Buttoned Up: The Willkies are coming

You can unpack now, Eleanor. Editor's note: To get you in the mood for ballot-casting, The Latest Word is kicking off each weekday between now and the November 4 election with Buttoned Up, a look at political buttons from my family's extensive collection... Lawyer and utility executive Wendell Wilkie didn't...

By Michael Roberts

October 22, 2008

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You can unpack now, Eleanor.

Editor's note: To get you in the mood for ballot-casting, The Latest Word is kicking off each weekday between now and the November 4 election with Buttoned Up, a look at political buttons from my family's extensive collection...

Lawyer and utility executive Wendell Wilkie didn't really have a realistic shot of unseating President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election -- but you've gotta love that optimism! When Willkie died in 1944, Roosevelt's wife, Eleanor (the one who was supposed to start packing), eulogized him by declaring, "Americans tend to forget the names of the men who lost their bid for the presidency. Willkie proved the exception to this rule."

But not for long. -- Michael Roberts

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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