geeky
The two combatants, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, were both very accomplished but also very flawed men. Adams was perhaps the most experienced, educated, intelligent and best trained man to become president up to his time, and entered the office with solid ideas, unwavering principles and a unique vision for the future of his nation. He was also aloof and out of touch with the common man. One historian quoted in the book described Adams as "a great man certainly, and possibly a very good one, but a President who had planned for the people, without ever trying to understand them." Jackson was fearless and strong-willed, and a champion of democratic ideals and of the continuance of the union, though uneducated, unforgiving of his opponents and at times violent. It is hard to imagine that at one time the two men had a mutual admiration for one another, and that when Jackson was criticized by most of the cabinet of James Monroe for his rash actions in Florida, it was Adams who came to his defense most strongly.
Then came the election of 1824 in which Jackson had finished first in the popular vote, but did not receive a majority of electoral votes. When Congress awarded the presidency to second-place finisher Adams as the result of what Jackson believed to be a "corrupt bargain" made with Henry Clay, the spark was created that would lead to one of the most explosive, heated and hated political rivalries in history.
Professor Parsons explores the background of each of these two fascinating historical giants as well as the times in which they lived. He explains the rise of political parties and factions in the wake of the so-called "Era of Good Feelings", and looks at the fractured election of 1824. He follows the candidates in the build up to their next meeting in 1828 as Jackson plans his political revenge and as Adams misreads the electorate and the political tea leaves in general.
In great detail (some critics might say, in too much detail at times) Parsons looks at how the campaign of 1828 was conducted and how many aspects of presidential campaigns that we take for granted today, came into being. These include things such as opposition research, negative ads, campaign fundraising, campaign songs and slogans, and getting out the vote. He also capably explains how Jackson's campaign team was able to devise correct strategies for each region of the nation as well as the mistakes that Adams and his campaign team made in failing to appreciate how some of their criticisms of Jackson backfired, how they actually endeared Jackson to the electorate and made them feel that he was really one of them. The book concludes with an epilogue that capably describes the political legacy left by each of these candidates and by this election.
At times this book may seem a wee bit pedantic or too descriptive in its detail, but this is more of a testament to the author's commitment to accuracy and his desire to make the reader feel as if he or she is present at the moment. Overall this is a brilliant accounting and analysis that capably explains not only what took place in the clash of these political titans, but why it took place, and why its relevance endures to this day.