Changes

Reform was the theme at the national level in 1884, and Cleveland, governor of the largest and closest state, won the Democratic nomination for president as a new face with a sterling reputation. "We love him most for the enemies he has made,"  exulted one delegate and his campaign manager [[David Manning]] ran a smooth operation, during which Cleveland gave no speeches. The GOP nominated long-time Congressional leader [[James G. Blaine]] for president. Blaine was an able legislator, but was surrounded by whiffs of scandal. A Republican faction calling itself "Mugwumps" broke with Blaine and supported Cleveland. Reporters described Cleveland as “a very stout, exceedingly well-groomed looking gentleman, of medium height, with a full florid face, ... a soldierly-looking gray moustache and a pair of gray-twinkling, friendly eyes."<ref>Summers, ''Rum, Romanism and Rebellion,'' p. 6</ref>

Reform was the theme at the national level in 1884, and Cleveland, governor of the largest and closest state, won the Democratic nomination for president as a new face with a sterling reputation. "We love him most for the enemies he has made,"  exulted one delegate and his campaign manager [[David Manning]] ran a smooth operation, during which Cleveland gave no speeches. The GOP nominated long-time Congressional leader [[James G. Blaine]] for president. Blaine was an able legislator, but was surrounded by whiffs of scandal. A Republican faction calling itself "Mugwumps" broke with Blaine and supported Cleveland. Reporters described Cleveland as “a very stout, exceedingly well-groomed looking gentleman, of medium height, with a full florid face, ... a soldierly-looking gray moustache and a pair of gray-twinkling, friendly eyes."<ref>Summers, ''Rum, Romanism and Rebellion,'' p. 6</ref>

The election of 1884 saw an intensely fought very close contest that turned on the electoral vote of New York. Cleveland crusaded against the corruptions represented by long-time Washington insider [[James G. Blaine]], the GOP candidate. Part of Blaine's problem centered around a suspicious letter which terminated with the words, "burn this letter."  Blaine's detractors marched and chanted, "Burn, Burn, Burn this letter!"  The discovery that Cleveland—a bachelor—was paying child support gave the GOP a moralistic counter-issue of its own, and a chant, “Ma! Ma! Where’s my Pa?”<ref>Several men could have been the father; Cleveland, the wealthiest, paid the child support perhaps was not the father.</ref>  

The election of 1884 saw an intensely fought very close contest that turned on the electoral vote of New York. Cleveland crusaded against the corruptions represented by long-time Washington insider [[James G. Blaine]], the GOP candidate. Part of Blaine's problem centered around a suspicious letter which terminated with the words, "burn this letter."  Blaine's detractors marched and chanted, "Burn, Burn, Burn this letter!"  The discovery that Cleveland - a bachelor - was paying child support to Maria Crofts Halpin<ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/president-clevelands-problem-child-100800/ President Cleveland’s Problem Child]</ref> gave the GOP a moralistic counter-issue of its own, and a chant, “Ma! Ma! Where’s my Pa?”<ref>Several men could have been the father; Cleveland, the wealthiest, paid the child support perhaps was not the father.</ref>  

Blaine had made inroads into the Irish Catholic vote, normally 90+% Democratic, but blundered when a Protestant minister introduced him and denounced the Democratic party as the party of "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion." That is, the Democrats were the party of saloons, Catholics and Confederates; Catholics resented the slur and Blaine should have immediately repudiated it but failed to do so. Blaine lost his gains among Catholics at the last minute, and lost some Republican support to a prohibitionist candidate. Election day was Tuesday, and Cleveland led with 48.5% of the popular vote, but the Republicans did not concede until Saturday, when they realized  that Cleveland's narrow margin in New York state proved decisive. Cleveland won the national popular vote by only 29,000 votes. In a very close election any number of small, almost random factors could be seen as decisive. Victory gave Democrats a new response, "Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"   

Blaine had made inroads into the Irish Catholic vote, normally 90+% Democratic, but blundered when a Protestant minister introduced him and denounced the Democratic party as the party of "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion." That is, the Democrats were the party of saloons, Catholics and Confederates; Catholics resented the slur and Blaine should have immediately repudiated it but failed to do so. Blaine lost his gains among Catholics at the last minute, and lost some Republican support to a prohibitionist candidate. Election day was Tuesday, and Cleveland led with 48.5% of the popular vote, but the Republicans did not concede until Saturday, when they realized  that Cleveland's narrow margin in New York state proved decisive. Cleveland won the national popular vote by only 29,000 votes. In a very close election any number of small, almost random factors could be seen as decisive. Victory gave Democrats a new response, "Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"