White button with red outlined text and blue text. 

In the 1980 presidential election, Ted Kennedy ran the last presidential campaign by a Kennedy, following Robert Kennedy's campaign in 1968 and John F. Kennedy's election in 1960. Kennedy was opposing the incumbent candidate Jimmy Carter, who suffered from a low approval rating entering into the race. Kennedy's campaign benefited from Carter's unpopularity, but lacked organization and a cohesive platform, eventually leading to his concession from the race in August of 1980. However, Kennedy successfully carried several states leading up to the Democratic Primary, demonstrating the lack of confidence in Carter from the Democratic Party that foreshadowed his eventually defeat in a landslide to Ronald Reagan. Despite his ultimately unsuccessful candidacy, Kennedy's concession speech entitled, "The Dream Shall Never Die," is considered to be one of the highlights of his career and a defining moment for the modern Democratic Party.

Black button with gold writing and gold stars and stripes. 

Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole was a Republican Congressman from Kansas 1961 to 1969 and senator from 1969 to 1996. While he was a Senator, Dole set the record as the longest-serving Republican leader and is known for passing legislation to make food stamps more available. He ran for vice presidential nominee in the 1976 election and entered the 1996 U.S. Presidential election; however, he did not win the election in either race. This token is from one of Dole’s many elections for public office.

White text on a blue background.

9/1/17 - you can delete this note after research is done --> Possible connection to song by David Johansen? Joel thinks the button may be older than 1970s though.
 

White text on a dark blue background

George Wallace, then governor of Alabama, was an independent candidate for the presidency in 1968. Wallace, running on a pro-segregation platform, won several deep south states in the election, but ultimately lost to Richard Nixon. 

Wallace's strategy in the campaign had been to throw the election to the U.S. House of Representatives - the result when no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral college votes - and then use his clout to negotiate his way to a win. Wallace's campaign embraced the idea that neither of the major parties successfully represented most Americans. The slogan "Win with Wallace" reflects that notion of discontent.

Blue text on a white background with an outer red edge

William Howard Taft was the only person to serve both as President of the United States (27^th) and as a Supreme Court Justice. Taft graduated from Yale Law School and was appointed a Federal Circuit Judge at the age of 34. He then held posts as Chief Civil Administrator of the Philippines and Secretary of War. President Theodore Roosevelt encouraged Taft to run as his successor and in 1908, he was nominated by the Republican Convention. Taft won the election but almost immediately ran into conflict with the new Progressive wing of the party. 

Taft’s administration saw the establishment of a Postal Savings System, an Interstate Commerce Commission and the initiation of 80 antitrust suits.  In the 1912 election, Roosevelt chose to support the Progressive candidate, Woodrow Wilson, which assured his election. Taft was later appointed to the Supreme Court by President Harding and served in that capacity until shortly before his death in 1930. Taft, who never felt comfortable in political life wrote, "I don't remember that I ever was President."

Illustration of a brown bear wearing glasses and holding an illustration of a map of the United States with white text and blue text above on a white background

"Uncle Ted" refers to Edward "Ted" Kennedy, who was a lawyer and senator from Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy ran on the Democratic ticket for President of the United States in 1980, but lost the primary to Jimmy Carter. His beliefs were highly progressive. He was pro-choice, a supporter of gun control, and he favored alternative energy to preserve the environment.

A red button with a blue rim and white text. In the center is an image of a white elephant with its feet tied up with a ball and chain standing atop a football. 

During the 1968 Presidential Election, Kleenex tissues issued numerous reproductions of popular political buttons from past elections as promotional items in their tissue boxes. The 1904 Presidential election pitted Republican incumbent Theodore Roosevelt against Democratic nominees Judge Alton B. Parker and his running mate, former West Virginia Senator Henry Davis, who at 80 was the oldest candidate ever nominated for national office.  Roosevelt defeated Parker in a landslide victory with two-thirds of the electoral votes.

An elephant has been the symbol of the Republican Party since 1874 when political cartoonist Thomas Nast depicted an elephant to represent the Republican vote in Harper's Weekly.  A white elephant symbolizes something that is more of a burden to its owner than it is worth.  The elephant appears shackled by “protection” and a ball and chain of “trusts” representing the GOP claim that their protectionist policies were prosperous for the country.  Parker and Davis’ platform pushed to end Roosevelt’s contracts with companies violating antitrust laws. 

Colored photographs of two men's head and shoulders with red text above and black text on a yellow banner along the bottom edge

During the presidential election of 1952, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, also known as "Ike," ran against Democrat Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson suffered a crushing defeat by Eisenhower, who went on to become the 34th President of the United States after having served as a five star general for the United States Army during World War II. California Senator Richard Nixon served as his Vice President.

During his two terms in office from 1953-1961, Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, brought down the communist paranoia spread by Joseph McCarthy, created the Interstate Highway System, and brought America into the great Space Race against the Soviets. His presidency is often times characterized as a time of economic prosperity for the United States.

Black and white photograph of three astronauts in spacesuits without helmets on white background between a blue and white image of Earth on the left, and a blue and white image of the moon on the right.  White text on a red top edge and blue bottom edge, with the name of the mission in blue above the astronauts, and their names and the date in red below.

On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched from Kennedy Space Center.  During the course of the ship’s flight, the crew transmitted three televised broadcasts showing the ship’s interior and the surface of the moon.  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin boarded the lunar module (Eagle) and disengaged from the spacecraft (Columbia) on July 20th.  Michael Collins remained on the Columbia.  The Eagle landed on the Sea of Tranquility at 4:18 p.m. EDT.  After Aldrin and Armstrong prepared the module and systems,  Armstrong left the Eagle at 10:56 p.m., uttering the phrase, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  Aldrin and Armstrong  collected samples from the moon and walked approximately 3.300 feet during their 2.5 hours of exploration.  After spending 21.5 hours on the moon, the Eagle rejoined the Columbia, and the craft and crew began the journey home.

Blue and red text on a white background with blue stars and an illustration of a flag

The 1976 Republican National Convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri. On Monday morning at the start of the convention, a 55-foot tall inflatable elephant meant to welcome the delegates sprung loose and made its way into downtown Kansas City where it was ripped apart by nearby nylon wiring.

The main opponents of the convention were Ronald Reagan and incumbent President Gerald Ford. The Iowa delegation consisted of 36 participants, and cast their vote for Ford. After much debate and wooing of delegates by both parties, the final vote was 1,187 for Ford, 1,070 for Reagan, one vote from the New York delegation for Commerce Secretary Elliot L. Richardson and one abstention.