Former President Martin Van Buren (Photo Courtesy of Library of Congress)
Poor old Martin Van Buren, the eighth president –and the first born an American citizen– was also the first incumbent done in by a terrible economy. As I write for CNN.com,
America’s eighth president, Martin Van Buren, had the misfortune of occupying the White House during the Panic of 1837, one of the nation’s first and most severe economic downturns. Cast as “Martin Van Ruin” and attacked for his “lavish” White House expenditures and dandified style, Van Buren lost overwhelmingly in 1840 to William Henry Harrison by 234-60 electoral votes.
In this piece for CNN.com “Economy not key to incumbent winning” I explain how it is not always a simple question of pocketbook politics.
Don’t Know Much About® the American Presidents-now available in hardcover and eBook and audiobook
