What's sleazy about offering alcohol for votes?

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Submitted by David (United States), Aug 18, 2011 15:12

But for all of Washington's commendable belief in moderate alcohol use, he very much appreciated its utility. Esther White, a Mount Vernon archaeologist, told me Washington once lost a 1755 campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates because he didn't treat prospective supporters to a drink. Two years later, he rolled out 144 gallons of refreshment. He won with 307 votes, a return on his investment of better than two votes per gallon. He never lost another campaign.

Yes, that's George Washington we're talking about. Offering drinks to make voters more amenable to your candidacy isn't sleazy; it's American!

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