Sunday, October 30, 2016

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Theodore Roosevelt's charisma carried the day in 1904


With the national dumpster fire burning even more brightly, let's head to Theodore Roosevelt for our campaign collectibles from a calmer time feature.

TR, having reached the presidency upon the death of William McKinley, was seeking a term of his own in 1904.

The Democrats nominated another New Yorker, Alton B. Parker, the respected chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals.

Parker's running mate was West Virginia Sen. Henry Davis. He was 80 -- yup -- and remains the most senior major-party candidate nominated for national office.

Parker and Roosevelt actually held very similar views. The biggest difference was that TR was highly charismatic and Parker, well, was not. 

Roosevelt won in an historic landslide. Bully!

I'm thrilled to have three Roosevelt pins from the campaign, including two with Charles Fairbanks, TR's running mate. And the Parker-Davis pin was a sweet find, too!

No comments: