No. But you have to be willfully obtuse to not know

about their pecadillos today. Sure, John Q Adams supporters sung about the Devil coming if Adams didn't win, and someone else had a song about their illegitimate child, but there wasn't a constant drumbeat on the population of every real or perceived fault. Nor were the politicians subjected to an endless barrage from all corners.

Put it this way - FDR had a piece on the side (as did Eleanor, probably). The press knew and said little. How long do you think the story of a Cabinet official propositioning train employees, or a Senator getting caught in a gay brothel lousy with foreign spies would stay "inside baseball" today? When was the last time the editor of a news outlet found a piece of dirt on an opponent too prurient to run?

It's not just personal failings that get sread around. Moderates who dare to talk to moderates of 'the other side' get raked over the coals. McCain, Romney are "RINOs". Spanberger got excoriated by one of the 'squad' for daring to mention that a Republican position was reasonable. The slightest whisper of considering the other side to be something other than the devil incarnate results in one side or the other broadcasting calls to put the congressman's office on 'blast'.

Until the little blue dress, the Wonkette, the Drudge report, outside of the DC area there was limited hard dirt on the transgressions of the big guys. Between not having privacy and having the depravity of the powerful broadcast constantly, what rational person would put up with it?