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Who would have thought? 
“Fatso!”
1796: John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: America’s foreign policy toward England and France.
Low Blow: The Philadelphia Aurora, which backed Jefferson, referred to the stout Adams as “His Rotundity.” Another pro-Jefferson rag in Boston warned that Adams would support hereditary succession and appoint his son, John Quincy Adams, to be the next president.
Retort: Federalist papers warned that Jefferson’s followers were “cut-throats who walk in rags and sleep amidst filth and vermin.” Jefferson was also accused of cheating his creditors and robbing a widow of her estate.
Victor: Adams
“Girly man!”
1800 (Rematch): John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: Whether power should be centralized under the federal government (Adams) or held by the states (Jefferson).
Low Blow: Jefferson hired scandalmonger-journalist James Callender to produce a pamphlet that referred to Adams as “a hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”
Retort: Citing Jefferson’s early admiration for the French Revolution, a Federalist editorial asked, “Are you prepared to see your dwellings in flames, hoary hairs bathed in blood, female chastity violated, or children writhing on the pike and halberd?”
Victor: Jefferson
Footnote: Unlike today’s anything-goes political atmosphere, criticism of the administration was prohibited under the 1798 Sedition Act, and Callender was jailed.
“Adulterer!”
1828: Andrew Jackson (Democrat-Republican) vs. John Quincy Adams (National-Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: Free trade. Adams favored a high tariff to discourage imports; Jackson favored free trade and lower import duties.
Low Blow: Adams’ supporters called Jackson a brawler, gambler, drunk, thief, and adulterer. This last claim proved particularly harmful. Jackson had married his wife before her divorce was official, so there was some truth to the rumor in a technical sense. The shame caused by the attacks on Mrs. Jackson’s character undermined her health and led to her premature death from a heart attack shortly after Jackson’s victory.
Retort: Jackson supporters called President Adams anti-religious, using as proof the fact that he traveled on Sunday. They also accused him of living in the White House in “kingly pomp and splendor,” and using public funds to buy “gaming tables” and “gambling furniture”; actually, he had simply bought a chessboard and a pool table.
Victor: Jackson
“Drunkard!”
1844: James K. Polk (Democrat) vs. Henry Clay (Whig)
Real Issue of the Day: Annexation of Texas and Oregon — Polk favored it, Clay waffled.
Low Blow: Democrats said Clay was a drunkard, addicted to gambling and prostitutes, and a slave trader to boot.
Retort: Polk had a reputation for being so dull as to be incapable of immoral behavior. So the Whigs circulated a story that Polk, like Clay a slave owner, inhumanely branded his initials J.K.P. into slaves’ shoulders. (Not true, by the way.)
Victor: Polk
There's more.....check it out
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/...ampaign=2016_10_01_Newsletter (1)&utm_content
“Fatso!”
1796: John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: America’s foreign policy toward England and France.
Low Blow: The Philadelphia Aurora, which backed Jefferson, referred to the stout Adams as “His Rotundity.” Another pro-Jefferson rag in Boston warned that Adams would support hereditary succession and appoint his son, John Quincy Adams, to be the next president.
Retort: Federalist papers warned that Jefferson’s followers were “cut-throats who walk in rags and sleep amidst filth and vermin.” Jefferson was also accused of cheating his creditors and robbing a widow of her estate.
Victor: Adams
“Girly man!”
1800 (Rematch): John Adams (Federalist) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: Whether power should be centralized under the federal government (Adams) or held by the states (Jefferson).
Low Blow: Jefferson hired scandalmonger-journalist James Callender to produce a pamphlet that referred to Adams as “a hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”
Retort: Citing Jefferson’s early admiration for the French Revolution, a Federalist editorial asked, “Are you prepared to see your dwellings in flames, hoary hairs bathed in blood, female chastity violated, or children writhing on the pike and halberd?”
Victor: Jefferson
Footnote: Unlike today’s anything-goes political atmosphere, criticism of the administration was prohibited under the 1798 Sedition Act, and Callender was jailed.
“Adulterer!”
1828: Andrew Jackson (Democrat-Republican) vs. John Quincy Adams (National-Republican)
Real Issue of the Day: Free trade. Adams favored a high tariff to discourage imports; Jackson favored free trade and lower import duties.
Low Blow: Adams’ supporters called Jackson a brawler, gambler, drunk, thief, and adulterer. This last claim proved particularly harmful. Jackson had married his wife before her divorce was official, so there was some truth to the rumor in a technical sense. The shame caused by the attacks on Mrs. Jackson’s character undermined her health and led to her premature death from a heart attack shortly after Jackson’s victory.
Retort: Jackson supporters called President Adams anti-religious, using as proof the fact that he traveled on Sunday. They also accused him of living in the White House in “kingly pomp and splendor,” and using public funds to buy “gaming tables” and “gambling furniture”; actually, he had simply bought a chessboard and a pool table.
Victor: Jackson
“Drunkard!”
1844: James K. Polk (Democrat) vs. Henry Clay (Whig)
Real Issue of the Day: Annexation of Texas and Oregon — Polk favored it, Clay waffled.
Low Blow: Democrats said Clay was a drunkard, addicted to gambling and prostitutes, and a slave trader to boot.
Retort: Polk had a reputation for being so dull as to be incapable of immoral behavior. So the Whigs circulated a story that Polk, like Clay a slave owner, inhumanely branded his initials J.K.P. into slaves’ shoulders. (Not true, by the way.)
Victor: Polk
There's more.....check it out
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/...ampaign=2016_10_01_Newsletter (1)&utm_content
