For American politicians, the obsession with appealing to the everyman dates back to the raucous campaign of 1840.
William Henry Harrison’s 1840 campaign for the presidency set the stage for modern-day political campaigning. Harrison flipped the script, turning an insult into a winning strategy with parades, songs, and a log cabin image. These early tactics mirror today’s campaigns, where image and public appeal can have an outsize impact.
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