Recently, our country completed another successful presidential election. Through its nearly 250 years, the United States has had sixty quadrennial, presidential elections with minimal fraud. That is something to crow about.
Our view of the outcome of the Election of 2024 is quite another story. How you see it is defined by the lens through which you view the world and the political factors that drive your decisions. If all proceeds according to Hoyle, come January 20th, we will have our second president who won two non-consecutive terms – first was Grover Cleveland, and now, Donald Trump will share that distinction.
Being who we are, we focus on comparisons and contrasts. Here are some on my thoughts on Cleveland vs. Trump, a tale of two presidencies. I believe that by any analysis, these two men are profoundly different.
Grover Cleveland
Cleveland was respected for his honesty. During the campaign for the Election of 1884, Joseph Pulitzer hailed four reasons to vote for Cleveland. “1. He is an honest man. 2. He is an honest man. 3. He is an honest man. 4. He is an honest man.” That was high praise from the publisher of the New York World who waged war on the corrupt Tammany Hall. Indeed, Pulitzer’s endorsement may have been pivotal. Cleveland won New York by 0.1% which got him the necessary electoral votes to claim the presidency.
Though it is of no impact per se, it is notable that Grover Cleveland won the popular vote in 1884. This was the first of three consecutive presidential elections in which Cleveland won the popular vote. [n.b. Cleveland lost the vote in the electoral college to Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Once again this can be attributed to the swing state of New York. The state swung against Cleveland by just over 1%, hence denying him victory in the electoral college. Karma?] Only two other presidents have won the popular vote three times – Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt being the other two.
Aside from his honesty, Cleveland’s popularity was based on his hard work, extensive reading of all bills that passed across the Resolute Desk (including those supporting pensions for veterans, their wives and families), a solid ethical core, and respect for the common man. Cleveland was also a man of outstanding family values. This contributed to the Baby Ruth candy bar being named after his first child.
Donald Trump
By contrast, Trump exhibits none of the attributes so amply evidenced by Cleveland. Instead, he spews demeaning rhetoric intended to rally salt-of-the-earth men he misleadingly claims to represent, despite never having been like them in spirit or substance. Unlike Cleveland, Trump is a self-avowed non-reader of briefings or bills. Instead, Trump is dishonest, denigrates veterans, prompts arguably seditious acts, accepts emoluments, fosters nepotism, and promotes the wealthy at the expense of rank-and-file workers.
Though Trump, like Cleveland, ran for the presidency three times, he won the popular vote only once. This is not a rousing record. It is unlikely that any company will market a new candy, a Barron Bar.
The potential for democratic chaos in the coming year is highlighted by the collective celebration of a universally accepted, honest, and uber-ethical man – Jimmy Carter. Even Trump bent his knee in respect for what Carter stood for as president and what he accomplished during his post-presidency.
To quote/paraphrase the rock-and-roll sages, Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia, “What a long strange trip it’s been/gonna be.”