The Election of 1864

National Review Online ^ | 1/21/2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[.cnI redruM]

I hope he's right. I was also impressed that he directly refuted the idea that terrorism could be dealt with as a legal problem. After hearing Wastely Clark claim that a big lawsuit combined with an economic boycott, and the negotiating prowess of Tony Blair changed Qaddafi's mind about being a terrorist, I think this still needs to be explained to the less intelligent members of a certain political party.

[republicanwizard]

Interesting post. However, they don't mention the incumbent in 1864. While you and I know who that was, many people may not.

[Redcoat LI]

Good eye,I did not notice that.
A clue for those who don't know who that incumbent was,he's the guy on the nickel.
I would have said 5 dollar bill,but according to the democRATS people haven't seen that large amount of money in a long time.
Of course the challenger was a disgruntled,feckless ex-general.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Oh my God, don't even mention it! The Southrens around here will come unglued!

[republicanwizard]

Yes, I'll mention. The great, the incomparable, the founder of my party, the Emancipator of the enslaved, the saviour of the Constitution, I mean Abraham Lincoln.

[republicanwizard]

Yeah, a real idiot. Later became Governor of New Jersey. Carrying on in a great tradition of that failed general are the failed Governors Florio, Whitman, DiFrancesco, McGreevey.

[Tribune7]

In reaction, the tortured expressions of a Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton were testament to the strength of his message,

Kennedy looked like he was going to cry. Especially when Dubya mentioned "No Child Left Behind" which was supposed to be Kennedy's bill.

I loved it.

[Tribune7]

A clue for those who don't know who that incumbent was,he's the guy on the nickel.

?????

[Tribune7]

You left off Woodrow Wilson.

[republicanwizard]

Yeah, I know. The penny!

[republicanwizard]

Well, I never considered him that bad.

[Brainhose]

Let us not forget that just a week ago that Wastely Clark (I love that nickname, I hadn't heard it before) Promised that if he were to be elected (snicker) that there would never be another terrorist attack in this country.

[AmishDude]

Dean ads in Iowa trashed No Child Left Behind -- by name!

You don't say, "The president hurt our children by the Puppies and Flowers Act."

[AmishDude]

Even more relevant is the opponent in 1864.

[mac_truck]

This article would have been more effective if Hanson had more clearly blocked in the comparison between the antiwar Democrats of today and those of 140 years ago.

For example no mention is made of the Democrat opponent in 1864, General George McClellan. This role could easily be played by today's anti-war general Wesely Clark. There are other comparisons likely to be made, between the other lessor known Democrats of that era and those that occupy the stage today.

Without these details and with no direct comparison between Lincoln and Bush, the article fails (imo) to convey the historical linkage back to 1864.

[Ditto]

While you and I know who that was, many people may not.

I have a feeling that people who read National Review, know who it was and could even tell you that he too ran against an ankle-biting opposition party that relied entirely on racist, class warfare tactics even then and whose nominee was a very bitter and egotistical failed 4-star General.

The People magazine folks don't read NR.

[Tolik]

No apologies, no going back, no regrets, no boasting.

Victor Davis Hanson moral clarity huge BUMP  [please freepmail me if you want or don't want to be pinged to Victor Davis Hanson articles]

If you want to bookmark his articles discussed at FR: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/k-victordavishanson/browse

His NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp

[Valin]

And a tip of the hat to Uncle Billy Sherman. Who by capturing Atlanta saved the election for Lincoln.

As an aside (if memory serves) the soldiers voted for Lincoln by a large margin, even though little Mac would have brought them home.

[Valin]

Thanks for the ping.