To the east coast establishment he was an uncouth demagogue, to his supporters [two term US president, Andrew Jackson] was the tribune of the people, the embodiment of white masculinity.
– BBC Radio 4 – Trump: The Presidential Precedents, Andrew Jackson
I know little about US history, but this short Radio 4 programme yesterday caught my attention. The programme focussed more on Jackson’s “colourful” campaign, and little on his policies beyond a brief mention of the Trail of Tears and the destruction of The Bank of the United States; but one thing that struck me was that despite how his opposition mobilised against him, he won a second term. How does this section of history inform our view of Trump, I wonder.
Interesting too that Jackson is considered the founder of the Democratic Party.