Presidential candidates are big on slogans. These slogans attempt to define their best qualities with a few words.

Barack Obama, for example, has the slogan: “Change We Can Believe In.” Nothing against him, or the fact that the only constant is change, but the only change I really can believe in is changing a dollar bill for four quarters.

John McCain’s Web site notes: “Best Prepared to Lead on Day One.” That means he’s ready to go and he hopes that will get voters ready to go for him.

The use of campaign slogans is nothing new. They have been around almost as long as the presidency. Granted, George Washington didn’t have a slogan. Why would he? No one ran against him either time. What would his slogan have been? The tagline from the old “Highlander” movies? “There can be only one.”

But they have been around for many years. Here are several real presidential campaign slogans.

William Henry Harrison had one of the first successful presidential slogans in 1840 with “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too,” referring to his military victory (Tippecanoe) and his running mate, John Tyler.

Candidate Henry Clay’s slogan asked, “Who is James K. Polk?” The answer would be the man who beat Henry Clay for the presidency.

Abraham Lincoln ran with “Vote Yourself a Farm” in 1860; of course, the nation got its Civil War instead. In 1864, Lincoln’s slogan was, “Don’t Swap a Horse in the Middle of the Stream,” referring to keeping the same leader for the ongoing Civil War.

Grover Cleveland and James Blaine infamously made each other their slogans. Cleveland’s slogan: “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, The Continental Liar from the State of Maine.” Blaine’s slogan: “Ma, Ma, Where’s My Pa, Gone to the White House, Ha, Ha, Ha.” Blaine’s slogan referred to Cleveland fathering a child out of wedlock.

William McKinley promised “A Full Dinner Pail.” Woodrow Wilson’s re-election bid boasted, “He Kept Us Out of War,” then, upon winning, he got us into World War I. Warren G. Harding simply said, “Cox and Cocktails” — I haven’t the slightest idea what that means, though he also promised a “Return to Normalcy.”

Calvin Coolidge: “Keep Cool With Coolidge.” Herbert Hoover noted, “A Chicken in Every Pot and a Car in Every Garage,” then the Great Depression hit.

“I Like Ike” referred to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s nickname and his likable personality. Barry Goldwater ran on “In Your Heart You Know He’s Right” — voters didn’t think so in 1964, but he did start the modern rightwing movement.

Jimmy Carter: “Not Just Peanuts.”

Ronald Reagan: “Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Four Years Ago?” and “It’s Morning Again in America.”

George H.W. Bush promised “A Kinder, Gentler Nation.” Bill Clinton said he’d be “Putting People First.” George W. Bush promised he’d “Leave No Child Behind,” as well as an era of “Compassionate Conservatism,” “Real Plans for Real People,” “Reformer with Results,” “Yes, America Can.”

Bet on plenty of new slogans as this year’s campaigns continue.



Dean Poling is The Valdosta Daily Times assistant managing editor.