Review of Polk: the Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America by Walter R Borneman

James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States, is generally known for two things:  for being a “dark horse” presidential candidate (the first in American history), and for being the president who presided over the Mexican-American War and the subsequent addition of hundreds of thousands of square miles of territory to the United States. In Polk: the Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America, historian Walter R Borneman argues two main points: that candidate Polk was anything but a “dark horse”, and that President Polk was one of the most successful and influential Chief Executives not only of the nineteenth century, but of all time.

In his brief narration of Polk’s early life and political career prior to the election of 1844, Borneman stresses Polk’s great intelligence and ambition.  Polk, a protégé of Andrew Jackson, became a US congressman at the age of 30, Speaker of the House at 40, and governor of Tennessee at 44. Polk was given serious consideration for the Democratic vice presidential nomination in 1840.  Fortunately for him, however, the party chose someone else.  Had Polk been the nominee, his party’s crushing defeat might have ended his presidential aspirations. 

Borneman’s narration of the 1844 campaign, with all its twists and turns, is thorough and entertaining.  The divided Democrats at first could not agree on a single candidate, with each region of the country supporting its own “favorite son.”  Eventually, Polk emerged as an alternative candidate that all regions could get behind (his being supported by Jackson certainly did not hurt his cause, either).  Borneman repeatedly argues that Polk, although he was initially not seen as a serious candidate, was nonetheless not a “dark horse.”  His having been Speaker of the House, Governor of Tennessee, and a much-talked-about possible vice presidential candidate in 1840 meant that he was hardly unknown in 1844.

Borneman devotes the second half of the book to Polk’s presidency, which he sees as a strong one.  He gives Polk high praise for being the only president to keep all of his campaign promises, which in Polk’s case were to acquire Texas, acquire Oregon, lower tariffs, and establish an independent Treasury.  While there is no doubt that President Polk did indeed achieve these goals, Borneman gives Polk perhaps too much credit for the first two, downplaying the work that Polk’s predecessor John Tyler and his administration did to prepare the way.  Borneman also gives Polk much credit for acquiring the Mexican Cession, which greatly increased the size of the United States, but he leaves aside the dubious morality of that action and its impact on Mexicans, Indians, and other non-whites.

Borneman’s portrait of Polk is highly positive, almost to the point of being hagiographic.  In spite of this, it is a very engaging read and an excellent overview of Polk’s life, his presidency, and the events of the 1830s and 1840s.  For readers seeking an introduction to these topics, Borneman’s biography is a great place to start.