I get bad vibes when a military officer presents himself as an alternative to the status quo. He was part of that system. He embraced its core structures of power. He is also versed in the tactics of coercion, not consent. It creates a false dichotomy between that status quo and the vague promises of a would-be usurper.

Yes, I know the same could have been said of Washington, and it was right to be suspicious of his motivations, too. His military tactics were unwise, and his political tenure was marred by the Whiskey Rebellion and other violations of the principles people under him had fought to uphold.