This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

And we return to our American stories.

Up next, another installment of our series about us, the story of America series,

with Hillsdale College Professor and author of Land of Hope, Professor Bill McClay.

After George Washington retired from public life, a resounding question hung over the heads of

most Americans, What's next?

Let's get into the story.

In the past 20 years or so, we've seen close contested elections on the presidential level. A big call to make, CNN announces that we call Florida in the Al Gore column.

In Georgia, the presidential race is also too close to call.

This race is just as close as ever.

The latest CNN opinion research tracking poll has the presidential

candidates tie. Just moments ago, I spoke with George W. Bush and congratulated him on becoming

the 43rd president of the United States. So we don't have a history of impeccable, imperishable elections.

And this goes back to very early on.

And the Constitution, the framers of the Constitution, didn't think about presidential elections

as being competitions between political parties.

That's important to keep in mind.

The political parties arose of their own will, as it were.

Of course, the first two elections were not contested.

George Washington was the only candidate.

But when he stepped down, that was the first actual contested election.

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