 Rove , while an advisor to Texas Governor George W. Bush during the 2000 election campaign , often spoke of the parallels he saw between McKinley and his 1896 campaign , and the 2000 election , going so far as to fax copies of books on McKinley . The media took the parallels further than Rove intended , making comparisons between him and Hanna , hinting that Rove controlled Bush like it was said Hanna controlled McKinley . Williams also saw the lasting effect of McKinley 's 1896 campaign , " a new approach to campaigning , the educational or merchandising style , continues to mold campaigns today , as does McKinley 's focus on message , Hanna 's use of money , and Dawes 's reliance on efficiency and education ... more than a century later , Americans and their political leaders can still learn from the events of the 1890s , whose lessons echo down the years today . " 
