James G. Blaine

James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 - January 27, 1893) was a prominent figure in Reconstruction and Post-Reconstruction American politics. He was twice Secretary of State, once from March 1831 to December 1831 under presidents James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur, and again from 1889 to 1892 under Benjamin Harrison.

The first prominent figure in Maine politics, the Governors' Mansion of the State of Maine is named in his honor. He represented Maine's now-defunct third district from 1863 to 1876 and served as Speaker of the House from 1869 to 1875. He was a Senator from Maine from 1876 to 1881.

Blaine was nominated by the Republicans as their presidential candidate during the election of 1884, but lost narrowly to Grover Cleveland of New York.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution was, according to Wikipedia, "...substantially Blaine's proposition."

The "Blaine Amendment" to the US Constitution was not the 14th, however. He is remembered as being anti-Catholic for writing an Amendment that would have prohibited the use of public funds in Catholic schools.

Blaine was also a scandalous figure, as in 1876 he was accused of corruption. However, he still almost won the Republican nominantion for president in 1876, missing it by 28 votes. His opponents, both Republicans and Democrats, chanted "Blaine, Blaine the continental Liar from the State of Maine!"

Alternate versions of Blaine have been found in the multiverse. Our timeline is one of the few where Blaine did not become president of the United States, nor Vice President of the United States.
 * James G. Blaine, 20th President of the United States (President Tilden)
 * James G. Blaine, 26th President of the United States (One-Term Limit)
 * James G. Blaine, 21st President of the United States (Two Americas)
 * James G. Blaine, 15th President of the United States (Qu'il Tous)
 * James G. Blaine, 16th President of the United States (French Trafalgar, British Waterloo)
 * James G. Blaine, 23rd Vice President of the United States (3-Year Term)
 * James G. Blaine, 25th Vice President of the United States (Emperor George I)