Sunday, April 6, 2014

214 Quiz Answer


Aaron Burr was the third Vice President of the United States; he served during President Thomas Jefferson's first term.  In 1804 Burr killed his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a famous duel. Burr was never tried for the illegal duel, and all charges against him were eventually dropped, but Hamilton's death ended Burr's political career.


(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "M" is for "madness")
As you may be painfully aware, the U S political races seem to be in full swing.  TV screens present the usual eager candidates claiming that their opponents are listless, incompetent blackguards, among other things.

Of course, this is nothing new; such vituperation has been more or less normal for generations.  It got me to thinking of a couple of our political figures of the past.

I thought of two chaps especially.  As far as they were concerned, they proceeded normally with their careers; in other words they each spent a lot of the time trash-talking, as we say today, the other.

There was a slight difference, however.

In our time quite a number of folks have made derogatory remarks about our Vice-President and he has done what he could to respond to his critics. 

Politicians generally are accused of being moody, talking a lot and doing nothing.  So it’s fascinating that there was a part of our history when we had one Veep who did plenty.

As to whether this turned out to be good or bad, there is no question.  It was bad. 

He stepped over the line.  He broke the rule.

Written or unwritten – or both - it was a solid rule, and politicians then and now did not break it.

You see, he shot the guy who was responsible for most of the trash talk against him, shot him and killed him.

If this was a story happening in our time and written as a farce, the Vice President would have been cheered by many, or at least by the NRA, and perhaps he would have gone on to be featured on TV talk shows as a successful celebrity, later appearing on “Dancing With the Stars.”   J

However, in those benighted days there was no television and many folks, including even those who had been his most ardent supporters, turned against him.  "Politicians shooting each other; it's horrible, it's madness!" they cried.  "It's got to stop!"

Well, that’s the story.  I guess I should cut this short; I don’t want to incite any political types of our time into similar action.

As for the weekly quiz question, what was the name of the Veep?

 

29 comments:

21 Wits said...

The veep is or was rather, Vice President, Aaron Burr!

rel said...

Aaron Burr

kaykuala said...

Aaron Burr it is!

Hank

Berowne said...

Three stalwarts lead things off with the correct answer: Karen S, rel and kaykuala.

Kathe W. said...

VP Aaron Burr!

naturgesetz said...

Aaron Burr.

Berowne said...

Ksthe W and naturgesetz have just provided us with the right answer.

Doctor FTSE said...

Might you be referring to the pistol duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton in 1804?

The Blog of Bee said...

Aaron Burr?

Berowne said...

The Blog of Bee and Doc FTSE are two more with the correct answer.

Altonian said...

Forgive an Anglo/Finnish upstart from hazarding an opinion on this. Could this refer to the famous Burr/Hamilton duel of 1804, the V.P. in question being, of course - Burr ? Well, there you go then!

Berowne said...

Our Anglo-Finnish sector has been heard from, Altonian having provided us with the right answer.

Roger Owen Green said...

NOW we're talkin' stuff I know IMMEDIATELY. This is true: both Aaron Burr, TJ's VEEP, and his victim, Alexander Hamilton, attended, for a time, First Presbyterian Church in Albany, NY, which I attend currently. The minister in 1804, Rev. Nott, gave a sermon against dueling that led to its eventual banning.

Silent Otto said...

I know he shot the sherriff, but not the deputy , oh thats right, he WAS The Deputy !

Berowne said...

Roger Owen Green, as he has done so often in the past, has just checked in with the right answer.

Ginny Brannan said...

Methinks this has to do with the famous duel between Burr and Hamiliton...

Berowne said...

Welcome, Ginny Brannan, with another correct answer.

Truedessa said...

I think it was a duel between Burr-Hamilton but, please don't get
me started on US politics..when will these politicians stop talking and do something in behalf of the US Citizens.

Berowne said...

We've just received a right answer from Truedessa.

Leslie: said...

As a Canadian, I'm not up on all your presidents and especially not the VPs. So I looked it up and it's quite the story! Madness indeed!

Leslie
abcw team

Hildred said...

Aaron Burr and the infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton?

Sheilagh Lee said...

Aaron Burr was the vice president he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel with pistols he supplied.Hamilton fired first and missed Burr didn't.

Berowne said...

Hildred and Sheilagh Lee are two more with the correct answer.

Andy Sewina said...

Good work, loved the way engaging style of storytelling here. Visiting from 3ww.

Charleen said...

I too wrote about my bitter disappointment of politics in my most recent post.

Anonymous said...

Aaron Burr!
That old peanut butter ad keeps sticking (so to speak) in my head on this one!

Berowne said...

Another right answer, this time from uberrhund.

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Berowne said...

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