Campaign Trail Results: Game #959744
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This Game:
- Year: 1844
- Player Candidate: James K. Polk
- Running Mate: Levi Woodbury
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: No
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Henry Clay | 144 | 1,406,158 | 51.45 |
| ---- James K. Polk | 130 | 1,270,629 | 46.49 |
| ---- James Birney | 1 | 56,173 | 2.06 |
| ---- 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.
- Can you elaborate on why your allies intervened so strongly on behalf of Levi Woodbury, to be your running mate?Mr. Woodbury was a critical part of Jackson and Van Buren's Cabinets, and he has the right viewpoint on the Treasury and tariff questions.
- 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?We don't really need to address this question one way or the other. Let's just run our campaign and get our own views out.
- Do you have any statement on the presence of Theodore Frelinghuysen on the Whig ticket, and his association with known anti-Catholic agitators?The Democratic Party is a friend of the working-class, and of immigrants from abroad. We denounce the vile bigotry of the Whig Party, as evidenced by Frelinghuysen.
- 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?I am a personal friend of Andrew Jackson, and have repeatedly taken advice from him throughout my political career. I'm proud of this and I believe it to be an asset in this campaign.
- 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?I don't think that personal conduct is a good issue to bring into this campaign.
- 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 incident was a source of insinuation against Van Buren during the nomination battle. In the main election, however, we shouldn't mention anything that could cause a rift in the party.
- Would you support the annexation of Texas, even without an agreement with Mexico, and a possible war?The prospect of war with a backwards country such as Mexico should play no part in our calculations.
- What should your party's position be on the Tariff of 1842, which increased tariffs?We must rescind this tariff and replace it with something much lower. I support free trade and low tariffs.
- Do you believe that some revenue should be set aside from our tariffs to finance internal improvements, such as canals and roads?I don't believe that it is constitutional or advisable for the federal government to undertake an internal improvements program.
- What is your current position on the banking system?I support our current free banking system, and I see no need for the Treasury to insulate its operations from the state-chartered banks.
- 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.
- Would you sign a law that lowered tariffs below the level needed to protect American industry from foreign imports?I would gladly sign such a bill into law.
- 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 disagree with John Calhoun across the board, which leads to my opposition to the annexation of Texas.
- Do you agree with Robert Walker's letter, arguing that that slavery issue will be diluted by national expansion?We won't address Mr. Walker's letter directly, but we are in favor of annexation.
- 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?We don't have any plans to comment upon the Cabinet appointments of President Tyler.
- Regardless of your personal feelings, would you sign an act which established an independent Treasury for the government's funds?I support our current banking system, and would not support any ill-conceived attempts to centralize our finances.
- Do you have any criticism of the authorities in Illinois, regarding their failure to properly protect Joseph Smith before his assassination in June?This is not an issue that we plan to address in our campaign.
- Is there a particular state where your party should concentrate its resources and most talented speakers as the election draws near?New York