Contested Elections and Fear Mongering

After recent debates, we can't deny that fighting is highly prevalent in our elections. Presidential candidates have been known for hurling insults and creating fear by inciting thoughts of the worst case scenario. But, this isn't new. That has been going on since America's first election. 

Take these 1800's presidential candidates' insults for example:

“If you elect the other guy, we would see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution.” Or “My opponent would create a nation where ‘murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will openly be taught and practiced.’” Or "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”

When it comes to fear mongering and hermaphrodite attacks, there is nothing new under the sun.

In this episode, Joel Oster and Mackenzie Smith will unpack the history of ugly political insults, contested elections, as well as go over the VP debate and the Supreme Court, all in this week’s Debriefing of the Law.

Podcast references:

Daisy Commercial

Cider & the Election Image

To read more about the history of American Politics, check out our most recent blog: "American Deja Vu: 2020 isn't as "unprecedented" as We Think.