Feed Voters and They Will Listen Part 1
Courtesy of the Library of Congress
This addition to our series stumping and eating, the role of food in campaigns, takes us to Maysville, Kentucky in 1876. Democratic candidates spoke from 10:30 AM until 4 PM “with the exception of a short intermission for [a free barbecue] dinner and none of them lacked for an attentive audience at any time.” The more veteran among them spoke for 75 min. straight! Here is a bipartisan suggestion for contemporary campaign strategist in an election cycle: feed us delicious free food and talk about important election cycle issues and voters will listen.* The folks who hosted this 1876 Kentucky political rally fed 10,000 hungry people six large oxen and a dozen or more hogs, and calves barbecued to perfection. Part 2 tomorrow.
