm
Stand Inside Your Love
Tarantula
Siva
Drown
Rhinoceros

#93: Rage Against The Machine

Rage is a highly political; highly volatile band. They do not separate their extremism from their music. Their passion for radical left causes directly impacts their songs and how they do business. For example, they would not sign to a major label unless they had complete creative control. In 2000, they shut down the NYSE during a video shoot. It would be more difficult to get away with their shenanigans if they did not have talent. Rage is one of the last guitar bands and one of the pioneers of metal’s next generation.

Rock n Roll Moment: The video shoot for “Sleep Now in the Fire” caused Wall Street to close and the band to be escorted from the the NYSE.

Essential Rage: Rage Against The Machine (1992), The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)

Rage’s Top 10:
Killing In The Name
Sleep Now in the Fire
Bulls on Parade
Guerilla Radio
Renegades of Funk
Calm Like a Bomb
Testify
Tire Me
People of the Sun
Freedom

#94: Soundgarden

Soundgarden began as a metal band and evolved. By the mid-90s, they had done rock, alternative, classic rock, and psychedelic. Johnny Cash even covered Rusty Cage. Some critics compared them to Led Zeppelin. Then, it ended. When they broke up in 1997, the music industry was undergoing another change. It was moving away from grunge and toward the Spice Girls. Popular music has sucked ever since.

Rock n Roll Moment: Being compared to Led Zeppelin by critics in 1996.

Essential Soundgarden: Badmotorfinger (1991), Superunknown (1994)

Soundgarden’s Top 10:
Outshined
Rusty Cage
Jesus Christ Pose
My Wave
Fell On Black Days
Black Hole Sun
Spoonman
The Day I Tried To Live
Blow Up The Outside World
Burden in My Hand

#95: Motley Crue

Motley Crue came out of the early 80s LA glam scene. Like many bands of the time, they tended to bend the gender thing. Despite their apparent confusion, they were the best of their genre. They had several monster hits in the 1980s. In the early 90s, they jettisoned lead singer Vince Neal in order to go grunge. They failed and eventually brought Vince back and have just released a new album. At their peak, they were as self destructive as a band could be. Nikki Sixx actually died twice, Tommy Lee is known for...well we all know, Vince (allegedly) committed vehicular homicide, and there was also the now famous snort off with Ozzie (ants vs. piss). Few bands have been as destructive as Motley Crue.

Rock n Roll Moment: In 1987, Nikki Sixx was dead for 2 minutes. He OD’d on heroin, but came back from the ether when the paramedics gave him two adrenalin shots to the heart. Afterwards, he went home, snorted some more heroin, and passed out.

Essential Motley Crue: Shout at the Devil (1983), Doctor Feelgood (1989)

Motley Crue’s Top 10:
Shout at the Devil
Looks that Kill
Home Sweet Home
Girls, Girls, Girls
Dr. Feelgood
Kickstart My Heart
Wild Side
Same Ol Situation
Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Saints of Los Angeles

#96: Def Leppard

Def Leppard is one of a select few bands that have had two albums sell over 10 million copies. Pyromania made them stars and Hysteria catapulted them into the super league for a short time. They dominated the radio from the first Reagan Administration right into the Grunge Era. Despite curses, bad luck, deaths, and changing musical stylings, Def Lepp is one of the few 80s metal bands to survive the Grunge meteor that decimated those that came from the 80s. They still make albums today and are a very successful touring group.

Rock Star Moment: On New Year’s Eve 1984, drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in an auto accident. His arm was completely severed by his seat belt. The 21 year old Allen was determined to keep drumming. As a result, he devised a drum kit that would allow him to continue. Allen returned to drumming shortly thereafter and continued his career which lasts to this day.

Essential Def Lep: Pyromania (1983), Hysteria (1987)

Def Lep’s Top 10:
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Armeggedon It
Love Bites
Photograph
Rock of Ages
Foolin’
Hysteria
Animal
Bringin’ On The Heartbreak
White Lightning

#97: Weezer

Weezer broke into the mainstream with 1994’s “Sweater Song.” They followed that up with the iconic video “Buddy Holly.” Buddy Holly is an interesting song. It ties Weezer to Buddy Holly who was the original geek rocker. Weezer has since taken the mantle with a series of successful albums and videos. Despite being the kings of nerd rock, they also tread on areas even metal and rap bands fear to tread. No, not the Muppet Show, but their songs “Hashpipe” and “Dopenose” have a harder darker edge than most acts in the darker genres. That gives them credibility. They do music for art's sake as opposed to doing it for shock value.

Rock Star Moment: The video for “Beverly Hills” was filmed at the Playboy Mansion.

Essential Weezer: The Blue Album (1994), Pinkerton (1996), The Green Album (2001)

Weezer’s Top 10:
Undone- The Sweater Song
Buddy Holly
Hash Pipe
Island in the Sun
Pork and Beans
Beverly Hills
Say It Ain’t So
El Scorcho
We Are All On Drugs
Perfect Situation

#98: Tool

Tool:
Tool is neither metal nor alternative, but they incorporate elements of both. The end result is Art Rock or Prog Rock. The band’s music is metaphorically heavy as they attempt to wed musical and personal evolution into an art form. They have gained a cult following down through the years as they weave complex themes and music together.

Rock Star Moment: The “Prison Sex” controversy of 1994. The song and video dealt with child abuse in a metaphoric way. It was too much for some and the video got dropped from MTV and offended many people with too much time on their hands.

Essential Albums: Aenima (1996)

Tool’s Top 10:
Prison Sex
Sober
Stinkfist
Aenima
Pushit
Schism
Lateralus
The Pot
Vicarious
Jambi

#99: Foo Fighters

The #99 Greatest Rock Artist ever...
The Foo Fighters: Dave Grohl formed the Foo Fighters after the death of Kurt Cobain and played its first gig at a kegger. Dave Grohl proved to be just as talented, albeit more commercial, as Cobain. Grohl began as Nirvana’s drummer, but is now considered one of rock’s best guitarists and writers. The Foo Fighters are grounded in classic and punk rock and are also the world’s greatest cover band (listen to Baker Street, Band on the Run, Have a Cigar). The term “Foo Fighter” is WWII lingo for a UFO.

Rock Star Moment: Their debut took place at a Keg Party in 1995.

Foo Fighter Essential Albums: The Colour and the Shape (1997)

Foo Fighter’s Top 10:
I’ll Stick Around
Big Me
Monkey Wrench
My Hero
Everlong
Learn to Fly
Breakout
Times Like These
The Pretender
Long Road to Ruin

#100: Ringo Starr

I am moving on to my top 100 rock stars. The list is derived based on success, critical acclaim, and my opinion.
This is my list, so Ringo is on it. Ringo is a very influential drummer influencing a variety of drummers ranging from Phil Collins to Alex Van Halen to Dave Grohl. His post Beatles career has been successful and he just released an album this year.
Rock Star Moment: Ringo walks out on Regis (2008). The Regis and Kelly show invited Ringo on to promote his new album. However, the producers wanted him to cut his performance in half. Ringo refused and walked out.
Essential Albums: Ringo (1973)
Signature Song: It Don't Come Easy
Ringo’s Top 10:
You're Sixteen
No No Song
It Don't Come Easy
Photograph
Back Off Boogaloo
Only You (And You Alone)
Beaucoups Of Blues
Oh My My
Liverpool 8
Weight of the World

My All Time Favorites Baseball Team

Here is my all-time (favorites) team:
C- Ted Simmons
1b-Keith Hernandez
2b-Frank White
3b-George Brett
SS- Cal Ripken
RF-Dwight Evans
LF-Willie McGee
CF-Dale Murphy
DH- Darrell Evans
PH- John Grubb
RHP- Curt Schilling (Roger Clemens is suspended)
LHP- Tom Glavine
REL- Jamie "Smoke on the" Walker
Stopper-Dan Quisenberry

Greatest Summer Songs

It's over 90 degrees, humidity is through the roof, and tornadoes are touching down. So, it's time for the top 10 greatest summer songs.
10. Summer Nights- Van Halen (1986): Girls, fishing holes, and radios...it has it all
9. Night Moves- Bob Seger (1976): Someone looking back at the good old days of his youth. It captures the magic of discovery with the sad part of growing older.
8. Summer Nights- Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta (1978): Gives both the guy and girl version of a summertime fling.
7. Good Vibrations, I Get Around, California Girls, etc- The Beach Boys (1962-2008): The Beach Boys are the boys of summer. Their earlier work was groundbreaking and themes usually included summertime fun.
6. Heat Wave- Martha Reeves and The Vandellas (1963)- This is self explanatory
5. Girls in their Summer Clothes- Bruce Springsteen (2008)- An older version of summer. The main character watches the girls go by...hinting at a time when they did not turn their heads and walk away.
4. Summer in the City- The Lovin' Spoonful (1966)- The Lovin' Spoonful paint a vivid picture of summer with grit, jackhammers, car horns, and so on.
3. The Boys of Summer- Don Henley (1985)- An eery look back at a summer relationship that is no more. Don't look back; you can never look back!
2. Summer of '69- Bryan Adams (1985)- Another nostalgic look back at the teen years. Adams was like 8 that summer...
1. Summertime Blues-The Who (1970)- This song has it all. Teen angst, evil congressmen, a tough father... "I'd like to help you son, but you're too young to vote!" "You can't take the car because you didn't work late!" Townsend's guitar, Daltrey's vocals, Entwhistle's vocal interplay with Daltrey, and of course Keith Moon! Does not get better.
Tags: Summer Songs, The Who, Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, Martha Reeves, Lovin' Spoonful, Van Halen, The Beach Boys, Classic Rock

Greatest 1990s Music Artists

Top 10 Musical Acts of the 1990s (Arranged Alphabetically):
Criteria: Success and Acclaim
Dr. Dre: From NWA to the Chronic, Dre was a pioneer of gangster rap. His 1992 album, The Chronic, is a rap classic.
Metallica: Most early 90s music was a reaction to the crap-a-rama that was hair metal. Metallica led the charge by staying true to metal. They hit it big in the late 80s with "One" and then hit the mega-league with the "Black" album featuring "Enter Sandman." Despite the haircuts, they remained popular throughout the decade experimenting with different styles including symphonic.
Nirvana: They were the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs. In a firestorm, they reworked the entire music scene. Kurt Cobain could not handle success and Nirvana died with him. The music scene he ushered in died shortly thereafter as music execs wanted more pliable artists and younger audiences wanted bubble gum music.
Pearl Jam: This is a band that would have been successful at any time during the rock era. Despite being labeled alternative, they really are nothing more than a classic rock band.
Radiohead: The most non-commercial monster band ever. Their fans are fanatical and their music is unique. They are also one of the most fan friendly bands around as they recently allowed fans to pick their price for the download of their latest album.
R.E.M.: They created alternative music. The 90s alt revolution began with "Losing My Religion." Their follow up, "Automatic for the People" was decidedly dark and non-commercial. The next album was a guitar driven "Monster." After three huge albums and a mega recording contract, they decided to experiment and their record sales tanked.
Smashing Pumpkins: Like Pearl Jam, the Pumpkins are a band inspired by classic rock. Instead of The Who, they wanted to be like Pink Floyd. Their albums got exceedingly bigger before the decline of the record industry hit them. They broke up and have since gotten back together.
Soundgarden: They began as a metal band and morphed into a classic rock band. Chris Cornell is probably the best vocalist of the period. When they dissolved in 1997, it seemed like the end of an era. Rock was on the way out and Britney Spears was on the way in.
2Pac: The son of a Black Panther and street poet. 2Pac has a Elvis like following amongst some people. His untimely death created a symbol.. He was another casualty of the street.
U2: Like I'd have a list without U2...they redefined themselves in the 90s. They went from pretentious rock stars to pretentious rock stars embracing rock stardom. Everything got bigger for a band that was already the biggest in the world. They redefined their image and their music and then went about redefining the world.
Honorable mentions:
Alice in Chains: Very talented band that kids probably don't remember.Arrested Development: A great example of early 90s creativity.Beck: I always thought he was strange.Garbage: Shirley Manson defined what a 90s woman should be like.Green Day: Not really a punk band, but had a lot of catchy hooks. They'd hit their peak in the 00s.Guns n Roses: What could have been...Nine Inch Nails: After Cobain, Trent Reznor was proclaimed spokesman of the 90s generation.Rage Against the Machine: They amuse me.Red Hot Chili Peppers: They fell into the Aerosmith slow song ballad trap.Tool: The Prog Rock kings of the decade.

Greatest 1980s Artists

Here are the Greatest Artists of the 80s. This is based on critical claim, sales, and importance. Artists are alphabetical.
The Top 10
Phil Collins: Phil was EVERYWHERE during the 80's. From the groundbreaking use of "black music" on Face Value through his campaign for the homeless in the late 80's, Phill was the man.
Def Leppard: They had two albums that sold over 10 million copies.
Guns n Roses: While everyone else was looking like Dark Maine of the X Games and putting out really bad hair metal, GnR reinvigorated rock with Appetite for Destruction and actually put the first nail in the coffin for the 1980s.
Michael Jackson: If Jacko does not get on MTV and moonwalk,then hip hop and rap never break into the mainstream. He opened the door for black artists during that period.
Madonna: Her music was/is very thin, but she was/is a marketing genius.
The Police: Had they stayed together, they would have been the biggest band of the decade.
Prince: Clapton said everyone else should just give up because Prince was so talented.
Run DMC: They were the prototype for Public Enemy. They bridged the gap between Grandmaster Flash and Enemy. Their collaboration with Aerosmith blew open the door for rap and hip hop and was an early example of rap/rock.
Bruce Springsteen: The River, Nebraska, Born in the USA, Tunnel of Love, and Live 1975-1985
U2: U2 developed from a New Wave curiousity to a popular rock band to the biggest band in the universe over the course of 8 or 9 years. Their progress was steady and unrelenting. At decade's end, they were burnt. In early 90s Berlin, they re-emerged to once again become the biggest band in the universe.
Honorable Mention
AC/DC: They became bigger after they lost their lead singer to rock n roll excess.
Duran Duran: Great music videos, good looks, and catchy hooks
Genesis: Phil's other project (he was everywhere)
Billy Joel: We may never be free of Billy Joel.
Judas Priest: The Godfather's of metal. They created the look based on gay fashion.
Tom Petty: Steady hit producer and great songwriter.
Public Enemy: They set the stage for the Rap Revolution that was coming. While Run DMC, Vanilla Ice and Hammer opened the door to rap to mainstream audiences, Public Enemy opened the door to the next generation of rappers that included Tupac, Biggie, and the like.
R.E.M.: Created Alternative Rock and broke it into the mainstream.
Talking Heads: Same as it ever was....
Van Halen: They became more popular after dumping their popular lead singer and face of the group!

What Could Have Been...

Two presidents could have been amongst the greats. They racked up impressive legislative victories and reformed government. One helped usher in the Second Reconstruction while the other changed the Cold War paradigm. However, their own obsessive compulsive behaviors led to tragedy. LBJ got bogged down in Vietnam which cost 58,000 American lives, his programs are directly responsible for the deficits that followed in the 1970s and 1980s, and Johnson lost the South for the Democrats which guaranteed GOP ascendancy over the last 40 years. Richard Nixon was forced to resign because of Watergate and some have argued his China policy led directly to recent Chinese ascendancy (I guess the Chinese had nothing to do with it). In the end, those two mistakes (Vietnam for Johnson and Watergate for Nixon) will cling to these two men's legacies forever and overshadow their real contributions.
Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969): Won 1964 election with 61% of the vote
Civil Rights Act (1964)Medicare/Medicaid
Urban Renewal
War on Poverty
Education Reform
Voting Rights Act (1965)
Conservation
Clean air and water
Fair Housing Act (1968)

Richard Nixon (1969-1974):
Re-elected with 60% of the vote
Opened China
Ended Vietnam War
Detente
School Integration
Created the EPA and OSHA
Conservation
Clean air and water
Setup the GOP takeover of the South

Both men had impressive records. However, poor choices led to unequaled unpopularity and historical oblivion.

