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James K. Polk: Difference between revisions
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{{creatortropes}}
* [[Dark Horse Victory]]: [[Trope Codifier]]. He won the presidency after Martin Van Buren shot himself in the political foot after the question of Texan annexation, which made Polk the one to succeed him after Van Buren nuked his own political
* [[Exact Words]]: [[Abraham Lincoln]] famously tried to catch him in a lie over how the Mexican-American War started, asking Polk to declare the exact spot the war started, as if it started on Mexico's side of the border, then it was an illegal war.<ref> Polk managed to evade this by having the war take place in territory ''both'' Mexico and Texas claimed, and since it wasn't clear exactly who had legitimate control and the US troops were there at Texas' own behest, Polk technically never lied.</ref>
* [[Groin Attack]]: Had surgery when he was young to remove kidney stones. Given the crudeness of the surgery, it did severe damage to his groin that rendered him impotent for the rest of his life.
* [[Implacable Man]]: When he served as Speaker of the House in the late 1830s, his enemies tried desperately to get him provoked into a fight, as that would damage his political credibility, but despite having everything and the kitchen sink thrown at him (verbally), he refused to take the bait. His ability to resist the urge to rise to the bait was so profound even the infamously [[Hot-Blooded]] [[Andrew Jackson]] was amazed at his coolness.
* [[Spiritual Successor]]: Was referred to as "Young Hickory", a reference to [[Andrew Jackson]], who was known as "Old Hickory".
* [[Workaholic]]: Known for this. Probably shortened his life too, as he tended to work from morning to midnight constantly.
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