Buttoned Up: An election-eve political potpourri

This pin's not exactly a case of truth in advertising. 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... Today, a...

By Michael Roberts

November 3, 2008

Audio By Carbonatix

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This pin's not exactly a case of truth in advertising.

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...

Today, a bonus: not just a look at the rare political button that was wrong two elections in a row (Democrat Adlai Stevenson lost to Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956), but, after the jump, nine others dating from the 1910s to 2008. Take a gander. -- Michael Roberts

ERA Yes: That's "Equal Rights Amendment," not "Earned Run Average."

Speaking of acronyms, there's a good chance the "NOW!" on this button touting 1984 vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro refers to the National Organization of Women.

The button still adored by the Hillary Clinton faithful.

The Pat in question is Pat Nixon, not that creepily ambi-sexual Saturday Night Live character...

Lucey? Oh Lucey? It's 1980 third-party presidential candidate John Anderson and his running mate, Patrick Lucey -- who was never married to Desi Arnaz.

Woodrow Wilson's slogans sound shockingly like those of John McCain.

Kennedy? In 1980? Oh -- Ted Kennedy...

If only John Edwards had been in office when his sex scandal broke...

Is it just me -- or on this button, does Franklin Roosevelt really seem to be wearing the U.S. Capitol as a hat?

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.

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