Campaign Slogans

In 1840, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler ran ran for the presidency and vice presidency of the United States against Martin Van Buren. Now Van Buren was a decent president, an experienced politician and leader, but he lost after one term. So what? Bear with me. William Harrison was a poor leader, ex-army officer with a rather dubious past and John Tyler was a British citizen at a time when the US was still sparring with Britain, like we are with Russia today.

Van Buren was the clear choice; he was the incumbent, had the credentials had service as NY governor, secretary of state and the one term as president. Harrison had only one distinction; he won the battle of Tippecanoe over the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. And that pushed the Shawnee into alliance with the British.

So how did Harrison win? After the battle with the Shawnee, Harrison acquired the nickname “Tippecanoe” and when the campaign slogan became “Tippecanoe and Tyler too!” That was simple, easy to say and memorable. It was manly. The Harrison supporters also tagged Van Buren as “Van Ruin!” The slogan made the difference!

In 1956 Eisenhower ran against Adlai Stevenson. Eisenhower was a popular incumbent, but his health was poor. He had just had a major heart attack in 55 and in 56 he had major surgery for Ileitis. Stevenson was an accomplished diplomat, politician, intellectual, ex-governor and eloquent public speaker. He seemed likely to win the election, but while highly qualified, he lost the election. Why? Again the slogan, “All the way with Adlai” was not a bad slogan, but it sounded like something girls would ask at a pajama party, (did you go all the way with Adlai?) but Eisenhower's slogan “I like Ike!” was manly and it made the difference.

In 2016, Trump, the most unqualified presidential candidate ever defeated Hillary Clinton, perhaps one of the better qualified candidates ever. The difference was again the slogan. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” was catchy and it stuck like glue, it was manly. Hillary’s “Stronger Together” simply did not make the grade, again too feminine. A great slogan would have put her over the top. I think something like this may have got her elected.

Hill a ry is the one for me.

She’ll be the best president you’ll ever see.

Hill a ry is the candidate for you and for me.

I could be wrong; I have been wrong before.