The Goods (part 2)

Here is the second part of the list of good presidents:
They are listed chronologically.
1. Chester Arthur (1881-1885): He took over when Garfield was assassinated. While in office, he racked up a considerable (for the time) list of reforms. Arthur proved uncontrollable, so the party bosses had to get rid of him. He lost the nomination in 1884 to James Blaine. Blaine lost the election.
2. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889, 1893-1897): Grover Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. He is the only Democrat to be elected to office between 1860-1912. The most important piece of legislation passed under him was the Interstate Commerce Act which became the basis for all government regulation. He also pushed for a sound economy and anti-inflationary measures.
3. William McKinley (1897-1901): William McKinley was the GOP's James K Polk. He oversaw the Spanish-American War and the acquisition of overseas colonies. McKinley opposed going to war with Spain until The USS Maine blew up in Havana Harbor. Everyone blamed Spain and the war was on. The US acquired Guam, The Philippines, Gitmo, and Puerto Rico.
4. John F. Kennedy (1961-1963): Domestically, Kennedy did not get much done legislatively. He did help the Civil Rights Movement and aided James Meredith integrate Ole Miss. Kennedy also stopped the USSR from depositing missiles in Cuba. Had he failed, you would not be reading this and he'd be a failure. Kennedy had two major failures in foreign policy. One was the Bay of Pigs mistake and the other was his first summit with Khrushchev. Overall, his record was solid.
5. George H. W. Bush (1989-1993): A decade ago, he'd have been a rung down on this ladder, but his stock has improved amongst historians and even his enemies. He stopped Iraqi Aggression in Kuwait and did not get the country bogged down in Iraq. When Panama declared war, he finished it. Bush also passed the last real piece of civil rights legislation with the ADA. On the other hand, the country underwent a slight recession and he lost the 1992 election because of Ross Perot.
Tags: The Presidency, Politics, Chester Arthur, Presidents, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Spanish American War, John F. Kennedy, Cuban Missile Crisis, George HW Bush, Bush 41, Iraq

The Goods (part 1)

We now move to the good presidents. They were better than average (or adequate), but not great. Some died before they could rise higher or fall lower while others served only one term for one reason or another. This is the first grouping of good presidents. They are listed chronologically.
1. John Adams (1797-1801): Adams' historical reputation suffers for three reasons. One, he followed Washington and preceded Jefferson. Two, he was not re-elected in 1800 (thanks to the 3/5 clause). Three, those pesky Alien and Sedition Acts are more despised today because of Bush haters than they were in 1800. Another lesser factor is today's psychobabble has crept into the culture to such an extent, that Adams loses points for his personality. Well, Adams continued many of Washington's policies, created the navy, and kept the U.S. out of a war with France that his own party demanded. Not too bad.
2. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809): Most historians rank Jefferson with the greats. He did have an amazingly successful first term with the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition. He was easily re-elected. Jefferson's second term was a disaster. He caused a depression by ending all trade, gutted the military so it was not prepared for the War of 1812, and was less popular in New England than George W Bush is in San Francisco today. As a result, I split the difference and place him here.
3. James Madison (1809-1817): Madison's tenure was dominated by the War of 1812. He did what he could to avoid it, but failed. When the war was over, the US was lucky to survive (The White House got torched) and actually came out the victor thanks to Andy Jackson. Madison's big mistake was eliminating the Bank of the United States which made financing the war difficult.
4. James Monroe (1817-1825): The Times were a Changin'. The economy was beginning to shift, America no longer feared Europe, and the Federalist Party died leaving only the Democrats. Monroe had three major issues to confront. In 1818-1819, he sent Andy Jackson to take out Indian guerrillas wrecking havoc in Georgia. The end result was the acquisition of Florida. In 1819, the North and South had their first spat over slavery. The Missouri Compromise set the precedent of compromise between sections on the slavery issue. Some have attacked this as the North approving slavery. However, it bought time. By the time the two sections came to blows over slavery, the North could overwhelm the South. Lastly, when those pesky Russians and crazy Frenchmen eyed the Americas for conquest, Monroe (and Britain) issued his doctrine banning European colonization of the New World. His doctrine has guided American foreign policy ever since.
5. James K. Polk (1845-1849): Polk avoided war with Britain and settled a longstanding border dispute over the Canadian Border. He solved the bank problem with his independent treasury. He led America to victory in the Mexican War and conquered the Southwest. (There is some controversy over who started it and some blame Polk for manufacturing a war for slave interests).

The Greats

Just beneath the "Saviors," there are the "Greats." These five presidents redefined the presidency, the national interest, or the nation itself. None of them were perfect, but they all stood heads and tails above the rest. What separates them from the saviors is the lack of mortal danger the nation faced. What separates them from all others is their force of will which changed the nation in some way. Again, these are in chronological order.
1. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837): Jackson embodied the "common man." Andrew Jackson took up the mantle of universal (white) manhood suffrage and made it his cause. During the 1820s, suffrage expanded dramatically and Jackson rode the wave to Washington. As president, he expanded the office's powers while decentralizing the government. He usually won his battles. He even paid off the national debt. His advocacy of the little guy has been a standard Democratic battle cry long after they abandoned the little guy. Although, his handling of the Bank War and the withdrawal of funds led to his censure and Indian Removal is a major stain on his record. Overall, Jackson's policies of small government, strong central authority, and support for the average citizen led to this period being labeled "The Age of Jackson."
2. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909): TR's policies and beliefs had a profound impact on the country (and his cousin Franklin). The only side he took during labor disputes was that of the consumer. He was also the first president to advocate consumer protection. While president, he balanced the extreme right and left and steered a middle course. On the international level, he was the first American President to be considered an equal with the Europeans. He even won the Nobel Peace Prize for arbitrating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Even more than his predecessor, Roosevelt pushed America's place in the world. He sent the US fleet on a world tour to demonstrate American power and built the Panama Canal. It was Roosevelt and his Big Stick Policy that turned America into a World power following the Spanish-American War.
3. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953): While TR turned America into a player on the world stage, Truman turned the player into a leader. This transition occurred during World War II under FDR, but following the war, most people expected America to turn inward again. Instead, Truman went on a crusade against Communism. He rebuilt Europe, established NATO as a defensive alliance, and promised to stand up against Stalin and the Commies wherever they were in the world. This led to the Berlin Airlift, Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, and Korean War. Harry Truman initiated the Containment Policy to keep the Communists hemmed in. This policy was (more or less) followed by America until the late 1970s. Truman's policy, followed by his successors, probably helped save many in the world from communist dictatorships.
4. Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961): Ike? Am I kidding? No. Eisenhower has been slowly inching up the presidential rankings for the last decade. His solid, no frills leadership in the 1950s was exactly what people wanted. When Russia detonated their a-bombs, people knew they would not mess with the US with Ike in the White House. When Sputnik was launched, Ike stopped a panic. When a mob went after children trying to desegregate Little Rock Central High School, Ike sent in the military to protect them. When people began to look at Vietnam, Ike said it was not worth the time. When people wanted out of Korea, Ike went to Korea. On top of all of this, Ike built the national highway system that made modern America. With the highway system, Americans created the suburbs. Indeed, Ike belongs on this list.
5. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): When Reagan took office, the Soviet Union was waging proxy wars all over the globe, had invaded Afghanistan, there were hostages being held in Iran, and unemployment and inflation combined were at about 25%. When Reagan left office, the Soviets were on the vergeof destruction, had lost the war in Afghanistan, the hostages were returned home the minute Reagan assumed office, and unemployment and inflation were under control and continued to fall for another generation. Some credit Gorbachev with many of the changes. Although it is true he opened the USSR up politically, his economic reforms designed to reinvigorate communism failed as the pressure the US placed on them came to bear. The end result, America was the world's only super power. TR would have been proud.

The Ungradeables

Two presidents served such a short time in office, they can not be adequately evaluated.
1. William Henry Harrison served one month in 1841. After being elected in the first modern style election, he gave the longest inaugural address in history. Unfortunately, he did not adjust for the weather. Harrison caught pneumonia and died one month into his term.
2. James Garfield made it six months before being assassinated by Charles Guiteau. Guiteau believed Garfield owed him a government job. When he did not receive what he believed to be his reward, he stalked and then shot the president. Unlike Harrison, Garfield did have one accomplishment in office. He busted up the corrupt New York Customs House.

