Death by Lightning Recap: Men Like Us

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The strength of Steven Spielberg’s film Lincoln, based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals and adapted by Tony Kushner, is its honest portrayal of the difficult realities of the presidency. While Abraham Lincoln is often remembered as a purely virtuous leader – “Honest Abe” – the film shows the compromises and political maneuvering he used to achieve his goals. This doesn’t necessarily tarnish Lincoln’s reputation, but it does expose the often-unpleasant side of politics and the kind of pragmatic behavior required to succeed, a side that contrasts with his famous speeches.

It’s hard to say what kind of president James Garfield would have been, as he spent most of his time in office—80 out of 200 days—struggling to survive after being shot. The show “Party Faithful” hints that despite seeming like a natural successor to Lincoln within the Republican party, Garfield may not have truly wanted the job. The first episode cleverly leaves his motivations unclear: he initially went to the Republican National Convention simply to support John Sherman, but unexpectedly became the party’s nominee. Was he genuinely dedicated to serving the country, or did he harbor hidden ambitions that others, like Sherman and his wife Lucretia, suspected despite his humble demeanor? He may have been pretending to be less interested than he actually was.

From the start of his campaign, James Garfield faced immediate challenges to his optimistic vision. The question became whether he would rigidly stick to his principles, even if it meant losing, or if he could compromise to win the election and achieve his goals. However, a bigger issue was whether Garfield even had much control, considering he’d just taken over a deeply fractured party demanding rewards for unity. Winning against Winfield Scott Hancock depended on money and support from New York, putting Garfield at the mercy of Roscoe Conkling, who was initially bitter about Ulysses S. Grant’s nomination loss and considered letting the Democrats win. It took significant effort to change Conkling’s mind and secure his support.

James Blaine quickly recognized the issue and dismissed the idea of being Garfield’s vice presidential candidate, considering it an insult. While delegates impatiently awaited a decision, Garfield notably retreated to his hotel room, signaling his disinterest in the selection process. He would later attempt to run his campaign from his Ohio home, further suggesting he wanted to avoid the demanding work of leadership. However, Garfield’s reluctance to participate meant others made the choices for him, culminating in the unexpected announcement: “Meet your running mate, Chester Arthur!”

Garfield, running on a promise to end the corruption that had grown under Grant, found himself in a difficult position with his running mate, Arthur. Arthur was known as a loyal enforcer for political boss Conkling and had a reputation for being ruthless – there’s even a story of him overseeing the beating of a businessman who wouldn’t cooperate. While Arthur seemed sincerely grateful for the vice-presidential nomination, and potentially willing to go against Conkling’s wishes, the pairing felt forced. It signaled that Garfield might not have a strong hold on the party he was chosen to lead.

James Garfield faced a constant struggle between his principles and political expediency in Ohio. While he initially felt comfortable being authentic, that didn’t last. He reassured a group of Black Union veterans that he would defend their right to vote, declaring he’d rather lose with them than win by betraying their freedom. Someone jokingly called him a poor politician, and it was hard to disagree. Even before winning the election, Garfield became embroiled in a debate about Chinese laborers, compromising his values to such an extent that even his daughter, Mollie, was disappointed. It seems he was willing to sacrifice his conscience to achieve victory.

Charles Guiteau was desperately trying to join the Garfield campaign team, having switched his support from Grant. He hoped to win favor through flattery and self-promotion. While he initially gained some attention from Blaine, who enjoyed the attention, Guiteau’s claims about his influence were clearly exaggerated. He described his writing and speaking engagements as “moderate to considerable,” seemingly believing this was a convincing lie. However, Blaine and others quickly saw through him and rejected his attempts to join the campaign, even dismissing his surprisingly good advice to seek donations from ordinary citizens. There were plenty of valid reasons to avoid Guiteau, but his bad advice wasn’t one of them.

A small but effective detail in this episode is how Garfield’s difficult childhood is revealed – through the ramblings of Guiteau, as he shares his story with a sex worker he’s paying to listen. He boasts about Garfield’s poverty, mentioning his father died when Garfield was young and his mother couldn’t afford shoes for him until he was seven. However, Guiteau doesn’t see any parallel between their backgrounds; he doesn’t recognize that Garfield, like himself, rose from nothing. The show briefly links the two men as working-class individuals who saw the world differently than the established political elite, like Roscoe Conkling and James G. Blaine. It’s a stark and unpleasant connection, suggesting their destinies were equally weighed down by circumstance.

Conklings

It’s easy to look back fondly on a time before instant news, but Lucretia’s discovery that her husband is running for president – learned from reporters swarming her yard – is a particularly unpleasant example of how quickly information now spreads.

So far, the show seems to portray Guiteau with more understanding than the book does. The scene where Blaine dismisses him is particularly striking, highlighting the difference between the confidence of those in power and the feelings of someone like Guiteau, who believes he deserves to be heard in government. He essentially asks why he’s being treated with such disrespect for simply offering help, and points out that there are many others like him who are newly interested in politics and want to participate.

In that scene with Blaine, Chester Arthur actually develops a slightly positive view of Guiteau, despite misremembering his name. He tells him, “You’re a good man, Cousteau. I haven’t forgotten that bold, misguided outburst you had at headquarters. People like us have to work hard to get ahead.”

• Conkling: “If you come from Ohio and Maine, kindly show yourself the fuck out.”

One of my favorite movies about politics is the 1972 satire The Candidate. It stars Robert Redford as a liberal lawyer whom the Democratic party asks to run for Senate in California, fully expecting him to lose. This allows Redford’s character to be honest at first, but as the race becomes competitive, his views are softened to appeal to more voters. By the end, he surprisingly wins, but he’s left feeling lost and unsure of what to do next – much like Garfield on election night.

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2025-11-06 18:55