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==The "Accidental Presidency"==

==The "Accidental Presidency"==

By 1840 the anti-Jackson Whig Party was stronger, and more clever.  To win its first presidential election, it ran the war hero William Henry Harrison (who had defeated the Indians much earlier).  The Whig Party also exploited the financial panic of 1837 and some clever slogans.  The Whig Party also pulled another trick:  it nominated the Democrat John Tyler for Vice President.  That is one of only two times that one party has nominated as its vice president a member of the other political party (the other time was when Abraham Lincoln picked Andrew Johnson as his vice president to try to avoid the Civil War).  In 2008, the Republican candidate John McCain reportedly wanted to choose the former Democrat Joe Lieberman has his vice president, but choose Sarah Palin instead at the insistence of others in the Republican Party.

By 1840 the anti-Jackson Whig Party was stronger, and more clever.  To win its first presidential election, it ran the war hero William Henry Harrison (who had defeated the Indians much earlier).  The Whig Party also exploited the financial panic of 1837 and some clever slogans.  The Whig Party also pulled another trick:  it nominated the Democrat John Tyler for Vice President.  That is one of only two times that one party has nominated as its vice president a member of the other political party (the other time was when Abraham Lincoln picked Andrew Johnson as his vice president to try to avoid the Civil War).  In 2008, the Republican candidate John McCain reportedly wanted to choose the former Democrat Joe Lieberman as his vice president, but choose Sarah Palin instead at the insistence of others in the Republican Party.

Historians say that the outcome in virtually every presidential election can be predicted by looking at how the economy is doing.  When the economy is struggling, the incumbent loses.  When the economy is thriving, the incumbent wins.  Van Buren was hurt by a poor economy, with many voters out-of-work.  Watch out for all those farmers and unemployed factory workers on election day!

Historians say that the outcome in virtually every presidential election can be predicted by looking at how the economy is doing.  When the economy is struggling, the incumbent loses.  When the economy is thriving, the incumbent wins.  Van Buren was hurt by a poor economy, with many voters out-of-work.  Watch out for all those farmers and unemployed factory workers on election day!