Campaign Slogans and Fliers
"I like Ike." "All the Way with LBJ." "Re-elect the President." Presidential election campaign slogans often linger in our memories like the jingles of television commercials, even though the candidates, especially the vice presidential aspirants, are long forgotten.
The 1944 election flier seen here documents a most unusual presidential campaign. This campaign was unique because Franklin Roosevelt was running for an unprecedented fourth term as president and because the electorate was engaged in supporting and fighting a second World War. Despite these unusual conditions, the party nominating conventions, campaign speech-making, and subsequent election proceeded as usual. In the summer of 1944, Roosevelt and his running mate, Missouri Senator Harry S Truman, squared off against Republicans Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York, and John W. Bricker, former Governor of Ohio.
The rancorous Democratic nomination of Roosevelt for President in 1940 had broken the tradition of a two-term presidency. Roosevelt’s renomination in 1944 caused no such rancor; the nation was coping with the international crisis. Roosevelt accepted his renomination, declaring that if elected he would serve as "Commander in Chief to us all." In November, Roosevelt defeated Dewey by a margin of 333 electoral votes. His election and that of a Democratic Congress reflected the nation’s confidence in Roosevelt’s wartime leadership. Roosevelt’s death in April 1945, less than three months after his fourth inauguration, cut short the longest presidential tenure in U.S. history.
Roosevelt’s 12 years as President, coupled with the pressures of war, swung the balance of power toward the executive branch. With Roosevelt’s death, Congress sought to reassert its authority. One aspect of this effort was the introduction of a constitutional amendment to limit the presidency to two terms. Despite much congressional debate, including accusations that the amendment only represented Republican anti-Roosevelt sentiment, the amendment passed Congress and was subsequently ratified by three-fourths of the states by February, 1951.
The flier is found in the Campaign Literature Collection, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.
Teaching Activities
1. Discuss with students the meaning of the following elements of the campaign flier: "The man who fights for human rights," "Win the war/Win the peace," "Just another American," and "Roosevelt saved America in 1933." Ask students to consider why these elements would be included in such a flier.
2. In class, develop a list of presidential campaign slogans that have been used over the years (e.g., "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too"; "Keep Cool with Coolidge"; and "Fritz and Grits in ’76"). Compare and contrast these slogans with the images of Roosevelt represented in the flier.
3. The flier attaches many apparently desirable character traits to the candidate. Direct students to review the flier and develop a list of these characteristics. Which are desirable in a candidate? Which are necessary to a good president? Discuss thestatement: "The qualities that make a good candidate may make a poor or inadequate president." How has campaigning by television accentuated the differences between a good candidate and a good president?
Click the image to view a larger version
4. Campaign literature often includes photographs of the candidate. Direct students to compare the photograph of Roosevelt on the flier with others in their textbook. Suggest that students look at other photographs of Roosevelt taken at the time of the campaign. How do they compare? What accounts for the differences? (N.B.: In 1921, FDR was stricken with infantile paralysis. Upon his election as President, the press refrained from publishing photographs that revealed the extent of the President’s disability. As a result of this practice, some citizens were unaware that FDR could not walk unaided.)
5. The 1940 and 1944 presidential campaigns were unique in U.S. history. Direct students to research the candidates and issues for each campaign and to write a summary of each election.
6. Discuss with students the advantages and disadvantages of a two-term presidency. Ask them to consider carefully how being at war might affect their opinions.
7. Ask students to imagine that they are presidential candidates and to design campaign fliers like the Roosevelt flier, using their own names as the centerpiece.