LeftOut

John Quincy Adams v. Dubya
Yeah, they both had daddies in the White House, but one of these blue-bloods is not like the other
by Daryl Moore

Assuring the American public that he can indeed read, Dubya recently disclosed from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, that while on vacation he was reading David McCullough’s chart-topping biography of John Adams. With a smirk, Bush reminded reporters that he and John Quincy Adams "have got something in common." Dubya was obviously referring to the fact that he and John Quincy are the only sons of presidents to ascend to the presidency themselves.

With all due respect to Dubya, he is no John Quincy Adams. Recall, upon his arrival in Washington, Dubya had no international experience. He had never been to Europe and could not readily identify the names of world leaders. Outside of his relationship with the incoming president of Mexico, Vincente Fox, the number of Dubya’s relationships with world dignitaries was nil.

Conversely, John Quincy made his first trip to Europe at the age of 10, when he accompanied his father to France. At the ripe old age of 14, John Quincy was secretary to the American delegation to Russia. In 1814, he served as a peace envoy to end the War of 1812. Later, he served as secretary of state to President James Monroe and authored the Monroe Doctrine. By the time he sought the presidency, John Quincy had earned the respect of leaders throughout the world.

With regard to his formal education, Dubya was a self-professed slacker. At Yale, he was an unabashed partier and president of his fraternity. His own mother recounted during the campaign that he was something of a hell-raiser, even joking this year when his daughters got in trouble that "George was getting back a little bit of his own."

John Quincy, on the other hand, was extraordinarily accomplished by the age of 17. His French was nearly flawless. He was widely read in English and Roman history and had translated Aristotle’s Politics from the Greek. Indeed, he was so educated that he was depressed by the thought of returning from Europe to the "pale of college." But, to college he went because he was afraid that he would never be able to provide for himself if he "loitered away his precious time in Europe."

But, while Dubya and John Quincy were vastly different in their accomplishments before taking the White House, their roads to it were similar. Both were born to New England blue-bloods. Both followed presidential fathers who were one-termers. And, ironically, both became president after controversial elections. In 1824, John Quincy lost the popular vote to a Tennessean, Andrew Jackson. Neither candidate, however, had a majority of the electoral vote. So, the decision was left to the House of Representatives, where speaker of the House and fourth-place finisher in the presidential contest, Henry Clay, used his influence to make John Quincy president. John Quincy then named Clay secretary of state.

In 2000, Dubya also lost the popular vote to a Tennessean, Al Gore. Without Florida, neither candidate had enough electoral votes to win the presidency. So, the decision was made by the U.S. Supreme Court, where two of former President Bush’s appointees voted to end the Florida recount and to elevate Dubya to the White House.

While Dubya might smirk, and might compare himself to John Quincy, the two could hardly be more different. But, no matter their differences, Dubya and John Quincy might ultimately share the same fate.

In 1828, after just one term, John Quincy was soundly beaten by the same Tennessean whom he had allegedly beaten four years before.

Now, a Tennessean who has avoided the limelight since Dubya’s alleged election has reentered the political picture. After going underground for seven months to lick his wounds and to travel around Europe, Al Gore has returned to run political seminars and to campaign for Democratic candidates, putting feelers out for a 2004 presidential campaign.

In spite of all of their differences, Dubya might someday be able to achieve something John Quincy did–becoming the first one-term son of a one-term president.