The 10 most interesting U.S. presidential elections

[DS0816]

The 10 most interesting U.S. presidential elections

Which United States presidential elections do you rank among the 10 most interesting in history? It can be for any reason. And it doesn't have to be taken seriously. And you can make of it what you will, including suggesting any number of past presidentials not exceeding a list of ten. (Thanks.)

[phk]

2008
2000
1992
1972
1968
1960
1912
1888
1860
1844

[Stranger in a strange land]

2008
1948
1968
1912
1960
1860
1984
1952
1932
1936

[realisticidealist]

1. 1912
2. 1896
3. 1860
4. 1892
5. 2000
6. 1960
7. 1968
8. 1948
9. 2008
10. 1992

Just missed the cut: 1876, 1888, 1924, 1932

[MilesC56]

2008
2000
1992
1976
1968
1960
1912
1876
1860
1824

[Californian Tony]

1) 1948
2) 1932
3) 1968
4) 1860
5) 1960
6) 2008
1896
9) 1824
10) 1980

[JulioMadrid]

2008
2000
1992
1976
1968
1960
1912
1876
1860
1824

[WillK]

1. 1800 -- the closeness, the contentiousness, the personalities, the House vote.  

2. 1824 - the personalities and the House vote

3. 1860 - a 4-way competition but a regional result showing electoral dominance of a party that had only been around for 5 years; the impact -- secession

4. 1876 - the disputed outcome

5. 1912 - the Progressive Bull Moose split handing Wilson the win

6. 1916 - razor thin result gives Wilson another term

7. 1948 - Thurmond and the south; Truman's come from behind win; the Dewey wins headline

8. 1964 - the deep south flips to the Republicans but otherwise Johnson crushes it

9 . 2000 - the recount; the beginning of the Bush tragedy

Honorable mention: 1844, 1880, 1884 for razor thin wins

The 10 most interesting U.S. presidential elections

Which United States presidential elections do you rank among the 10 most interesting in history? It can be for any reason. And it doesn't have to be taken seriously. And you can make of it what you will, including suggesting any number of past presidentials not exceeding a list of ten. (Thanks.)

[Senator Snowstalker]

My list of the 10 most important (not necessarily interesting) elections in order by time:

1. 1800-Showed the flaws in the election system, put the President and VP on one ticket
2. 1824-Showed the problem with a house vote-the person who got 2nd in PV and EV won
3. 1860-Split the nation in two, the first Republican president
4. 1864-Pretty much solidified a Northern victory in the Civil War; had McClellan won, the South would be a separate nation.
5. 1876-The loser of the PV wins by getting an EC majority, first time in history this happens
6. 1916-Probably the reason why the Entente won the Great War, and indirectly the reason for the rise of the Nazis.
7. 1928-The end of the Progressive Era and the beginning of the New Deal era
8. 1948-The Solid South begins to crumble, and shows that political comebacks are possible
9. 1968-Nixon puts the South in the Republican column after a century of Democratic dominance.
10. 1980-The rise of conservatism, arguably the beginning of the modern era of politics.

[homelycooking]

1800: disputed outcome, major personalities clash
1824: "Jacksonian Democracy"
1860: obvious
1876: disputed outcome, end to Reconstruction in compromise
1892: Populist Party
1912: TR's third party bid
1948: Democratic vote splits in the South, "Dewey Defeats Truman"
1964: huge Democratic landslide
1992: Perot and a modern three-way election
2000: disputed outcome

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Surprised nobody has mentioned 1872...

[WillK]

Surprised nobody has mentioned 1872...

Do you find it one of the most interesting?

[tb78]

1.1860- 4 Major Contenders limited to certain areas of the country to make it interesting
2.1968- The 3 way race that dived the country
3.1976- The Bicentennial Election, another late call
4.1800- 4 Major contenders, House election with two candidates of same party
5. 1824- Corrupt Bargain election, split of D-R Party
6. 1828- Jackson's revenge
7. 1948- Little man from Missouri against all odds wins against crowded field
8. 2000- Florida, Florida, Florida
9. 1960- New Generation Election. First time a President would be elected in his 40's
10. 1876- Last election of the Reconstruction period

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Surprised nobody has mentioned 1872...

Do you find it one of the most interesting?

Yes - two Republicans, one of whom is cross-nominated by the Democrats are the candidates, with Greeley being supported by both Southern Democrats and the most radical Republicans - and then of course you have the hilarity of his dying before the Electoral College met......

[WillK]

9. 1960- New Generation Election. First time a President would be elected in his 40's

Polk, Pierce, Grant, Garfield, Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt were all in their 40s when elected.

[Thomas D]

1. 1860- Last pre civil war election
2. 1932- Beginning of the New Deal
3. 1948- Truman upset
4. 2008- First African American elected President
5. 1824- Andrew Jackson vs. JQA goes to the House
6. 1980- Reagan Revolution
7. 1968- Very close. Almost went to the House.
8. 1916- Wilson almost loses.
9. 1960- Very close. "Torch has been passed"
10. 1992. Strong 3rd party and first Dem win in 16 years.

[tb78]

9. 1960- New Generation Election. First time a President would be elected in his 40's

Polk, Pierce, Grant, Garfield, Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt were all in their 40s when elected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HKRUnU3IeI- Watch at 0:45 to see what i was trying to say

[pbrower2a]

1. 1912. Probably the best election ever as we had a current President, a former President, and the winner.

2. 2000. The closest, and the most controversial.

3. 1960.  Very close, with Americans electing a Catholic for the first time. The WASP hold was no more.

4. 2008. We would have had the first black man, the first woman, or the first septuagenarian elected as President.  Negative: Sarah Palin.

5. 1992. Similar to 1912, except that Perot  wasn't quite TR.

6. 1860. It showed how divided America could get.

7. 1948. Dewey wins, according to the Chicago Tribune.   

8. 1888. Cleveland wins popular vote but still loses electoral college.

9. 1800. First change of Party.

10. 1840. Introducing -- the Whigs!   

[freepcrusher]

in no order

2000 - democrats become incredibly concentrated beginning in this election
1976 - the last time a dem won the south but lost the rest of the nation
1964 - how does a dem nominee win Vermont but lose Georgia
1956 - why did so many Stevenson counties vote for McCain
1940 - notice the plains states switch to the republicans
1932 - the democrats become the party of organized labor
1916 - basically an election in reverse from now
1912 - fascinating three way race
1896 - beginning of new party system
1876 - end of reconstruction
1824 - basically election theft

[TexasGurl]

1824
1828
1844
1860
1876
1888
1912
1936
1948
2000

[WillK]

...
1824 - basically election theft

How so?

[TexasGurl]

...
1824 - basically election theft

How so?

The "corrupt" bargain of course.

[Californian Tony]

...
1824 - basically election theft

How so?

The "corrupt" bargain of course.

Still, 1876 was more of a theft than 1824 anyways.

[frihetsivrare]

1789 (first ever presidential election)
1856 (first Republican as a contender)
1860 (last election before Civil War, first Republican victory)
1912 (3 candidates were Presidents at one point or another)
1968 (the turmoil leading up to the election, last 3-way electoral vote)
1992 (last election with 3 major candidates)

[WillK]

...
1824 - basically election theft

How so?

The "corrupt" bargain of course.

And it was theft how?    [I never understood why it was called "corrupt".  Just what was corrupt about it?]