This column settles an old score.
As a barely-thirteen high school freshman in 1959, I was forced to labor through “The Age of Jackson” by eminent historian and JFK confidante Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
I found out later that it wasn’t worth the trouble.
According to my best history teacher at Fresno State, “Schlesinger Junior has written reams and reams analyzing Andrew Jackson but missed the point,” lectured Dr. José C. Canales.
“With Jackson, everything was simply a personal reaction,” the professor asserted.
Schlesinger droned endlessly on President Jackson’s feud with Bank of the United States President Nicholas Biddle. Jackson killed the bank, depriving the U.S. economy of a critical institution for almost a century.
Philosophy had nothing to do with it, Dr. Canales said. The bank had once turned down a loan for Jackson’s slave plantation, and Old Hickory vowed to get even.
Setting the tone for his destructive presidency, Jackson’s lowbrow and violent followers trashed the White House at his 1829 inauguration.
Does any of this remind you of a currently front-running presidential candidate?
Arnold Schwarzenegger provides a more recent warning. In his first term as California governor, he pushed a passel of teacher-bashing, pension-killing, union-busting ballot questions. He lost every one and served out his governorship neutered and ineffective when a recession-ridden state needed aggressive leadership.
History has warned 2016 voters.
MISSISSIPPI WEST AGAIN — I have recently criticized KNPB TV-5 boss Kurt Mische for blacking out the Feb. 11 Bernie Sanders/Hillary Clinton debate. Public Broadcasting System ombudsman Michael Getler has agreed with me.
Now comes this: “Andrew, more detailed reporting, according to researchers here at PBS, indicates that every PBS member, with the exception of KNPB-Reno and Mississippi Public Broadcasting, carried the Democratic Debate,’’ Getler wrote.
“What’s still being checked is whether they (MPB) chose not to carry the debate, or if this could be an error in the schedule information they provided to listings services,” he added.
We remain a retro southern state in very many respects.
HADN’T OUGHTTA SAID THAT DEPT. Last week, I reported that Mrs. Clinton’s campaign had trumpeted her victory in the “Virgina” (sic) primary. Oops.
Shortly thereafter came an announcement from Sen. Ruben Kihuen’s congressional campaign touting his endorsement from “The League of Conversation Voters,” shortly thereafter amended as the prestigious League of CONSERVATION Voters.
Alas, the correction was again headlined as support from them there talkative conversationalists.
I hope we can share a good laugh about this at the March 30 César Chávez event, where Kihuen, sponsor of the Nevada César Chávez Day Law, has been a frequent speaker.
ADIOS, LADY. A brief Reno Gazette-Journal obituary notes that a memorial service for Nancy Stanton will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Sparks on March 21 at 2 p.m.
I’m still checking to verify that she’s the Nancy who was the best RGJ sales exec with whom I ever had the pleasure of dealing back in my ad agency days.
May she rest in peace.
Be well. Raise hell. Esté bien. Haga infierno.
Andrew Barbano is a 47-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com. E-mail <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Tribune since 1988.
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