We are now upon the 150th anniversary of the Democratic presidential convention of 1864. That convention nominated George McClellan and George Pendleton of Ohio as the Democratic ticket on a platform framed largely by Copperheads such as the recently-returned Clement Vallandigham.
Could the Democrats have done better? Tell me how. I wonder how the platform could have been different. Could Democrats have reached out to recover more members of their party by passing a more moderate platform on the conduct of the war without alienating the peace wing of the party (which, after all, had nowhere else to go unless it wanted to see a divided Democracy hand the fall contest to Lincoln). Was there a better choice than McClellan? You tell me.
Crossroads 