Real History:' The Ugly Election of 1828

The election of 1828 pitted Andrew Jackson against John Quincy Adams--it was not a friendly fight. The personal attacks and smears were so severe that Jackson’s wife succumbed to a heartattack after one particularly blatant episode. The election also notably called attention to sentiments in the American electorate against elitism, corruption and Washington dealmaking, as the populist common man Jackson defeated the privileged Adams. Many see the same social divides still evident in today's politics. This week's "Real History" segment analyzed the ugly election of 1828, and the panel debated how much has really changed nearly two centuries later.