Anything for a Vote : Dirty Tricks, Cheap Shots, and October Surprises in U.S. Presidential Campaigns

A History of Mud-Slinging, Character Assassination, And Other Election Strategies Today’s political pundits express shock and disappointment when candidates resort to negative campaigning. But history reveals that smear campaigns are as American as apple pie. Anything for a Vote is an illustrated look at 200-plus years of dirty tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections, from George Washington to Barack Obama and John McCain. Let the name-calling begin! • 1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accuses candidate Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women’s clothing: “He is laced up in corsets!” • 1864: Presidential candidate George McClellan describes his opponent, Abraham Lincoln, as “nothing more than a well-meaning baboon!” • 1960: Former president Harry Truman advises voters that “if you vote for Richard Nixon, you ought to go to hell!” Full of sleazy anecdotes from every presidential election in United States history, Anything for a Vote is a valuable reminder that history does repeat itself, that lessons can be learned from the past (though they usually aren’t), and that our most famous presidents are not above reproach when it comes to the dirtiest game of all—political campaigning. An updated and illustrated compendium of mudslinging, character assassinations, and below-board election strategies from U.S. presidential politics throughout history! Discover the “dirty tricks of the covert and the sleazy” in this giftable volume for American history buffs (New York Times Magazine). Covering 225-plus years of smear campaigns, slanderous candidates, and bad behavior in American elections, this comprehensive history is the authoritative tour of political shade-throwing from George Washington to Barack Obama. You might think today's politicians play rough—but history reveals that dirty tricks are as American as apple pie. Let the name-calling begin! • 1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accuses candidate Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women's clothing: “He is laced up in corsets!” • 1864: Candidate George McClellan describes his opponent, Abraham Lincoln, as “nothing more than a well-meaning baboon!” • 1960: Former president Harry Truman advises voters that “if you vote for Richard Nixon, you ought to go to hell!” Full of sleazy and shameless anecdotes from every presidential election in United States history, Anything for a Vote is a valuable reminder that history does repeat itself, lessons can be learned from the past (but usually aren't), and our most famous presidents are not above reproach when it comes to the dirtiest game of all—political campaigning.

A History of Mud-Slinging, Character Assassination, And Other Election Strategies
 
Today’s political pundits express shock and disappointment when candidates resort to negative campaigning. But history reveals that smear campaigns are as American as apple pie. Anything for a Vote is an illustrated look at 200-plus years of dirty tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections, from George Washington to Barack Obama and John McCain. Let the name-calling begin!
 
     •  1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accuses candidate Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women’s clothing: “He is laced up in corsets!”
     •  1864: Presidential candidate George McClellan describes his opponent, Abraham Lincoln, as “nothing more than a well-meaning baboon!”
     •  1960: Former president Harry Truman advises voters that “if you vote for Richard Nixon, you ought to go to hell!”
 
Full of sleazy anecdotes from every presidential election in United States history, Anything for a Vote is a valuable reminder that history does repeat itself, that lessons can be learned from the past (though they usually aren’t), and that our most famous presidents are not above reproach when it comes to the dirtiest game of all—political campaigning.

A History of Mud-Slinging, Character Assassination, And Other Election Strategies Today’s political pundits express shock and disappointment when candidates resort to negative campaigning. But history reveals that smear campaigns are as American as apple pie. __Anything for a Vote__ is an illustrated look at 200-plus years of dirty tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections, from George Washington to Barack Obama and John McCain. Let the name-calling begin! • 1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accuses candidate Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women’s clothing: “He is laced up in corsets!” • 1864: Presidential candidate George McClellan describes his opponent, Abraham Lincoln, as “nothing more than a well-meaning baboon!” • 1960: Former president Harry Truman advises voters that “if you vote for Richard Nixon, you ought to go to hell!” Full of sleazy anecdotes from every presidential election in United States history, __Anything for a Vote__ is a valuable reminder that history does repeat itself, that lessons can be learned from the past (though they usually aren’t), and that our most famous presidents are not above reproach when it comes to the dirtiest game of all—political campaigning. Today's political pundits express shock and disappointment when candidates resort to negative campaigning. But history reveals that smear campaigns are as American as apple pie. Anything for a Vote is an illustrated look at 200-plus years of dirty tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections from George Washington to G. W. Bush. Highlights 1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accuses candidate Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women's "He is laced up in corsets!" 1912: Theodore Roosevelt is shot in the chest while preparing to give a campaign speech, then proceeds to deliver it "I don t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a bull moose!" 1960: President Harry Truman advises voters that "if you vote for Richard Nixon, you might go to hell!" Arriving a full year before the 2008 presidential election, Anything for a Vote is a valuable reminder that history does repeat itself, that lessons can be learned from the past (though they usually aren't), and that our most famous presidents are not above reproach when it comes to the dirtiest game of all political campaigning. Provides a look at 200+ years of tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections and a ride through American history. This book is a reminder that history does repeat itself, that lessons can be learned from the past (though usually aren't), and that even some American figures are not above reproach when it comes to presidential politics.