1880 U.S. Presidential Election

Problem was, Grant had already served two clunky terms preceding Hayes. Republicans calling themselves the Half-Breeds, led by Maine senator James G. Blaine, were dead set against the return of Grant, seeing the old general’s administrative corruption and abandonment of civil service reform as an embarrassment. COnkling and Blaine had been sworn enemies for years, ever since Blaine had made fun of Conkling’s “turkey gobbler strut” on the Senate floor. Thus was the convention deadlocked.

Sarah Vowell, Assassination Vacation

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