The Greats

There are three presidents that deserve to be in a category all their own. They are the saviors. Each one faced a crisis that could have destroyed the country and steered the country through. At various points in their presidencies, America could have ceased being America. They are listed chronologically.
1. George Washington. When Washington took office, no one was sure what the Constitution meant. He put the skin on the skeletal document. On top of this, his force of will kept people in line. He was not dictatorial. Instead, people worshiped and respected him. When Jeffersonian clubs threatened to tear the country apart, he told them to disband and they did. When Whiskey Rebels threatened the government's authority, he put down their revolt (and then pardoned them). Washington was no king. Instead of serving for life, he stepped down after two terms. On his way out, he warned against factionalism and foreign alliances/entanglements. Had Washington not been president, there was a real chance the U.S. would have broken up into 13 countries.
2. Abraham Lincoln. The South left the Union and Lincoln forced them to come back. Along the way, he freed the slaves, limited states' rights, modernized government, and centralized federal power. If someone else had been president during the war, the U.S. and C.S.A. would have been two countries. Many wanted to let the South go. Lincoln said no and used everything in his power to keep them from leaving.
3. Franklin Roosevelt. FDR faced two crises. The Great Depression ravaged America and the government seemed helpless. His New Deal did not end the depression, but it gave people hope, modernized government, saved capitalism, and staved off revolution. While Germany produced Hitler, America produced Roosevelt. FDR was quick to recognize the Nazi threat and mobilized as best he could for war. When it came, he put the full force of the United States into winning it. His advocacy of basic human rights and stance against fascism helped save the world.

I Voted For It Before I Voted Against It...

George W Bush had the most successful legislative term since the 1960s. After leading the country through 911, passing several high profile bills, and overthrowing a bloodthirsty dictator in Iraq, Bush was easily renominated. The Democrats had to scramble to pick a nominee.
Early on, Howard Dean led the Democratic field. He was able to direct leftbot rage about the 2000 election and the Iraq War to take the lead. However, he made an error and screamed during one of his speeches and came off like just another left wing nut. The Democrats had no idea whom to turn to. So, for no apparent reason, they chose John Kerry. Kerry came across like Thurston Howell III from Gilligan’s Island and made several gaffes.
The Republicans labeled Kerry a “Massachusetts liberal.” Kerry’s liberal voting record hurt him and made him look like weak. Once Kerry selected pretty boy Senator John Edwards for his running mate, the GOP called them “the ambiguously gay duo.” Again reinforcing Kerry as something less than safe. Additionally, he told a crowd he voted for war funding before voting against it. That finished Kerry. The Bush campaign hammered him. When Kerry went windsurfing, it became an ad about flip flopping.
Kerry’s big advantage was his service in Vietnam. This became a liability when several of his comrades attacked him. During the war, Kerry accused American troops of atrocities and hung out with Hanoi Jane Fonda. Anti-Kerry vets became known as “Swift Boat Veterans” after the vehicle they used in Vietnam. Attacking a candidate with truthful allegations has become known as “Swift boating” by the left. The term is meant to denigrate accusations made against candidates, but in reality the swift boaters simply used Kerry’s words and actions against him.
Despite what many on the left hoped and believed, Kerry had little chance. Bush won. Voters felt Kerry was too liberal and too scary to elect. Bush was a known commodity and had a solid record. Bush’s second term would be rudderless and unsuccessful until his final year in office. Kerry would return to the senate and whine about the 2004 campaign.

Fun in the Florida Sun: The 2000 Election

Al Gore was in a quandary. Does he use Bill Clinton to help his campaign or does he run and hide from the president? Clinton was popular amongst Democrats and was seen as the savior of the party. On the other hand, Republicans and Independents viewed him as a self indulgent man child. After easily defeating Bill Bradley for the Democratic nomination, Gore decided to turn his back on his president.
George W. Bush had problems of his own. He had the pesky John McCain to deal with. After a bitter campaign that left wounds that still exist today, Bush beat “The Straight Talk Express.” Bush campaigned as a “Compassionate Conservative.” The moniker was designed to draw a contrast between himself and the Newt Gingrich wing of the party. The term reinforced his conservative credentials and his reform message. Bush promised to restore dignity to the White House. Meanwhile, Gore was running from Monica’s messy dress. Gore decided to make a hard left. He ran a populist campaign. The Veep bragged he was for the people and not the powerful at the same time Bush promised to lead and make hard decisions as opposed to dodging them. Both campaigns were taking swipes at Clinton.
Each man made interesting choices for Vice President. Gore chose moderate Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. Lieberman was well respected and liked by both sides. Bush selected the then-well respected Dick Cheney for his #2. Cheney served as the Defense Secretary under Bush 41 and had loads of experience. Lieberman would balance Gore’s liberalism while Cheney would balance Bush’s lack of foreign policy and Washington experience.
The two Vice Presidential candidates performed well on the stump and during the debates. Meanwhile, the Presidential debates opened a gash Gore could not patch up. During the first debate, he sighed impatiently whenever Governor Bush spoke. During another debate, Gore wore so much make-up, he looked like a drag queen.
Gore’s populist message combined with his debate performances and occasional delusional gaffe (I took the initiative and created the internet) cost Gore the election, but it was close. Bush held a 5 point lead going into the final weekend when word of a DUI back in the 1970s came out. On election day, Bush won 30 states, but Gore won the popular vote by a smidge. Had Gore run a better campaign, he could have won a triumph similar to George HW Bush’s in 1988. Instead, the election was a draw that came down to Florida.
The media declared Florida for Gore and then retracted when they discovered the panhandle was still voting. Then, they declared for Bush. Then, they undeclared everything. Gore conceded at first. Then, he changed his mind and un-conceded. This led to a recount.
After the recount, Bush won, but the Democrats wanted another one. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris tried to certify for Bush, but the case ended up in court. The Florida Supreme Court ignored election law and ordered another recount. Bush continually won the recounts being held in Democratic precincts. For some reason, the recounts only occurred in Democratic precincts and not all of Florida. Eventually, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision, the Supremes ordered an end to the recount. Bush won and Gore conceded again.
The Democrats could not win in 2000. The Florida Legislature was going to send results for Bush to the US Congress. If the Democrats had cast enough votes for Gore after the fact, the US Congress would have had two sets of returns. The Republicans controlled the House of Representatives and would have certified for Bush. The only reason for the Democrats to contest Florida and demand recounts in Democratic only areas was to injure Bush before he assumed office in the hopes of creating a lame duck. They failed. After the election, Gore would become the world’s savior. John McCain would finally become the GOP nominee for president. Joe Lieberman was expelled from the Democratic Party for making too much sense. Dick Cheney became the most unpopular governmental figure ever...at least until Nancy Pelosi became speaker!

