The political environment of 1896 had a lot of similarities to today: an electorate transformed by a growing immigrant population, an uncertain economy disrupted by new technology, growing income inequality and political gridlock that prevented the parties from resolving big issues.
In his new book, The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters, Karl Rove says many of the lessons from that presidential race can be applied to the politics of today. He joins us to discuss his book, and compare the election of 1896 to the current presidential election.