Essay on "President's Campaign"

Essay 4 pages (1287 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Campaigns of Grant and Wilson

A political campaign, particularly a Presidential campaign, is an important part of the American political process. It is an organized, and sometimes lengthy, effort to influence both the decision making process and overall political and social goals of the country for at least a four-year period. Modern political campaigns bear very little resemblance to those in America's history, partially due to social networking, technology, media influences, and a general style of journalism and techniques. Major campaigns in the United States are partisan and Presidential campaigns often last years -- sometimes even beginning shortly after one election and in preparation for the next. Campaigns have become so complex and expensive that only a select few can even begin to aspire to Senatorial or Presidential office (Dinkin, 1989).

However, campaigns were not always such. Campaigns prior to the 1930s, without the benefit of the mass media, were more populace oriented. Advertising and corporate sponsorship and funding were less important, and the messages seemed clearly, more precise, and in a time in which political divisions seemed cleaner and the issues more black and white. Two examples of these types of campaigns were those of Presidents Ulysses S. Grand and Woodrow Wilson. While the Grant campaign is not mentioned in this history books as one of the seminal elections in American history, during his initial run for office, he was extremely popular (particularly in the north), based on his service and accomplishments in the Civil War. . His accomplishments included expansion of Republicanism into the south which yielded the first elections of black Congressmen. However, his administration was marred by corruption and he has gone down in history as one of the least effective presidents politically (Wilentz 2010). Like Grant, Wilson was a very popular man upon his election. Although not a war hero, Wilson was a former President of Princeton University. In that position he had shown himself to be concerned with the plight of underfunded students and to limit the amount of finance-based selectivity throughout the college. Wilson's campaign promised a "New Freedom" which would limit government power and curtail the business monopolies heretofore unchecked power (Link 1945). In fact, the election of 1912 is considered by many to be one of the most important in Presidential history and Wilson's win the result of Theodore Roosevelt breaking with the Republicans, splitting the vote, and allowing Wilson on the less popular Democratic ticket to garner enough votes to win, and possibly change 20th century American Foreign policy to an extreme (Chace, 2004).

Grant - Ulysses S. Grant was a military commander during the Civil War. Under his command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the idea of the Confederate States of America. He was a lifelong soldier, entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1943 when he was 21 years old. President Abraham Lincoln was not particularly satisfied with the progress of many of the Union generals, and promoted Grant to Commanding General of the Union army after his victory at the Battle of Chattanooga in late 1863. Whether timing or strategic skill, Grant supervised a number of devastating campaigns launched by his general staff (Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas). In April 1865 he captured the Confederate capital at Richmond, and in April 1865, General Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox (McFeely, 1981).

While Grant's Presidency was marred by scandal, our concern is his campaign and the issues presented to the American public. The Election of 1868 was the first Presidential election to be held during Reconstruction. When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, he was succeeded by Andrew Johnson, who was unable to receive the Democratic nomination because of his Congressional impeachment and alienating the constituents. Instead, the Democrats placed Horatio Seymour and the Republicans U.S. Grant. Seymour was the 18th Governor of New York. He… READ MORE

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