Antyhing for a Vote

Think today’s politicos play rough? Check out this raucous pop history for a chronicle of more than 200 years of dirty tricks and bad behavior in presidential elections. Starting with the 1796 contest between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, through the 2012 campaigns of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, we’ll revisit such notable low blows as:

1836: Congressman Davy Crockett accused Martin Van Buren of secretly wearing women’s clothing.
1864: A Democratic newspaper alleged that Abraham Lincoln only changed his socks every 10 days.
1928: Republicans warned that Roman Catholic candidate Al Smith was secretly plotting with the pope—and that the Holland Tunnel had a secret passageway leading directly to the Vatican!
1960: Former president Harry Truman told voters, “If you vote for Richard Nixon, you ought to go to hell!”

With an all-new design, new illustrations, and new chapters covering the 2008 and 2012 elections, Anything for a Vote reminds us that dirty tricks in presidential campaigns are as American as apple pie.