SOUTH CAROLINA HAS PRODUCED A PRESIDENT … MAYBE
|| By FITSNEWS || There’s an interesting history lesson from the University of Minnesota (Go Golden Gophers!) website Smart Politics about U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham‘s nascent military industrial complex campaign … err, presidential bid.
But are the “smart” politicos serving up this schooling a little too smart for their own good?
Don’t get us wrong … we love that the website’s authors express “bewilderment” at Graham’s presidential ambitions, and we agree with them when they say Graham “is not expected to be a top tier candidate for the GOP nomination.” We’re also glad they’ve picked up our narrative on Graham’s thoroughly unimpressive 2014 performance against a field of less-than-formidable challengers.
“Some political observers have speculated his candidacy could complicate the prospects of an early GOP frontrunner by freezing support in the important early primary Palmetto State, it should be noted Graham set a new low water mark in a primary for a sitting Republican U.S. Senator from South Carolina in 2014 with just 56 percent of the vote,” they wrote.
Amen to that …
Anyway, “Smart Politics” goes on to say Graham is attempting to become the first South Carolinian to win the presidency after several previous failed attempts.
Among those? Campaigns by John Rutledge (1789), Thomas Pinckney (1796), Charles Cotesworth “C.C.” Pinckney (1796), John C. Calhoun (1844), “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman (1896), Richard Watts (1928), Strom Thurmond (1948) and Fritz Hollings (1984).
The website also mentions the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns of Greenville, S.C. native Jesse Jackson.
Who isn’t mentioned in the article? “Old Hickory” – a.k.a. Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States who was in office from 1829-1837.
Jackson made his political career in Tennessee, but he was born in the Waxhaws border region of the Carolinas. The exact location of his birthplace is hotly disputed (like the Carolinas’ border itself – which hadn’t been surveyed at the time), but to this day Jackson is claimed as a native of North Carolina and South Carolina.
The former president’s only comment on the matter? An 1824 letter in which he stated he was born on his uncle’s plantation in Lancaster County, S.C. Jackson also approved a map designating his birthplace as being in Lancaster County.
Of course that didn’t stop North Carolina’s Daughters of the American Revolution from erecting a monument claiming Jackson was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C. – nor did it stop North Carolina lawmakers from erecting a monument on their capital grounds honoring Jackson as one of the state’s “three” native presidents.
Hmmmm …
Oh well, while we wish Graham the success (or more accurately, the failure) of all the South Carolinians who have preceded him on the path to the White House … “Old Hickory” should have probably garnered a mention in this particular “history lesson.”
21 comments
There’s bad blood between this state and Andrew Jackson. On one hand we want to claim him, on the other, we don’t.
South Carolina’s electoral votes went for Jackson in both of his elections. Jackson and John C. Calhoun were enemies. They disagreed on states rights and Jackson was offended by the snobbish treatment of the Secretary of War’s wife Peggy by legislators’ wives including Calhoun’s. See last two paragraphs of link.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/24e.asp
If T-Raving lunatic had been boinking a Calhoun women back in the day it might have ultimately lead to better relations between the involved parties and a more civil resolution on states rights.
Correction:
South Carolina supported Jackson in his failed election against John Quincy Adams (1824) and his first successful election in 1828. In the 1832 reelection of Jackson, South Carolina was the only State whose electors voted for non candidate John Floyd, a Virginia nullifier.
Expectations that University of Minnesota students have a pretty good grip on the History of South Carolina, you write
Reminds me of the show and tell of Mrs Heddie Headwaters 1st Grade Class when Road Kill Johannson stepped to the front of the class, put both hands over his head and said; if I have a green ball in one hand and a green ball in the other hand, what do I have
A pretty damn good grip on the Jolly Green Giant
The Jolly Green Giant was fired from his job today. He was caught taking a pee.
Yeah well no one is really sure where Jackson was born – he was not born in Lancaster. History records that he was born in the Waxhaws. The Waxhaws is a region generally below Charlotte, west of Lancaster, east of the Catwaba and west of Monroe. In the late 1700s, the border between North Carolina and South Carolina was not well defined and both sides claimed the area.
We can lay claim to his birth place legitimately but he would have claimed to be Tennessean.
Maybe, but note this paragraph from his will.
“the large silver vase presented to me by the ladies of Charleston, South Carolina, my native state, with the large picture representing the unfurling of the American banner, presented to me by the citizens of South Carolina when it was refused to be accepted by the United States Senate, I leave
in trust to my son A. Jackson, Jun,”
He always said he was a native of SC.
Was that before or after he ordered two war warships to Charleston and moved troops to the borders? (It was after)
I just finished a section on the War of 1812 with a class on the Battle of New Orleans, A. Jackson is an all around bad ass sort of a Jefferson of action rather than words. Tall, thin, with the temperament of a rattle snake, Jackson was one of our better presidents. He survived an assassination attempt (that was broken up by none other than Davy Crockett). He fought in the American Revolution, The Creek War, the War of 1812 and the Seminole Wars. Was a largely self educated man (with atrocious spelling, he once said that “…It is a damn poor mind indeed which can’t think of at least two ways to spell any word…”, lawyer, senator, General, military governor -a remarkable man.
Where have all the real men who once led our country gone?
God damn, you won’t even let the man’s written words say where the hell he was born if it doesn’t fit with your chosen narrative!
Actions speak louder than words Nit. I’m unaware of any significant writings where he discusses the subject, except the will. He also wrote that he was born on one uncle’s farm in South Carolina when the rest of the family said he was born on a different uncle’s farm in North Carolina so who do we believe? (Both farms were in the area described as the Waxhaws). The supposition is that he specifically mentioned the South Carolina uncle to garner favor in the nullification fight of 1824.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/06/AR2011030603406.html?wprss=rss_print/asection
Remember, I’m a historian and Jackson is one off my favorites.
“Was that before or after he ordered two war warships to Charleston and moved troops to the borders? (It was after). His actions spoke his feelings”
You know the fact you claim to be a native of a state and are proud of that fact, does not mean you need to agree with all the nuts that live there. I am a native of SC. I am proud to be from there, but I sure as heck think the state is being run by a bunch of nuts right now; and would never choose it over my country.
Who chose what over their country? Clearly the state I love has issues but what state doesn’t? Agreeing with the nuts you must not read much of what I’ve written. My point here mostly is the historical accuracy of the debate. As for the question of whether I’m a South Carolina or an American it depends on who’s asking. If the debate is whose state is the best, I’m at South Carolinian. If the debate is whose country’s the best, I’m an American.
Many historian now agree to give it to SC on this one, but it is a very arguable point. Funny all “three” of the NC (or SC) born pres came to political prominence in Tenn and served as gov or US sent there.
I’d lean towards South Carolina as his birthplace on the face of most but not all of the evidence. At the time, 1767, there were very few clear boundaries in the more rural parts of the colonies.
And still issues today! Indeed.
North Carolina can have Andrew Jackson. He married a whore and he practiced genocide on the Cherokee. All Hail John C. Calhoun!
On behalf of the Cherokee Nation – Go to Hell Andrew Jackson
Though credit him we dissolving the Second Bank of the United States and it’s constantly devalued fiat currency:
“You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the eternal God, I will rout you out.”-Jackson
And he did too! Good for him!
*we=with
Woodrow Wilson lived in Columbia, SC, from 1870 until 1874. But only the desperate claim him. His progressive ideas continue to be proven complete rubbish.