The Boomers Roll Into Washington

The Soviet Union collapsed, Iraq had been expelled from Kuwait, Panama declared war on America and was trounced, and the US economy had slightly slowed down. The incumbent president was George HW Bush. History looks at him more favorably today than in 1992. In 1992, he was the man that went against his "No New Taxes" pledge, oversaw a ballooning deficit, and ignored problems at home. With voter discontent high, Bush was challenged by commentator Pat Buchanan for the Republican nomination. Although Bush defeated Buchanan, the right wing populist had wounded the incumbent President much like Reagan hurt Ford in 1976 and Kennedy hurt Carter in 1980.
The Democratic field was a mess. In 1991, no one wanted to challenge Bush. The President's approval rating was over 90%. The Democratic field narrowed to three. Governor Jerry Brown of California (aka Governor Moonbeam), Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas (whom many wondered why he was not a Republican), and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. The Arkansas Governor was plagued by stories of womanizing and draft dodging. On top of this, his wife annoyed many people and scared others. The couple talked about a "two for one" deal. Vote for Bill and get Hillary too.
The Governor was accused of a decade long affair with a lounge singer. Clinton went on 60 Minutes and diffused the Gennifer Flowers scandal. Her credibility was hurt when it was revealed she received money for her story. In New Hampshire, Clinton finished second to Paul Tsongas and declared victory. All of a sudden, he was the "comeback kid" and had the momentum. He sailed to victory in the Democratic primaries.
Then came Perot. Businessman and all around strange person Ross Perot decided to attack the deficit and both parties. He never really gave specifics, but he was quick with the one liners and his graphs and charts. At one point, he led both Bush and Clinton in the polls. Then, he pulled out claiming something about a Republican hit squad and his daughter's wedding. To this day, no one is sure what Perot was talking about. For some reason, he re-entered the race, but his momentum, and novelty, was gone. Perot's most amusing mistake was his selection of Admiral James Stockdale as vice president. During the Vice Presidential Debate, he uttered the classic, "who am I? Why am I here?" Senator Gore and Vice President Quayle looked even more stupefied than the two of them normally do.
During the general election, Clinton hit hard. He blamed Bush for "the worst economy in fifty years." (In reality, the worst since Carter). James Carville coined the term "It's the economy stupid!" Clinton had to deal with stories of womanizing and drug use ("I didn't inhale"). The Democrats ran on the economy. Ross Perot ran on the deficit. Bush ran on experience.
The media played a major role in 1992 by contrasting the candidates and attacking the economy. They tended to portray Bush as old and out of touch while showing Clinton as young and vigorous. Also, they withheld good economic news until after the election. They also played up some suspiciously timed Iran-Contra indictments that came right before the election.
Despite this tide, Bush remained even in the polls with Clinton going into election day. However, when the final count was done, Clinton won with 43% of the vote. Ross Perot siphoned votes away from Bush and got Clinton elected.
Four years later, Clinton cruised to the nomination. The Republicans nominated Senator Bob Dole of Kansas. Dole ran a dreadful campaign. At the eleventh hour, he decided to campaign for 24 straight hours to show he was physically fit. Clinton spent the better part of 1995 and 1996 attacking Dole and the Republicans and had created a narrative that was hard to defeat. Additionally, Dole ran out of money prior to the convention and could not fight back adequately. On the other hand, Clinton was a fund raising machine. Clinton won re-election, but Americans were wary of him. He could not break the 50% mark in the popular vote.
George H.W. Bush went into retirement, jumped out of airplanes, and watched his son be elected president in 2000. Bill Clinton ran the most scandal ridden administration ever, was impeached, rebuilt his reputation through charitable work (some done with Bush 41), and then watched it all unravel during the 2008 primaries. Pat Buchanan is now a MSDNC commentator. Paul Tsongas died of cancer. No one is sure what became of Jerry Brown. Bob Dole went on to do Viagra commercials. Ross Perot ran for president in 1996, formed the Reform Party, and then returned to his home planet. Had he not mucked things up in 1992, then no Bill Clinton, no impeachment, no high gas prices, and probably no 911.
Tags: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Politics, Presidential Election, 1992, 1996

The Massachusetts Miracle Worker!

Thursday, August 7, 2008Subject: The Massachusetts Miracle WorkerTime: 4:54:00 PM EDTAuthor: cicero390 Edit Entry Delete Entry
The Democrats got thumped in 1984. Americans no longer wanted The New Deal or Great Society. So, the Democrats looked for a new kind of Democrat to run. They turned to Mario Cuomo. He said no thanks. They turned to Gary Hart. He got caught with his pants down with Donna Rice. The primaries came down to Al Gore, Dick Gephardt, Jesse Jackson, and Michael Dukakis. Dukakis won six primaries on Super Tuesday to Gore's five and became the front runner. Dukakis gained momentum and became the nominee.
On the Republican side, Vice President Bush began as the front runner, but stumbled early allowing Senator Bob Dole an opening. A negative ad run by the Bush campaign portrayed Dole as a tax raiser. Dole lost his temper and went on TV to tell Bush to "stop lying about my record." Bush won the nomination after that gaffe.
Dukakis led Bush at the outset of the general election. Bush appeared wimpy and wishy washy compared to Reagan. Bush went on TV to attack Dan Rather to gain street cred with the right. Then, his campaign attacked Dukakis as a dangerously out of touch liberal. When Dukakis admitted to being a "card carrying member of the ACLU," the campaign used it.
The Bush campaign's biggest setback was their choice of Vice President. Dan Quayle did not make a good first impression and looked like he belonged at the little kids table when he debated Lloyd Bentsen. When Quayle compared his experience in Congress to John Kennedy's (Quayle-12 years/Kennedy-14 years), Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Bentsen responded, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." (Editor's note: Dan Quayle was more qualified for president than Barack Obama).
The contrast between Bentsen and Quayle was striking. So was the contrast between Dukakis and Bentsen. Some thought the two should reverse their spots on the ticket as Dukakis made more errors. The Massachusetts Governor made a campaign stop and got filmed in a tank. He looked like Snoopy and it became a TV ad.
TV finished Dukakis. While governor, he supported weekend paroles for prisoners. One convicted murderer, Willie Horton, got out and committed armed robbery and rape. Senator Al Gore brought it to America's attention and it became a deadly campaign ad.
Bush-Quayle won in a landslide. George Bush became the first vice-president since Martin Van Buren to win the presidency. He would go on and lead America through it's most successful war in history.

Revolution!!!

Jimmy Carter was a failure. He had the worst presidency since James Buchanan (1857-1861). Inflation and unemployment combined to make the "misery index." The misery index was around 25%. He was challenged by Ted Kennedy for the nomination. This challenge wounded Carter as Reagan's challenge wounded Ford in 1976. On top of this, Carter looked weak as Iran kidnapped 52 Americans and held them for 444 days. They would not be released until Carter left office.
Carter's challenger was the former governor of California. Ronald Reagan had led an insurrection against the Republican establishment. He stood for small government and lower taxes. His personal charisma and message was formidable and Carter knew he was in trouble. As a result, the Democrats attempted to paint Reagan as a warmonger as they did to Barry Goldwater in 1964. They failed. Reagan's charm and Carter's incompetence overcame any misgivings people had. When a rescue mission to free the hostages in Iran crashed in the desert killing the rescuers, Carter was toast. Reagan won in a landslide.
Four years later, Carter's Vice President, Walter Mondale, won the Democratic nomination and promised to raise taxes. Mondale's running mate was the first woman to run on a major party ticket. Unfortunately, Geraldine Ferraro's husband had IRS issues and was rumored to be tied to organized crime. Reagan was personally popular and the economy was the strongest peace time economy in history. Reagan won in the mother of all landslides. He won 49 states. The key moment came during the debates. Reagan looked old and lost in the first debate, but in the second debate, he was on fire. When the age issue arose, Reagan said he would not exploit Mondale's youth and inexperience for political gain. The election ended that night.
Reagan would serve two full terms and is now considered a near-great or even a great president by Republicans and Democrats (albeit begrudgingly) alike. He led a revolution that reverberates to this day and has led at least one imminent liberal historian to dub the era, "The Age of Reagan." Jimmy Carter is still alive, formed Habitat for Humanity, and has recently lost his mind. Walter Mondale is no longer with us.

The Man from Georgia: 1976

The Republican Party was in tatters. Watergate decimated the G.O.P. Although personally honest and likeable, President Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon had amplified voter anger. On top of this, the right wing had decided to make its move. Ronald Reagan launched an insurgency that cut into Ford even further. On top of all this, Ford had been appointed to the Vice-Presidency and ascended to the Oval Office upon Nixon's resignation. So, he was not elected to either of the top two offices.
The Democrats were delighted and looked forward to recapturing the White House. They nominated Jimmy Carter. Carter was a one term governor of Georgia and former peanut farmer. Carter ran as an outsider that would clean up Washington and jumped to a 33 point lead in the polls.
Despite his immense lead, Carter made several mistakes that brought him back to Earth. Carter remained vague on the issues and Ford hammered him for his inexperience. Additionally, Carter's mother gave an interview with Playboy that was less than complimentary to the candidate.
Despite Carter's problems, Ford made the biggest gaffe of all during a debate. In it, he claimed the Soviet Union did not dominate Eastern Europe. Carter responded, "Tell that to the Poles." Ford failed to retract the blunder and it reinforced the media's image of him as dumb. It also brought up visions of a shifty Nixon.
On election day, Carter pulled out a narrow victory 50-48%. The electoral college was 297-240. Carter would go on to be the worst president since James Buchanan. He'd even get attacked by a rabbit. Ford would go golfing. Ronald Reagan would lead a revolution that would redefine the terms of debate in American politics to this day.

