Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Election of 1800 (2014 Workshop)
[FULL COMPANY]
The election of 1800
[JEFFERSON]
Can we get back to politics?
[MADISON]
Please?
[JEFFERSON]
Yo. Ev’ry action has an equal, opposite reaction
John Adams shat the bed. I love the guy, but he’s in traction
Poor Alexander Hamilton? He is missing in action
So now I’m facing—
[JEFFERSON AND MADISON]
Aaron Burr!
[JEFFERSON]
With his own faction
[MADISON]
He’s very attractive in the North. New Yorkers like his chances
[JEFFERSON]
He’s not very forthcoming on any particular stances
[MADISON]
Ask him a question: it glances off, he obfuscates, he dances
[JEFFERSON]
And they say I’m a Francophile: at least they know I know where France is!
[MADISON]
Thomas that’s the problem, see, they see Burr as a less extreme you
[JEFFERSON]
Ha!
[MADISON]
You need to change course, a key endorsement might redeem you
[JEFFERSON]
Who did you have in mind?
[MADISON]
Don’t laugh
[JEFFERSON]
Who is it?
[MADISON]
You used to work on the same staff
[JEFFERSON]
Whaaaat
[MADISON]
It might be nice, it might be nice
To get Hamilton on your side
It might be nice, it might be nice
To have some pressure indirectly applied
[JEFFERSON]
Just tell him that Burr might win
[MADISON]
He might!
[JEFFERSON]
He'll act out of pride
[MADISON]
He can't help himself
[JEFFERSON AND MADISON]
It might be nice, it might be nice
To have Hamilton on your side
[BURR]
Talk less!
Smile more!
Don’t let ‘em know what you’re against or what you’re for!
Shake hands with him!
Charm her!
It’s eighteen hundred, ladies, tell your husbands: vote for
Burr!
[MALE VOTER]
I don’t like Adams
[FEMALE VOTER]
Well, he’s gonna lose, that’s just defeatist
[ANOTHER MALE VOTER]
And Jefferson—
[TWO MEN]
In love with France!
[ANOTHER FEMALE VOTER]
Yeah, he’s so elitist!
[TWO WOMEN]
I like that Aaron Burr!
[A WOMAN]
I can’t believe we’re here with him!
[A MAN]
He seems approachable…?
[ANOTHER MALE VOTER]
Like you could grab a beer with him!
[ENSEMBLE]
Dear Mr. Hamilton: your fellow Fed’ralists would like to know how you’ll be voting
[HAMILTON]
It’s quiet uptown
[ENSEMBLE]
Dear Mr. Hamilton: John Adams doesn’t stand a chance, so who are you promoting?
[HAMILTON]
It’s quiet uptown
[MEN]
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
[WOMEN]
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
[EVEN MORE VOTERS]
Dear Mr. Hamilton:
John Adams doesn’t stand a chance so who are you promoting?
But if you had to choose
[MEN]
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
[WOMEN]
Jefferson or Burr?
We know it’s lose-lose
Jefferson or Burr?
But if you had to choose
[HAMILTON]
Well, if it isn’t Aaron Burr. Sir!
[BURR]
Alexander!
[HAMILTON]
You’ve created quite a stir, sir!
[BURR]
I’m going door to door!
[HAMILTON]
You’re openly campaigning?
[BURR]
Sure!
[HAMILTON]
That’s new
[BURR]
Honestly, it’s kind of draining
[HAMILTON]
Burr—
[BURR]
Look
To be the president you have to be unprecedented
[HAMILTON]
Okay I guess but take your line of reasoning and extend it
Is there anything you wouldn't do?
[BURR]
No. I’m chasing what I want
And you know what?
[HAMILTON]
What?
[BURR]
I learned that from you
[MADISON]
The votes are in
And I'll be damned
[JEFFERSON]
Well?
[MADISON]
The electoral college is a tie
Now it's up to the Federalist delegates that Hamilton has in his pocket
He could decide this election
[ENSEMBLE]
If you had to choose
If you had to choose
[HAMILTON]
Yo
I probably shouldn't be adding my voice
But the people are facing a difficult choice
And if you were to ask me who I'd prefer
Don't vote Burr
I have never agreed with Jefferson once
We've been fighting on like twenty five different fronts
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs. Burr has none
[ENSEMBLE]
Oooooooooooooh
[MADISON AND JEFFERSON]
Well, I’ll be damned
Well, I’ll be damned
[MADISON]
Hamilton’s on your side
[ENSEMBLE]
Well, I’ll be damned
Well, I’ll be damned
[JEFFERSON]
Well?
[MADISON]
You won in a landslide
[BURR]
Congrats on a race well-run
I did give you a fight
[JEFFERSON]
Uh-huh
[BURR]
I look forward to our partnership
[JEFFERSON]
Our partnership?
[BURR]
As your vice-President
[JEFFERSON]
Ha. Yeah, right
You hear this guy? Man openly campaigns against me, talkin’ bout, “I look forward to our partnership.”
[MADISON]
It is crazy that the man who comes in second gets to be Vice President
[JEFFERSON]
Yeah, you know what? We can change that. You know why?
‘cuz I’m the President