Democratic Nominee Faces Scandal Charge: Would the Alexander Hamilton Gambit Work Today?

[CorpGovActivist]

One of the most brilliant (albeit mercurial) Founders was Alexander Hamilton.

When word began to spread that he was involved in an extramarital affair, Hamilton - incensed by suggestions that he had done something wrong in his public life - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_hamilton#Affair">candidly penned a public confession.

Fingers crossed that the GOP opposition research machine has nothing useful on the eventual Democratic nominee; but do you think the Alexander Hamilton gambit would work in modern times?

- Dave

P.S. If you've not read it, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=alexander+hamilton+biography+chernow">Ron Chernow's biography of Hamilton is a treat. If your local library doesn't have it: (1) shame on them; and (2) see if they participate in your state's inter-library loan program.

[sam sarrha]

1. they tried this on a NM judge.. he replied, "if you set a trap with P*ssy, you will catch me every

time"... that ended the scandal.. the media dropped it

[YDogg]

2. heh

[CorpGovActivist]

9. All Righty Then...That Line May Need a Tune-up if Senator Clinton...

... were the nominee in question.

NM was an extremely close state in 2004. What are your instincts telling you for 08?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election%2C_2004#Close_states

- Dave

[provis99]

3. Hamilton was a political genius

He knew exactly how to shut the critics up. If Bill Clinton had done this for example in the Lewinski affair, we wouldn't have had that clown circus of an impeachment process later on.

On a side not to DUers: should I feel guilty for liking Hamilton a lot more than Thomas Jefferson? In a lot of ways, he seems a lot more to me like a forefather of the modern Democratic party than Jefferson is.

[CorpGovActivist]

4. Hamilton Is My Favorite Founder...

... for reasons too numerous to list.

- Dave

[wuushew]

7. No, I too support the Federalists

Especially the New England non-slave holding ones.

Betting on the development of an rich well connected industrial United States seems much less naive than Jefferson's idyllic pastoral fantasy. Also Jefferson completely misread France and struggled to deny his hypocrisy as Napoleon took over.

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Jefferson Read Napoleon's Soul?

:rofl:

Can Bush trace a line back to Jefferson?

- Dave

[NewJeffCT]

5. Admissions of fault & apologies have worked wonders for politicians

JFK apologized for the Bay of Pigs, even though it was planned on Ike's watch - and his popularity went up because of it.

Reagan apologized for the marines being killed in Lebanon even though his people told him to pass the blame onto some low-level officer. His popularity went up for it.

Clinton later apologized for the Lewinsky affair and he became more popular.

Edited to add: Back in early 2004, George Will wrote a column saying Bush should apologize for Iraq, saying it would take the wind out of the anti-war crowd.

[CorpGovActivist]

6. Great Examples...

... and I continue to find George F. Will one of the most erudite writers, even though he makes my blood boil sometimes.

- Dave

[Le Taz Hot]

10. I concur on

Chernow's biography. Hamilton is demonized on this board by a lot of people yet his accomplishments seem to go unnoticed. His worst fears about what could happen in a Revolution (mob rule) actually played out pretty accurately in the French Revolution 13 years later.

[CorpGovActivist]

11. Hamilton's Perennial Problem Was...

... he refused to "learn his place" or "defer to his betters."

- Dave