The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896

The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters

A fresh look at President William McKinley from New York Times bestselling author and political mastermind Karl Roveâ€”â€œa rousing tale told by a master storyteller whose love of politics, campaigning, and combat shines through on every pageâ€ (Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prizeâ€“winning author of Team of Rivals).

The 1896 political environment resembles that of today: an electorate being transformed by a growing immigrant population, an uncertain economy disrupted by new technologies, growing income inequality, and basic political questions the two parties could not resolve. McKinleyâ€™s winning presidential campaign addressed these challenges and reformed his party. With â€œa sure touch [and] professional eyeâ€ (The Washington Post), Rove tells the story of the 1896 election and shows why McKinley won, creating a governing majority that dominated American politics for the next thirty-six years.

McKinley, a Civil War hero, changed the arc of American history by running the first truly modern presidential campaign. Knowing his party needed to expand its base to win, he reached out to diverse ethnic groups, seeking the endorsement of Catholic leaders and advocating for black voting rights. Running on the slogan â€œThe People Against the Bosses,â€ McKinley also took on the machine men who dominated his own party. He deployed campaign tactics still used today, including targeting voters with the best available technology. Above all, he offered bold, controversial answers to the nationâ€™s most pressing problemâ€”how to make a new, more global economy work for every Americanâ€”and although this split his own party, he won the White House by sticking to his principles, defeating a champion of economic populism, William Jennings Bryan.

Rove â€œbrings to life the drama of an electoral contest whose outcome seemed uncertain to the candidate and his handlers until the endâ€ (The New York Times Book Review) in a â€œlively andâ€¦rigorous bookâ€ (The Wall Street Journal) that will delight students of American political history.
Country USA
Manufacturer Simon & Schuster
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-11-24
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Simon & Schuster
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-11-24
Format	Kindle eBook

The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters

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