continuity

“as the election neared, the papers competed to shake their heads about the disappointing choice the voters faced..” Whistlestop. John Dickerson____________________ here we could be thinking of the n y times and the crypto-fascists at the chicago trib taking pot shots at each other’s favored candidate ( although I cannot find who the trib has endorsed beyond rubio in the primary…they may be in some sort of cataleptic shock in the editorial room…see the conkling quote below )…however we are not… the quote goes on, “…faced between grover cleveland’s private dalliances with maria halpin and blaine’s public scandals”…we are in 1884 and, again, there is nothing new going on in 2016…this is how the system has been since, at least 1800 when jefferson’s attack dogs savaged hamilton and so the federalists…i see that the five living presidents have all stated their intention not to vote for trump ( a rare occasion to agree with old dubya ) ...when, in 1884 roscoe conkling, the republican machine boss in new york state and the man responsible for chester a. arthur being tagged as garfield’s vp [when guiteau shot Garfield he said “i am the most stalwart of the stalwarts and arthur is president now”] after he was run out of the port authority of new York for corruption ) was asked to vote for blaine for the “good of the party” he looked the deputation of nabobs squarely in the eye and said, “gentlemen, i have given up criminal law”…you must admit, there is continuity in american politics.