Campaign slogans need to be memorable, but not for all the wrong reasons. Casual innuendo, deliberate threats, cheeky flirtations, and good old-fashioned apathy have all been attempted in the pursuit of political power. From presidential candidates to small-town mayors, here are 10 worth remembering.
10. "He makes things"
What makes Senator A.D. Stevens' campaign slogan so comically memorable is not just its general vagueness, which, as notes one blogger , seems like just half a sentence, leaving the mind to fill in the blanks: "He does things... horrible things..."?
No, what makes this slogan so funny is that, despite how dull and open to ridicule it is, it was copied by Saunders Norvell—just a few years later, when he ran for mayor of St. Louis. Also, unlike Republican Senator Stevens (1903–1910), Norvell was a Democrat. . So whatever "things" Stevens did, one can assume Norvell never dreamed of.
9. "It would be fair to keep Taft in his chair."
William Taft hated campaigning. He preferred to spend his time on the golf course, believing that voters he is not liked . This slogan largely sums up his position. In his apathy, he reveals not only his laziness (the desire to remain in the "chair"), but also his sense of self-worth. By offering nothing to the people, it's all about his the right to govern their compatriots.
At first glance, it's an odd choice of slogan. But the context of the 1912 election explains why anyone (whether Taft himself or someone on his campaign team) thought the slogan made sense. Taft was the incumbent president, having won in 1908 with the support of the popular Teddy Roosevelt. This time, however, Roosevelt was running against him , seeking a third term as the Progressive or Bull Moose Party candidate. Thus, the apathy of Taft's slogan reflected his chances of winning.
His doubts were well founded. Woodrow Wilson won the Democratic nomination, with Roosevelt trailing in second place. Taft, who came in third, received only 23% votes.
8. "He saved us from war"
Wilson proved popular and won a second term, in part because of this powerful slogan. His first term had been about keeping America out of World War I. According to his propagandists, he favored military preparedness and neutrality over armed conflict because he had grown up in the Civil War and saw the horrors of battles.
Naturally, his Republican opponent, Charles Hughes, was critical, but Wilson won by nearly 600,000 votes. His anti-war platform resonated with the electorate.
So what makes this a bad slogan? Five months after his reelection, Wilson led America into war, deploying American troops to distant battlefields in Europe. Supporters argue that Germany left him no choice But the move advanced his vision of a "general association of nations" that he had presented to Congress in 1918.
7. "Make your wet dreams come true"
Running as a Democrat in 1928, New York Governor Alfred E. Smith was the first Catholic presidential candidate from either of the two major parties. Needless to say, this gave his opponents, who included Ku Klux Klan , lots of ammunition to shoot. They believed that Smith was a puppet of the Pope and an enemy of religious freedom in the United States, especially Protestant, i.e., "American," freedom. They also claimed that he would annul all Protestant marriages, thereby rendering millions of good, honest American children "illegitimate."
Even more ridiculously, rumors circulated that the recently completed Holland Tunnel was intended as a secret passage between the Vatican and New York City. It was claimed that this would allow the Pope easy access to America after his favorite was elected.
But the worst thing is that, in addition to his Catholicism, his anti-Prohibition (i.e., "wet") stance was tied to Irish stereotypes — drunks in gutters and all. As governor of New York, he had already legalized light beer in the city's licensed establishments and later decriminalized liquor, so voters knew he meant business. After all, it wasn't because of this unfortunate slogan that he lost to Klan favorite Herbert Hoover. And yes, Then it meant the same as it does today.
6. "One More Rise"
British politician Jeremy Thorpe had big ambitions. As an Oxford student, he was elected president of the Liberal Club, the Law Society and the Oxford Union. However, even then there were accusations of vote rigging .
Nevertheless, he enjoyed sympathy. during the election campaign — was known for his progressive views and wore a brown derby hat inspired by New York Governor Alfred E. Smith. His 1974 slogan "One more lift" hints at a collective effort. But since this was his run for prime minister, it could also be seen as a personal mantra - one more step towards the top job at Westminster.
Unfortunately, however, it also involves vomiting. Given Thorpe’s connection to the attempted murder of an alleged gay lover named Norman Scott, and the actual murder of Scott’s pet dog, this takes on a darker connotation. Presumably, Thorpe, who was openly (privately) gay, wanted to silence Scott to remove any obstacles to his rise to power. Instead, the scandal ended his career and ruined his reputation.
5. "We poled you in '44, we'll pierce you in '52"
Have you ever wondered if the electorate like , when they are pushed around? Poked, pierced, lied incessantly? This slogan is a telling example.
