If you thought the 2004 election was rough, go back to 1884, the ultimate & original barn-burner election. That year, James Blaine was running against Grover Cleveland. The Democrats questioned Blaine's ethics and ties to big business, and the Republicans went after Cleveland on charges that he had fathered a child out of wedlock with a prostitute. Blaine was a charismatic figure who knew how to get media attention and deflect major political scandals, much like Bill Clinton today. Cleveland on the other hand didn't know whether he had fathered this child, but he nonetheless paid for his education and his keep, thus helping to deflect the damage overall. However the big political event came within one week of the election, when adding a relgious element to the race, Blaine claimed that the history of Democratic party consisted of run, Romanism, and rebellion. The anti-Catholic slur really polarized the opposition Democrats living in urban wards. Many Republicans didn't like Blaine or his close ties to big business, thus costing him critical party support. At the end of the day, Blaine lost, although it was a close one (only 2000 and 1876 were closer). Many considered the choice the lesser of the two evils, in the literal sense. Now that was a fun election, 2004 had nothing on 1884!