Richard Nixon Back Again!

Thursday, July 24, 2008Subject: The Return of the NixonTime: 5:14:00 PM EDTAuthor: cicero390 Edit Entry Delete Entry
Richard Nixon lost a nail-biter to John Kennedy in 1960. Two years later, he lost in his bid to become governor of California. He promised the press they would "not have Nixon to kick around anymore." Nixon went into the wilderness to re-emerge in 1968 as the Republican frontrunner. The American voter wanted order, a resolution to Vietnam, and a competent government.
The Democrats had screwed things up. The nation seemed paralyzed by anti-war protests and the war in Vietnam was getting more unpopular. The Vietcong launched attacks across South Vietnam and were thoroughly defeated. The press declared defeat (much like in Iraq). President Johnson struggled in the primaries and dropped out. The new frontrunner, Robert Kennedy, was murdered two months after Martin Luther King's assassination. The new frontrunner, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, was mortally wounded by Vietnam, riots and violence in America's streets, and a riot at his own convention.
Despite the mortal wound, HHH made a race of it. LBJ suspended bombings of Vietnam right before the election in a cynical attempt to swing voters. Additionally, Governor George Wallace attracted many blue collar voters that despised what the Democratic Party had become (in 2008, they voted for Hillary). Wallace siphoned off votes from Nixon, but Nixon managed to win by a hair. Governor Wallace would run again in 1972. During that campaigne, Wallace was paralyzed by an assassins bullet and never was a factor.
In 1972, Nixon took on the first modern Democratic candidate in George McGovern. Senator McGovern gave the Democrats proportional representation in their primaries (which gave the nomination to Obama this year) and their socially liberal platform that is almost always rejected by voters. One critic claimed the Senator's campaign was based on Amnesty, Abortion, and Acid. McGovern ran a classically liberal campaign and got trounced. He could not even pick a vice president correctly. His original choice was treated for depression with electric shock therapy. Nixon got 61% of the vote, but did not enjoy the victory for long. Despite going toChina and ending Vietnam, Nixon got bogged down by Watergate and was forced to resign in 1974.
Tags: Presidential Election, Richard Nixon

The Daisy Girl

BOOM! That is the sound of LBJ's demolition of Barry Goldwater in 1964. It's also the sound of the now infamous "Daisy Girl" ad. In it, a little girl is picking peddles off a flower. The next moment, she is vaporized by a mushroom cloud. The implication: Goldwater would lead America into a nuclear conflict with Russia. The Dems even co-opted Goldwater's campaign slogan "In your heart, you know he's right." They changed it to "In your Heart, you know he might." Goldwater's policies would eventually get Ronald Reagan elected president, but in 1964, they seemed extreme. Ironically, LBJ would be the one to lead the nation to war unnecessarily.
The 1960s were the halcion days of liberalism and Goldwater was a reaction to it. During his nomination speech, he said "extremism in defense of liberty is no vice." Richard Nixon said he knew the election was over at that point. The Dems turned that diddy around on Goldwater. They said that now even Goldwater knows he's an extremist.
Most of the negative campaigning was probably academic. Lyndon Johnson was the incumbent president in 1964 and was running as the heir to Kennedy's "Camelot." The nation was still in mourning over Kennedy's death and LBJ played on that sympathy.
As a result of Goldwater gaffes, skillful Democratic portrayals of Goldwater, and public sympathy following JFK's death, Johnson won 61%- 39% in the popular vote and 486-52 in the electoral college. Goldwater won his home state of Arizona and the Deep South. The South was angry at LBJ's passage of the Civil Rights Act. It was the beginning of the end for the Dems in the South.
Goldwater remained in the Senate until 1987. It was Goldwater that got Nixon to resign in 1974. It was Goldwater's libertarianism that helped lead to the rise of the right and Ronald Reagan.
Johnson served as President until 1969. His Great Society made him the last reform president before George W. Bush. Like Bush, an unpopular war combined with policies of debatable results, made LBJ very unpopular. Unlike Bush, he decided not to run for re-election.

Kennedy vs. Nixon: 1960

Richard Nixon should have won in 1960. He was clearly the most qualified candidate while his opponent had a thin congressional resume. However, circumstances and modernity worked against Richard Nixon. With a couple of breaks, some pure luck, and some pure skill, JFK eeked out a narrow victory.
Ike had to step down after two terms. Had he been able to run in 1960, he would have beaten anyone the Dems could throw at him. Ike's Vice President, Richard Nixon, promised to continue Ike's policies and touted his experience as the G.O.P. overwhelmingly nominated him for president.
The Democrats had about a dozen candidates. The one that finally emerged was John F. Kennedy. Many Democrats including Harry Truman thought Kennedy was too inexperience to be president. However, his father's connections combined with Kennedy's charisma and media savvy won the day. It turned out JFK's biggest problem was not experience, but his religion. The last Catholic candidate was Al Smith in 1928 and he was crushed.
Nixon did not want to touch Kennedy's Catholicism. He felt it was bigoted to do so. Instead, he hammered home the experience issue. Experience never seems to help a candidate when they raise it as an issue. Nixon held a slight lead through much of the campaign.
Then, Nixon got sick. He lost some time on the campaign trail allowing Kennedy to do some catchup work.. Additionally, Nixon promised to visit all 50 states which took time from his schedule when he could have been hitting battleground states. Then, President Eisenhower got sick. Despite this, he offered to campaign for Nixon. The V.P. refused fearing it might kill the general.
What killed Nixon's campaign was the first TV debate with Kennedy. Nixon was recovering from his illness and looked gaunt. On top of this, he refused to wear makeup and did not shave. This accentuated his Richard III-esque features. On the other hand, Kennedy was tanned, clean shaven, and had visited a hooker before the debate...thus relaxing him. Those watching on TV believed Kennedy won the debate while those listening on the radio believed Nixon won. Ironically, Nixon was the first politician to effectively use television during his "Checkers" speech in 1952.
When election day rolled around, Kennedy squeaked out a victory. After some research, some historians have concluded that Nixon actually won the election. There was vote fraud in Illinois and Texas. In response to dead voters voting Democratic, LBJ quipped, "That's how they would have voted!" In Illinois, Chicago is notorious for vote fraud and that specter showed it's ugly head again during the 2008 Democratic Primaries. The history of Democratic vote fraud also explains Republican howls during the 2000 election.
Lastly, the 1960 election is the time African-Americans turned overwhelmingly Democrat. From 1865-1932, they were overwhelmingly Republican. The Depression turned them into a swing vote. Despite the fact Democrats sponsored segregation and Republicans desegregated Little Rock, passed two Civil Rights bills under Ike, and a Republican Supreme Court Justice authored Brown v. Board, JFK mesmerized them. The key moment came during the sit-ins. Martin Luther King was arrested and his wife feared for his life. While Nixon went to Justice behind the scenes to try and get him released, Bobby Kennedy used public pressure to secure King's release. King endorsed Kennedy and the black vote has been Democratic ever since.
JFK became president, did an effective job, and was then assassinated and turned into a martyr.

I Like Ike!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008Subject: I Like IkeTime: 4:44:00 PM EDTAuthor: cicero390 Edit Entry Delete Entry
Both parties approached Dwight Eisenhower to be their candidate for President in 1952. Harry Truman was stepping down and the GOP was desperate to win back the White House for the first time in 20 years. Ike decided to be a Republican. With that, the Republicans won the elections in 1952 and 1956. Ike was too popular to beat.
The Democrats nominated Adlai Stevenson both times. He was a boring intellectual. Stevenson campaign ads featured the candidate droning on and on...he bored people to death. By contrast, Ike's ads were quick and to the point. In both elections, Ike won big.
Eisenhower served two successful terms in office. He ended the Korean War, built the national highway system, integrated Little Rock High School, and balanced the budget. Additionally, he kept much of the New Deal in place. He left office extremely popular. Had he been healthy enough to campaign in 1960 for Richard Nixon, or had he not been limited to two terms by the Constitution, Kennedy would have stood no chance.