Beginning in 1852, "Polked" refers to James Polk's victory in the 1844 presidential election. As a relatively unknown candidate, a Democrat's victory over Henry Clay was considered unlikely. Consequently, when the same doubts surrounded the lack of name recognition for Franklin Pierce in 1852, the slogan connected him with the Regiment It worked; the former New Hampshire senator defeated his Whig opponent and became the 14th president of the United States.
As for the violent language, it wasn't a threat or a sexual innuendo. The only people Polk and Pierce poked and prodded in the office (at least according to the history books) were Mexicans. during the Mexican War .
4. "It can't get any worse"
In 2010, former circus clown Everardo Oliveira, also known as Tiririka (Grumpy), was elected federal deputy for São Paulo with an overwhelming majority of 1.3 million votes. He was by far the most popular candidate in an election characterized by irreverence and famous candidates. Also elected to official positions in the government were 1994 World Cup football players Romario and Bebeto. Apparently, Brazilians are tired of career politicians and professional lies.
Grumpy's campaign was fairly populist, with comedic viral YouTube ads. In one, he asked, "What is the federal MP? I really don't know. But vote for me, and I'll find out for you." He was serious; Grumpy had joined the circus as a poor eight-year-old and knew little about national politics. In fact, after his victory, the newspapers said he can neither read nor write , which forced him to prove his literacy in order to keep his job.
After all, it was he who rejected the institution. After serving two terms after being re-elected in 2014, he declined to run again , saying he had lost respect for politics. According to Grumpy, only eight of the 513 members of Congress who were paid to sit in the lower house regularly did so. “I’m one of those eight,” he added sadly, “and I’m a circus clown.”
3. "Two Big Arguments"
In 2011, Sole Sánchez Mohamed made international news with her slogan and accompanying photograph, in which she posed topless with a man covering her nipples. In essence, the platform she was operating on – her “two big arguments” – were her breasts. She believed that this had won her the mayoralty of Ciutadella in Minorca. As part of her campaign, she also appeared in a local magazine wearing only her underwear, looking submissive.
Needless to say, she had plenty of critics. Rival party Esquerra de Menorca said Sánchez Mohamed’s campaign was sexist and exploitative. In a complaint they filed with the Institut de la Dona (Women’s Institute), they claimed it was “an insult to the dignity of women and the population as a whole.”
The future mayor's response was dismissive. Channeling Donald Trump, she said: "There is no one else feminist than I am. People are free to express themselves however they want, and I use my breasts and my body however I want."
"If they can only watch," she added, it's their problem. "
2. "I am not a witch, I am you"
While running for the Delaware Senate, Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell took the opportunity to address revelations that she dabbled in witchcraft, a big no-no among her right-wing religious voters "I'm not a witch," she said. in his campaign video, before immediately questioning that assertion with the supernatural addendum, “I am you.” She was just dabbling; she never joined a coven; she was always clear about that. And while one of her “first dates with a witch was on a Satanic altar… a little blood there and stuff,” she was definitely not a witch.
The bizarre video itself was almost a parody, but that didn't stop Saturday Night Live from making fun of it. "I'm nothing like what you heard," she said. Kristen Wiig as O'Donnell , "I am you. And like you, I have to constantly deny that I am a witch." In a nod to the retrospective politics of the right-wing Tea Party, Wiig added, "Delaware hasn't had a candidate like this since 1692."
1. "He killed my mom, he killed my dad, but I'm going to vote for him."
War criminal Charles Taylor was convicted in 2010 of helping to found the Revolutionary United Front, a guerrilla army in Sierra Leone known for cutting off people’s limbs. Taylor also invaded his own country, Liberia, in 1989 to overthrow despot Samuel Doe. The conflict lasted seven years and left an estimated 200,000 civilians dead, many of whom were taken by Taylor’s child soldiers.
In 1997, after the ceasefire, the United States encouraged Taylor to run for office as a legitimate path to the presidency. Among his biggest supporters were children, chanting, "He killed my mom, he killed my dad, but I will vote for him. But in reality, most voters were afraid. They were also exhausted and could not bear to continue the war. Another of his slogans, “Better the devil you know,” speaks volumes about how Taylor was perceived. According to John Lee Anderson of The New Yorker , Liberians seemed to see him as " a kind of Nosferatu , which must be appeased." He even thought that he kept a bucket of human blood next to his bed, which he renewed every day.
He won with 75% votes. And of course there was another civil war, with more people killed. Taylor was finally ousted in 2003.
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