Adam Clymer

George Washington has been the subject of less recent historical redefinition than his contemporaries Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, or his latter-day successors Dwight Eisenhower or Harry Truman. For years, Washington has been depicted, almost uniformly, as sober, brave, and dedicated, as a gentleman concerned with maintaining a good reputation, as perhaps a bit fussy, […]

Though it did not end the war, that brave, principled candidacy remains a telling event in the history of American politics. It legitimized challenges to incumbent presidents, and its aftershocks have altered the way presidential candidates are nominated, putting that power in the hands of the political descendants of the backers of McCarthy and Robert […]