Campaign Trail Results: Game #740775
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 1844
- Player Candidate: James K. Polk
- Running Mate: George Dallas
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
- tominkorea84
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Henry Clay | 243 | 1,435,460 | 52.57 |
| ---- James K. Polk | 32 | 1,241,311 | 45.46 |
| ---- James Birney | 0 | 53,589 | 1.96 |
| ---- John Tyler | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Answers:
- What points will emphasize in your acceptance letter, as you accept the Democratic nomination for President?My position on Texas is known. I will explain my own background more carefully, and emphasize that the Democrats are a national party that fights for the benefit of all sections.
- You are known as a supporter of annexation on the Texas front. Do you have anything you would like to add, now that you have been nominated?I obtained my nomination based on the Texas issue, and people know that. We need to pivot now, and make the case for other parts of our platform.
- John Tyler is pleased with your position on the Texas issue, and is prepared to withdraw his candidacy. Can you give him assurances that certain appointees of his will be safe in their positions, should you be elected?Getting Tyler out of the race is worth it. He can send us a reasonable list of people who will stay on when we're elected.
- Cassius Clay, a cousin of Henry Clay, has published a letter stating Henry Clay is in accord with the abolitionist movement. Should your party disseminate copies of this letter as an attack?Let's not appear too hasty here. We need to run as a national party and avoid alienating Northerners.
- Do you believe that any Southern Whig can call themselves a supporter of slavery, so long as Henry Clay equivocates on the Texas issue?Mr. Clay has certainly shown unusual reticence on the Texas issue, but many Southern Whigs are perfectly fine people.
- Do you have any statement on the presence of Theodore Frelinghuysen on the Whig ticket, and his association with known anti-Catholic agitators?We won't have much to say about Frelinghuysen. He seems to avoided the vices which have plagued Henry Clay throughout his life.
- For better or worse, many view you as a protege of Andrew Jackson (some call you “Young Hickory”). Is it better to embrace this label, or to distance yourself from it?We don't need to do anything so crazy as to denounce Andrew Jackson, but I think on the banking issue or the tariff issue, my positions are significantly different than what he advocated for.
- Henry Clay supports the idea that the federal government should purchase the telegraph patent and manage the technology. To what extent should you attack him on this?This sounds like the most ridiculous idea yet from Mr. Clay's long public career. I trust that enterprising individuals and companies will develop this technology.
- Should your party attack Henry Clay's personal conduct? His gambling, womanizing, dueling, and generally irreligious nature?The passions of these times seem to be towards someone who is more righteous in their behavior. We should attack Clay's conduct, and especially in the Northeast.
- Silas Wright, the protege and successor to Van Buren, has been mentioned as a candidate for Governor of New York. He seems hesitant. Will you write him a letter imploring him to enter the race?This is an issue of state politics that I will stay removed from.
- There have recently been riots and armed clashes between nativists and Irish immigrants in Philadelphia and elsewhere. Do you have any plans to condemn the nativist violence in these episodes?Our national party should avoid addressing this issue.
- What do you make of Martin Van Buren's 1842 visit to Henry Clay's estate? Is Clay too friendly with Northern interests?This episode shows that Mr. Clay is, at heart, an insider who is overly favorable to Northern politicians. It brings to mind the Corrupt Bargain of a prior election.
- Would you support the annexation of Texas, even without an agreement with Mexico, and a possible war?I would hope that we could negotiate an annexation with Mexico before moving forward, to avoid any diplomatic incidents.
- What should your party's position be on the Tariff of 1842, which increased tariffs?We stand steadfast in support of this tariff. It is one of the few positive accomplishments of Mr. Tyler's so-called Presidency.
- Do you believe that some revenue should be set aside from our tariffs to finance internal improvements, such as canals and roads?This is one of the key objectives of our current tariff policy, and I would support a strong infrastructure program as President.
- What is your current position on the banking system?I stand for a national bank or an independent Treasury -- whichever can gain the most support. I would require any national bank to maintain a branch in every state.
- Do you support an Amendment that would limit the President to a single term in office?This is a necessary step against the overreach and abuse of power of the Executive branch.
- Aside from the issue of Texas, do you support the expansion of the United States in general? Into Oregon, other parts of Mexico, Cuba, etc.?I believe that the United States, in line with the “Manifest Destiny” ideal, should expand wherever feasible.
- Would you sign a law that lowered tariffs below the level needed to protect American industry from foreign imports?Regardless of my personal feelings, it is not the place of the President to override the will of Congress, unless the law in question is unconstitutional.
- Do you have any statement to make on John Calhoun's “Packenham Letter”, stating slavery to be a positive blessing, and justifying the annexation of Texas as a pro-slavery move?I would not go to the lengths of John Calhoun, but Texas would certainly help expand the market for slavery in our country.
- Do you support any changes to our current naturalization laws?Our current laws are in need of great revision, in light of the troubles we have had with recent immigrants.
- Do you agree with Robert Walker's letter, arguing that that slavery issue will be diluted by national expansion?I believe this letter to be disingenuous at best. Further expansion will reopen the debate on slavery rather than suppress it.
- After the unfortunate death of Abel Upshur in the Princeton explosion, John Calhoun succeeded him as Secretary of State. Was this a wise appointment by President Tyler?This is one of the most ill-conceived decisions I have seen in my lifetime.
- What is your position on the Oregon boundary question?We need to be just as aggressive on this issue as we are anywhere else. “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!”
- Is there a particular state where your party should concentrate its resources and most talented speakers as the election draws near?Ohio