From Fox News' politics editor Chris Stirewalt -- a fun and lively account of America's populist tradition, from Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt, to Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, and Donald Trump.
Whatever the ideological fad of the moment, American populism has always been home to a fascinating assortment of charismatic leaders, characters, kooks, cranks, and sometimes charlatans who have - with widely varying degrees of success - led the charge of ordinary folks who have gotten wise to the ways of the swamp. This attitude of skeptical resentment also makes populism a fertile field for the work of conspiracy theorists and other enthusiastic apostates from civic convention. After all, if the people in power are found to be rigging one part of the system, why not the rest? Every Man a King tells the stories of America's populist leaders, from an elderly Andrew Jackson brutally caning his would-be-assassin, to William Jennings Bryan's pre-speech routine that combined equally prodigious quantities of prayer and food, to Ross Perot's military-style campaign that made even volunteers wear badges with stars to show rank. It is a rollicking history of an American attitude that has shaped not only our current moment, but also the long struggle over who gets to define the truths we hold to be self evident.
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President Trump likes to say that America has 'never seen' a movement like his before. This is both true and false. America has seen and been transformed by many populist movements almost since its founding. But each one is distinct, because each one arises from its own unique moment in history. In easily-and enjoyably!-digestible bites Chris Stirewalt gives us a wonderful tasting menu of American populism from Andrew Jackson to Ross Perot, illuminating the differences and commonalities along the way. Every Man a King is a great introduction to one of the most under-appreciated and relevant issues of our day.
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Jonah Goldberg, bestselling author of Suicide of the West