Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa?

Scandals are so widespread in current politics that it seems the government is more worried about personal reputation than making laws. But this isn’t a new phenomenon. Presidential campaigns have been mudslinging whenever there is the slightest falter in decorum. And when all else is said and done, politicians will often be remembered most for their scandals.

In 1884, America was enjoying the prosperity brought about by the recent industrial revolution. Politics entered the Gilded Age, where corruption was rampant and laws were made by and for big businesses (because they were giving big money). The Republicans had held the White House since Ulysses S. Grant’s terms with each simply following the policies set forth by their predecessor. The election had two main candidates: Grover Cleveland for the Democrats and James G. Blaine for the Republicans. The resulting campaigns had nothing to do with politics.

Blaine tried to defame Cleveland by focusing on an alleged affair. Maria Crofts Halpin claimed that Cleveland had fathered her child. This rumor was further supported by the fact that Cleveland had paid child support to her (Halpin had been with a few men. Cleveland, a bachelor, would suffer less than if a married man had claimed the child.). This caused the Republicans to jeer “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?”

Political Cartoon of "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa?" (courtesy of Wikimedia)

Cleveland fought back with “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, the continental liar from the state of Maine.” Blaine had been heavily involved with the railroad industry and owned chares in several companies. By using his influence as a politician, Blaine managed to profit off of his investments. Although these events occurred much earlier, new damning evidence had appeared. A particular letter sent by Blaine detailing some of his exploits had written at the bottom, “Burn this letter.” The Democrats seized the opportunity presented by this new evidence to seriously question the morals of Blaine. Engaging in underhanded business practices is one thing, but destroying evidence and claiming it never happened makes it much worse. To insult him further, many of the campaign cheers involved “Burn this letter” as a conclusion.

This election focused on attacking the rival’s character, but the slogans provide some insight into their speakers. Blaine’s attack on Cleveland found no immediate fault in his morals (Cleveland is considered to be one of the best presidents in terms of character). As a result, Blaine took to scandals. However, Cleveland openly responded with details about the incident which in turn showed his honesty. On the other hand, Cleveland’s slogan against Blaine helped to show his (Cleveland’s) take on corruption. In his past positions in New York, he had proved to be a strong opponent to corruption.

Blaine’s attempts to defame Cleveland were not strong enough to tarnish the Democrat’s reputation. Grover Cleveland went on to win the election, the only Democrat president in an era of Republicanism. His supporters, part in celebration and part in mockery, expanded upon the old taunt. “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa? Gone to the White House. Ha! Ha! Ha!