Congress in the Archives will feature monthly staff posts on our blog. Today’s post comes from Jessie Kratz. The 1912 presidential election was a three-way contest among former President Theodore Roosevelt for the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson for the Democratic Party, and incumbent President William Howard Taft for the Republican Party. As the election neared, Taft, who had given no major campaign speeches in the months leading up to the election, was living up to the moniker that Roosevelt had given him in September - “a dead cock in the pit.” Despite his lackluster campaign performance, Taft’s campaign managers continued to argue that he was still a contender in the race. They even announced a prediction for the election outcome: Taft would win with 280 electoral votes. In this cartoon, published just weeks before Election Day in the Washington Evening Star, the Democratic donkey and the Bull Moose are shown laughing hysterically. In the general election, held on November 5, 1912, Taft gained a mere eight electoral votes compared with Roosevelt, who gained 88 and Wilson—the winner—who gained 435. G.O.P Bulletin by Clifford Berryman, Washington Evening Star, 10/18/1912, U.S. Senate Collection (ARC 6040976)
Pop-upView Separately

Congress in the Archives will feature monthly staff posts on our blog. Today’s post comes from Jessie Kratz.

The 1912 presidential election was a three-way contest among former President Theodore Roosevelt for the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson for the Democratic Party, and incumbent President William Howard Taft for the Republican Party. As the election neared, Taft, who had given no major campaign speeches in the months leading up to the election, was living up to the moniker that Roosevelt had given him in September - “a dead cock in the pit.” Despite his lackluster campaign performance, Taft’s campaign managers continued to argue that he was still a contender in the race. They even announced a prediction for the election outcome: Taft would win with 280 electoral votes. In this cartoon, published just weeks before Election Day in the Washington Evening Star, the Democratic donkey and the Bull Moose are shown laughing hysterically. In the general election, held on November 5, 1912, Taft gained a mere eight electoral votes compared with Roosevelt, who gained 88 and Wilson—the winner—who gained 435.

G.O.P Bulletin by Clifford Berryman, Washington Evening Star, 10/18/1912, U.S. Senate Collection (ARC 6040976)

100 Notes/ Hide

  1. 20thcenturypix reblogged this from todaysdocument and added:
    1912
  2. hairtrending reblogged this from think4yourself
  3. think4yourself reblogged this from seriouslyamerica
  4. mickeymousehasgrownupaclown reblogged this from seriouslyamerica
  5. seriouslyamerica reblogged this from anothernerdfighterinthetardis and added:
    BULL MOOSE PARTY WHATTUP
  6. roxygen reblogged this from todaysdocument
  7. fingersofgod reblogged this from todaysdocument
  8. welcoming-war reblogged this from todaysdocument
  9. monhaw04 reblogged this from ourpresidents
  10. silas216 reblogged this from todaysdocument
  11. randywied reblogged this from ourpresidents
  12. pitachipheaven reblogged this from ourpresidents
  13. hula121 reblogged this from ourpresidents
  14. boetz reblogged this from todaysdocument
  15. turker7612 reblogged this from ourpresidents
  16. hypercubic reblogged this from ourpresidents
  17. andvaristreasure reblogged this from todaysdocument
  18. anothernerdfighterinthetardis reblogged this from ourpresidents
  19. thomasmesselis reblogged this from ourpresidents
  20. mommalikey reblogged this from ourpresidents
  21. maddnessisbliss reblogged this from ourpresidents