During the 1884 presidential election, supporters of the Republican candidate, James G. Blaine, discovered that his Democratic opponent -- Grover Cleveland (a bachelor at the time) -- had fathered a son by Mrs. Maria Crofts Halpin, an attractive widow who had been on friendly terms with several politicians. Republicans promptly distributed handbills depicting a baby labeled "One more vote for Cleveland" and arranged for paraders to mockingly repeat the chant: "Ma, Ma, where's my pa? Gone to the White House, Ha, Ha, Ha!"

[The move backfired. Rather than deny the story, Cleveland wisely opted to tell the truth. His candor won the hearts of the nation -- and won Cleveland the election.]

[Between the Civil War and the end of the 19th century, every person elected president was a Republican from the Midwest who had served as an officer in the Union Army -- with one exception: Grover Cleveland.]