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had the opportunity to learn about them and it is my hope that this book does them justice.
I would also like to thank those who have written about the presidential aspirants and their political eras. When I started this project, my favorite historical decade to research was the 1790s. But now, after reading a great deal from Robert V. Remini's masterful works on the “second generation” of American politicians (particularly Henry Clay) and Michael F. Holt's cogent analyses of the parties and the politics prior to the Civil War, I am intrigued by the entire antebellum period. I am unable to select a favorite decade. I am especially indebted to those biographers and historians who answered my e-mail queries, read portions of my work, and commented upon this project (in alphabetical order): James G. Basker, Michael Beschloss, Walter R. Borneman, Richard Brookhiser, Allen C. Guelzo, Ronald L. Hatzenbuehler, Walter A. McDougall, John Allphin Moore, Jr., and Matthew Pinsker. Consistently, I found your perspectives informative and your suggestions constructive. I am also grateful to Jim Masker and Bruce Schulman for stoking my curiosity in American history when I was a student.
Within political science, the list of scholars is long and my debts are many. Over the past five years, James P. Pfiffner has steadfastly supported me and this work. He has been my mentor, editor, sounding board, champion, and friend. While he does not bear any burden for this book's shortcomings, it is fair to say that he is directly responsible for its strengths. For his generosity and integrity, I am thankful. Three other scholars—Scott A. Frisch, Michael A. Genovese, and Sean Q. Kelly—have been instrumental to not only this project, but also to me, as a researcher. I have appreciated their perceptivity and courage as series editors and past peer reviewers. I am further grateful to those who have commented at conferences, read individual chapters, written formal peer reviews, strengthened the methods, offered suggestions, provided encouragement, and asked questions, including (in alphabetical order): John H. Aldrich, William B. Allen, Julia R. Azari, Todd L. Belt, R. Lawrence Butler, Meena Bose, James E. Campbell, Jeffrey E. Cohen, William Crotty, Lilly J. Goren, Karen M. Hult, Scott C. James, James Lo,