A biography full of bizarre coincidence
Before he became president, he was viewed as a political outsider, running against the corruption, both real and perceived, in the government. He lived in New York, but was rejected by the Manhattan-based elite, and that animosity fueled his political convictions. His politics were defined largely by opposition to NYC’s political machinery.
He was elected president to drain the swamp (after selecting a former Indiana governor as his running mate), on the belief that he would get rid of rampant corruption. However, during his term in office, his popularity faltered, and he was replaced in the next election.
Even though he was out of office, he was the de facto leader of the opposition party throughout the next four years, and wound up being nominated again for president; he won the next election for a non-consecutive term in office.
His second term was defined by a foreign crisis in Venezuela- one that risked conflict with our allies- based on a new, more expansive articulation of the Monroe Doctrine. That second term also featured a major divisive rift over monetary policy, which critics believed could cause an economic crash. He also went against popular sentiments in promoting big changes to tariff rates, with mixed success.
In his personal life, he overcame scandals that most people at the time believed would be categorically career-ending, and some were scandalized by the over twenty year age gap between him and his spouse.
So yeah, the biography of Grover Cleveland was an interesting read.
~AG
I'll Think of a Catchy Title Later 