Campaign Slogans and Symbols
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Presidential candidates use catchy slogans and recognizable symbols to appeal to voters and gain support during election years. Slogans and symbols sum up a candidate’s point of view and serve as a rallying cry for supporters.
Bryan-Sewall Campaign Button, 1896
William Howard Taft Campaign Button, 1908
"Keep Coolidge" Hood Ornament, 1924
Franklin D. Roosevelt Campaign Button, 1936
Franklin Delano Roosevelt won an unprecedented four presidential elections. Elected in 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression, Roosevelt served until his death in 1945 near the end of World War Two. This slogan, from the 1936 election, focused on the portrayal of FDR as a “gallant” national leader who had saved the country from economic collapse.
View Artifact"I Like Ike" Cigarette Package, 1952
Barry Goldwater Campaign Button, 1964
Richard M. Nixon Campaign Button, 1968
Hubert Humphrey Campaign Button, 1968
Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the contentious 1968 Democratic Party presidential nomination. Humphrey entered the campaign only after the surprising withdrawal of President Lyndon Johnson from the race. The candidate’s repeating initials “HHH”--for Hubert Horatio Humphrey--were used in many campaign pieces. His initials alone were so catchy and understood that they needed no more explanation.
View Artifact1972 Presidential Campaign Giveaway Antenna Flag, "Nixon Now"
Gerald Ford Campaign Button, 1976
Bush-Cheney "Let's Win This One for the Gipper!" Campaign Button, 2004
President Ronald Reagan's political legacy looms large, especially among Republican presidential candidates. In June 2004, the former President passed away. President George W. Bush, in a heated reelection battle against Democratic Senator John Kerry, used the Reagan legacy to solidify Republican support. This slogan -- referencing Reagan's popular nickname taken from one of the actor-turned-politician's film roles (George Gipp in Knute...
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