Give 'em Hell Harry!

Harry S. Truman became president upon the death of Franklin Roosevelt. His first term in office saw the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. Truman took firm steps to stop Soviet expansion and ensure Democratic governments would not fall to the left. As 1948 approached, he considered stepping down in favor of Dwight Eisenhower. Ike turned down the Democratic and Republican nominations for president, so Truman decided to run himself.
Truman angered many in his own party. The left did not like the strong anti-communist steps the president took. They despised Truman's hard line stance against the Soviets. So, they bolted and formed the Progressive Party. This was a precursor to the modern Democratic Party. The Progressives nominated former Vice President and mystic Henry Wallace. Their platform called for making nice with Stalin and attacked the Marshall Plan (which saved Europe from starvation).
If losing the looney left was not bad enough, Truman also lost the South. Southern Democrats liked to oppress African-Americans. Truman stood for Civil Rights and desegregated the military. The South bolted and nominated Strom Thurmond of South Carolina for president. The Dixiecrats stood for segregation and white supremacy.
The Republicans were delighted. The Democrats had split into three camps. They figured they had it won. All they had to do was not lose. The GOP nominated Thomas Dewey of New York. Dewey gave FDR a run for his money in 1944. The Republicans employed the same type of strategy the Detroit Lions use at the end of ballgames. The idea was to not say or do anything to lose the election.
While Dewey grew complacent with his conservative campaign strategy, Truman went on the attack. He attacked the GOP mercilessly and effectively. His whistlestop campaign tours are now legendary. Thousands flocked to hear him speak. At one stop, a voter yelled "Give 'em Hell Harry!" Truman attacked a "Do-Nothing Congress" for being obstructionist and promised a Fair Deal for all. In reality, there was little difference between Dewey and Truman on issues.
Everyone thought Dewey would be president. The Democrats split into New Deal, New Left, and Dixiecrat camps. Truman's base would be split three ways and Dewey would cruise to victory. Truman won. How did this happen? Dewey failed to respond to Democratic attacks and failed to run an aggressive campaign. Voters saw Truman and had his message beat into them. Truman got 49% of the vote to Dewey's 45%. It was the greatest presidential upset ever.
In his second term, Truman would become bogged down in Korea and end up being the least popular incumbent in the modern era. Dewey would serve three terms as New York governor and then withdraw from politics. Henry Wallace would go back to his farm. Strom Thurmond would be a United States Senator for the rest of the century and live to 100 years old. After his death, news broke that Thurmond had fathered a biracial daughter.

FDR's Golden Sombrero

Franklin Roosevelt was elected to the presidency four times. None of the four elections were close because of FDR's personality and the nature of the times. In each election, Roosevelt ignored his opponent, concentrated on what he wanted to do, and attacked the Republican Party as a whole for the Great Depression. Ironically, FDR was a Democrat because Theodore Roosevelt had so many sons, that FDR believed he could not compete with them. They did not enter politics, but FDR did not know that. Had he known TR's sons were going to stay out of politics, he would have been a Republican.
1932: The country was in the middle of the Great Depression. Herbert Hoover was the incumbent. Hoover got the blame. His name became synonymous with poverty. Any chance he had of being re-elected came to an end when Douglas MacArthur unleashed tanks on a tent city full of World War I vets. FDR won big.
1936: The Depression had not ended. The GOP ran Governor Alf Landon from Kansas. He attacked the New Deal as wasteful and ineffective. The polls showed a Landon landslide, but pollsters only talked to people with phones, so a large swath of the electorate was ignored. FDR won a monster victory as people felt he was on their side.
1940: World War II had begun in Europe and the Depression still hampered America. The Republicans nominated Wendell Wilkie. Wilkie was a moderate and his nomination signaled the beginning of moderate domination of the GOP. Essentially, voters could choose New Deal or New Deal light. Wilkie ran a spirited campaign and the GOP attacked FDR for not ending the Depression, warmongering, and the third term. FDR won as people did not want to FDR to leave with World War II at their doorstep.
1944: FDR was dying. The Democrats knew it, but ran him again. They dumped incumbent vice president Henry Wallace from the ticket because he was too far to the left and was involved in weird mysticism. They replaced Wallace with Harry S. Truman of Missouri. Truman had gained national attention and acclaim rooting out wasteful wartime spending. The GOP nominated Thomas Dewey of New York. With World War II waging, Dewey could not hit Roosevelt without looking bad. As a result, Roosevelt won again. He died five months later.

The Roaring 20s

America was tired of Woodrow Wilson. Like George W. Bush, he had a successful and progressive first term, he was re-elected by the skin of his teeth, the economy was in recession, he led America into a ridiculous conflict, and then into a massive conflict which the public grew tired of. In 1919, the country experienced a Red Scare, a series of race riots, and the government suspended the constitution to go after radicals. The GOP smelled victory.
In 1920, the GOP nominated Senator Warren Harding of Ohio for president. Harding was not qualified, but was likeable and the girls swooned over him. Harding promised a return to normalcy. (Thus far, 2008 resembles 1920). The Democrats thought about running Wilson again, but he had suffered a stroke and the country despised him. They nominated newspaperman James Cox. The election came down to whether or not people wanted to be involved in world affairs and progressivism. Did people want "A Return to Normalcy" or a continuance of progressive policies and Wilsonian (Bush-like) foreign policy? Harding won with 61% of the vote. Voters wanted an end of Bush...er Wilson.
Four years later, Harding was dead. He died of a massive stroke as a major scandal rocked his administration. Harding the candidate resembled Barack Obama while Harding the president resembled Bill Clinton.(Lessons for today!) The Vice-President, Calvin Coolidge, assumed the presidency and was well liked and untainted by scandal. He ran for election in his own right. The Democrats battled and haggled and settled on former Congressman and Diplomat John Davis. Meanwhile, the Progressives re-emerged and nominated the narcissistic Robert La Follette. With the economy doing great, America modernizing, and a popular incumbent president, Coolidge won in a landslide. 54% to 28% for Davis and 17% for La Follette.
In 1928, Coolidge decided not to run. He was a successful president and would have been re-elected. The Republicans turned to Secretary of Commerce and World War I relief hero Herbert Hoover. Hoover decided to enter politics at the beginning of the decade and decided to join the GOP because the Democrats were not popular. Hoover promised a "chicken in every pot" and ironically believed poverty would soon be at an end. The Democrats nominated Al Smith of New York. Smith was a Catholic and against Prohibition. He was the party's sacrificial lamb. The only excitement came from Franklin Roosevelt's nominating speech. The Democrats were crushed again 58%-40%.Four years later, America would be in it's deepest crisis since the Civil War and FDR would be the man they would choose to save the country.

He Kept Us Out of the War!

