The Triumph of William McKinley

December 1, 2015

The U.S. presidential election of 1896 was a realigning and redesigning watershed that ushered in a Republican ascendency that lasted until the advent of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Former presidential consultant and policy advisor Rove (Courage and Consequence) uses primary sources and histories of the era to place the principles and groundbreaking campaign tactics of William McKinley (1843-1901), rather than his often lauded operative Mark Hanna, at the heart of an analytical account about resolving political gridlock. The last Civil War veteran to become president, McKinley countered his opponent William Jennings Bryan by championing sound money and the tariff; appealing to immigrants, laborers, first-time voters, Catholics, and African Americans; emphasizing his status as an outsider not beholden to previous practices; appearing as a unifier and purveyor of optimism; and using extant tactics such as targeted literature and repeated get-out-the-vote canvassing. These methods permitted an updated version of a traditional front-porch campaign, with representatives visiting his home in Canton, OH, rather than engaging in political stumping like Bryan. Unquestioned in character and empathy, McKinley listened to others and seldom attacked opponents by name. McKinley's presidency ended an economic depression while expanding and diversifying his party, although it also brought the United States into an era of overseas involvement. VERDICT This substantive book by a political practitioner will appeal to and inform all readers, especially aficionados of American political history.--Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Lib. of Congress, Washington, DC

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