Red ring on outer edge, blue text on white background, blue star outlines and black-and-white photograph of Barry Goldwater in center. 

Barry Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–65, 1969–87). He unsuccessfully ran in the 1964 presidential election against incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson, who took over after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Johnson was still positively associated with Kennedy's popularity and won 61.1% of the popular vote, the highest margin since 1820. Although he was raised Episcopalian, Goldwater was the first candidate with Jewish heritage (his father was Jewish) to be nominated for President by a major political party. 

Blue illustration of a man in shorts and tank top running with red text above on a white background

This button is most likely from Ted Kennedy's unsuccessful presidential run in 1980. Edward (Ted) Kennedy was the youngest of the nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. When his older brother John Kennedy was elected to the presidency in 1960, Ted won the special election to fill his brother’s seat as one of the U.S. senators from Massachusetts. Ted would go on to serve as a U.S. senator from Massachusetts from 1962-2009.

His one and only bid for the presidency took place in 1980. Although Kennedy had been asked to run before, an accident he was involved in on July 18, 1969 on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts cast shadows on his ability to adequately represent the nation’s constituents morally. Regardless, then President Carter’s approval ratings were low and the Kennedy family felt that they had a chance to win the Democratic Party nomination. Early polls showed Kennedy ahead but Carter’s approval ratings improved upon his calm handling of the hostage situation at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Although Carter’s overall approval was diminished because he was not able to get the hostages released, Kennedy contributed to his own downfall. In an interview with CBS reporter Roger Mudd, Kennedy was unable to provide a definitive answer as to why he was running for the presidency. While he won major primaries in the states of New Jersey and California, Ted Kennedy was unable to win enough votes to secure the nomination.

Black and white photograph in teh center of the button with red above and blue below with white text

When incumbent President Jimmy Carter's approval ratings were very low at the end of his first term in 1980, some members of the Democratic Party considered it necessary to challenge him during the primary elections. Massachusetts Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy decided to finally make a run for the presidency, following his brothers John and Robert. 

The 1980 Democratic National Convention, held in August at Madison Square Garden, was notable for the rivalry between Carter and Kennedy. Although Carter had maintained a substantial lead throughout the primary elections, Kennedy refused to drop out of the race. At the convention, Kennedy attempted to have delegates released from their obligation to vote for Carter, but was unsuccessful. Carter went on to lose in the general election to the Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan. 

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.