A colleague of mine was shocked that Woodrow Wilson barely won re-election in 1916. Wilson had accomplished a lot as president. He regulated the economy for the first time, went after trusts, passed pro-labor legislation and kept America out of World War I. On the other hand, he got America bogged down in Mexico chasing Pancho Villa. Wilson's first term was very similar to George W. Bush's first term. Bush also got a lot done and passed several bits of progressive legislation. Instead of Mexico, he got the U.S. bogged down in Iraq. Like Bush in 2004, Wilson easily won his party's nomination in 1916. Like 2004, the election came down to a single state.
While the Democrats were united behind Wilson, the GOP had 22 candidates to choose from. The party bosses controlled the nomination process and quickly eliminated conservatives, progressives, and two former presidents. They decided on Charles Evans Hughes. Hughes was a moderate and a member of the Supreme Court. As a result, he had not spoken on any issue since joining the court in 1910. Unlike Wilson, he was a blank slate.
After Theodore Roosevelt failed to gain the Republican nomination, the Progressive Party nominated him for president. He declined and endorsed Hughes. As a result, the Bull Moose Party died. Its members rejoined the GOP. Roosevelt was obsessed with defeating Wilson and did not want to split the vote again. The world was at war and there was too much at stake. Roosevelt did not trust Wilson to do the right thing.
The main campaign issue was World War I. Wilson's slogan "He Kept Us Out of the War" was designed to reassure voters America would not end up in the European meat grinder. When the Titanic's sister ship, Lusitania, was sunk by German U-Boats, Wilson refused to enter the war. He said America was "too proud to fight." To some, this reeked of cowardice, but it played into Wilson's campaign theme.
The Democrats claimed Hughes planned on entering World War I if elected. Hughes denied it. Ironically, this was Wilson's plan. Hughes attacked Wilson's pro-labor record which did not help him. He also attacked Wilson's military campaign in Mexico. This also failed. The only thing that seemed to help Hughes was Theodore Roosevelt's campaigning for him.
On election night, Wilson went to bed believing he had lost (similar to 2004 when exit polls showed Kerry won). Wilson decided to wait to concede. The next day, California came in for Wilson. Like 2004, the election came down to a single state (Ohio in 2004). Wilson was re-elected and would soon take America into World War I.
Wilson's second term saw a crackdown on civil liberties, war in Europe, an attempt to democratize the world, and a failed crusade to create a league of nations. Wilson was reviled when he left office. Hughes would return to the Supreme Court in the 1920s. Theodore Roosevelt would be the front runner for the Republican nomination in 1920 until his death in 1919.

The GOP Makes a Hard Right: 1912

1912 is the election that swung the Republican Party to the right. The right turn came about as a response to Theodore Roosevelt's challenge to President William Howard Taft. Taft had an underwhelming term as president and bungled several foreign policy decisions. T.R. handpicked Taft as his successor and felt it necessary to correct his mistake. Plus, he was bored. Roosevelt decided to run for a third term and challenged the incumbent Taft.
This was the first election in which primaries would be held to choose delegates to the national conventions. The Republicans held 14 primaries that year and Roosevelt embarrassed Taft by winning 9 of the last 10 primaries. Taft won three total primaries while Robert LaFollette won two. The conservatives thought Roosevelt a radical and the party bosses worried they could not control him. Taft united these forces and blocked Roosevelt's nomination. The G.O.P. had a civil war on its hands and did not care about keeping the White House.
Roosevelt bolted the GOP and formed the Bull Moose Party. He had to distinguish himself from both Democrats and Republicans by moving left. His "New Nationalism" combined business regulation, social justice, and court reform. TR wanted people to be able to recall justices. He also attacked Taft for stealing the nomination from the people.
The Democrats were ecstatic. The Republicans did not care if they won as long as they blocked each other. The Democrats nominated Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was a former college professor and president and the incumbent governor of New Jersey. Wilson had a progressive record as governor and the south had no issues with him as Wilson was a hard core racist. Wilson campaigned on his "New Freedom" platform which opposed the "Triple Wall of Privilege." Wilson wanted to regulate banks, monopolies, and lower the tariff.
Meanwhile, if that was not enough, the Socialists got in the act again and nominated Eugene Debs again. The Socialists felt this was their time. They would total around 900,000 votes, and knew they would lose, but hoped to further their movement. However, there was a major split within the party between those that advocated violence and those that wanted to reform the country through the ballot box.
With the G.O.P. split, Wilson won. He totaled 42% of the vote. Taft and TR totaled 51% together, so it is likely a single GOP candidate would have won. However, they were not united behind a single candidate. The third party candidate Roosevelt finished second with 27.4% and Taft third with 23.2%. Even an assassination attempt on TR could not siphon off enough Taft voters. A disturbed young man believed the ghost of William McKinley told him to shoot Roosevelt. TR took the bullet in the chest, but it was stopped by the copy of his speech. (It was about the size of a phone book). Roosevelt finished the speech and went to the hospital 45 minutes later.
Following his defeat, Roosevelt went to the Amazon. He got very sick and almost died. The illness sapped his strength and he died in 1919 while gearing up to run on the GOP ticket in 1920. He was the favorite that year. Taft would become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court following a Republican restoration in the 1920s. Wilson would lead the country into World War I after misleading the nation about his intentions in 1916. The Republican Party continued it's rightward drift. It would stay hard right until 1940 and remain the Conservative party in the United States for the rest of the century.

The Square Deal and Beyond: 1904 & 1908

William McKinley was dead and his Vice President, Teddy Roosevelt, was president. In 1904, Roosevelt decided to run in his own right as he was wildly popular. The Republican Party bosses hated him since they could not control him. He won the nomination anyway and the bosses had to wait another four years for a more pliable candidate.
The Democrats would have to wait another four years for a shot at the White House. They had no chance and nominated Judge Alton B Parker. Parker was the most boring candidate in history. The contrast could not be more striking. Roosevelt was a force of nature while Parker was a tree stump.
T.R. became the first vice president to ascend to the presidency and then win a term in his own right 56% to 37%. Socialist Eugene Debs won 400,000 votes. After winning, Roosevelt promised not to run again in 1908. He was not going to go against the two term tradition. When 1908 came around, T.R. wished he had not made that pledge.
As 1908 approached, both parties searched for the candidate most like Roosevelt. T.R. picked William Howard Taft to run. The Democrats chose William Jennings Bryan. The campaign came down to who would be the most like Roosevelt. The Democrat Bryan was a two time loser. The Republican Taft was Roosevelt's hand picked successor. Taft won big.

The Cross of Gold vs. William McKinley

William Jennings Bryan is the grandfather of the modern Democratic Party. His initial candidacy for the presidency in 1896 laid the groundwork for the left-leaning policies that have come to dominate Democratic policies today. His candidacy incorporated the Progressive Party into the Democratic coalition.
There was no clear front-runner at the 1896 Democratic Convention. Grover Cleveland was retiring. William Jennings Bryan electrified the convention with his "Cross of Gold" Speech. He believed that remaining on the gold standard hurt the economy and the little guy. He wanted to use silver as well as gold to back currency and lower tariffs. Bryan's oratorical skills combined with the incorporation of the populists led to his nomination.
The Republicans decided to nominate Governor William McKinley of Ohio. McKinley was a solid conservative, backed the gold standard, and supported a high tariff. While in Congress, he helped pass the McKinley Tariff. This raised tariff rates considerably. McKinley had the backing of GOP party boss Mark Hanna. Hanna was the Karl Rove of his day and had many business ties that helped McKinley raise a record amount of money.
Once the general election began, Bryan would travel the country campaigning while McKinley sat home on his porch and let people come to him. It was a major contrast in styles. McKinley was older and a Civil War vet while Bryan was 36 and very energetic. Bryan's rhetoric scared big business and money came pouring McKinley's way.
In the end, Bryan was dragged down by three factors. First, his radical rhetoric scared voters to McKinley. This would be a hallmark of late 20th century elections when Democratic extremism scared many voters to the Republicans. Second, the Republicans outspent the Democrats by a wide margin. Third, the country was in a depression and the Democrats were the party in the White House. The depression was not Cleveland's fault, but he did little to stop the suffering and got the blame.
Four years later, the Depression was over and America was a world power for the first time. The same two candidates went at it. Bryan ran on the same issues as 1896 even though they were outdated. He also campaigned against the popular Spanish-American War and wanted to give back America's gains. Most Americans disagreed. On the other hand, McKinley campaigned on the strong economy and new prestige abroad. He promised "Four More Years of a Full Dinner Pail" which sounds remarkably similar to the Reagan Campaign of 1984. Additionally, the GOP placed war hero Theodore Roosevelt on the ticket. Roosevelt was a force of nature and campaigned as vigorously as Bryan. The Democrats had no chance.
McKinley extended his electoral victory from 1896. Bryan was a two time loser, but his ideas took hold in the Democratic Party and would come to fruition in the Wilson campaign. Also, Bryan's Progressivism is eerily similar to today's so-called "Religious Right." He tied moralist themes, religion, and liberalism into a potent message. Bryan would remain on the scene well into the 1920's while McKinley would be assassinated by an anarchist in late 1901.