An aristocrat spoke plainly (didn’t shout it)

Predictably inanely (didn’t flout it)

Just a wealthy country squire

Making small talk with the choir

Could he have been any Mor-man about it?

Almost feel sorry for the guy.  For months his handlers have been on him to stand for something and show us all what he's really made of, and finally he puts his mouth where his money is and he's sent to his room and told not to come down till he's learned how to behave.  He's got to be more confused than ever.  He's either thinking "What the hell do they want from me?"  Or, if he's got any dignity at all, " I want out!"

The GOP campaign organ grinders appear to be panicked now that they have failed to keep their (inadequately trained) monkey under control,  but I suspect the sharper sharpies in the back room with a surer grasp of historical precedent are feeling a bit less anxious cause there's still a chance to catch  a straight flush on the river...and I had some fun going back to see how the cards were dealt in some games  past.  Skip the rest if you didn't like High School American History, cause what follows is not too dissimilar. 

1800 – Jefferson beats Adams

Adams atheist charge was just one of a host of dirty tactics (from both sides) plus critical factor  that The Electoral College allowed slave owners to vote their slaves at 3/5ths of a vote.  John Adams would have defeated Jefferson without the 3/5ths bonus.

Every president was a slave owner or beholden to slave holders.

1824 John Quincy Adams over Jackson

Adams lost the popular vote to Andrew Jackson. But Adams made a deal with Henry Clay of KY to get Clay’s electoral votes. Adams became president despite a huge popular vote deficit.

And the two went at it again four years later!

And in the rematch, Jackson scored a decisive KO with the "modern" formula of attacking incumbent as elitist insider while cultivating image of brave and honest populist fighting against entrenched Washington corruption. 

1876 Tilden beats Hayes.  Hayes wins.

Tilden beat Hayes handily in the popular vote and electoral vote. We were still in the Reconstruction period, with Federal Troops stationed in the south. The former Confederate states had become five military districts. This was the worlds “first multi racial government.” However a five month Constitutional crisis ensued during which “a new civil war” was threatened. A special commission ultimately ruled on electoral votes in a way (a bit complicated, but you can look it up) that resulted in a Hayes victory.

Hayes was given the Presidency in return for the Republican support to pull troops out and end Reconstruction. The results: blacks could no longer vote, the KKK came back as a huge force, institutionalized racism prevailed…

1888 Harrison loses popular vote, wins election.  

Grover Cleveland was denied a second term cause he lost his home state (NY) by slim popular margin, but huge electoral one.  This was the third of four U.S. presidential elections in which the winner did not come in first in the popular vote. As First Lady Frances Cleveland (age 23)and the outgoing president (age 51) left the White House, she assured the staff that they would return in four years, which they did--and which made Cleveland only Pres. to serve two non-consecutive terms. 

1896 McKinley – Bryan (William Jennings)

 Mark Hanna, multimillionaire Kingmaker underwrites and organizes campaign to buy election for McKinley. Hanna's campaign employed thousands   who unleashed a flood of 250 million pamphlets, leaflets, posters, and stump speakers who reached every precinct.  McKinley scored a landslide with an electoral vote of 271 to 176.  McKinley campaign outspent Bryan's by nearly 12 to 1.  Precursor to modern campaigns and current Super-Pac era. 

1916 & 1976 are only elections that were 1 state victories. But until Bush, no presidential elections were stolen in this century.

How will the GOP steal the next one?

Fun interview with Greg Palast, author of  "Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal an Election in 9 Easy Steps."

http://truth-out.org/news/item/11500-greg-palast-on-how-the-gop-is-planning-to-steal-the-2012-election

Remember Todd Aiken?  I know, it was weeks ago, but I think he deserves another chance, so I’m donating space here at AOD so he can get his clear and simple message out to all true Americans….

So...did they think they "got it" when they shot this?  Didn't anyone say " Let's try that again."?   Didn't anyone tell Todd to mind the commas and periods?  Scarier and stranger than the message of the spot itself is the notion that a whole bunch of political and communications "pros" were satisfied with how this came out.