His earlier presidential campaigns may have been more famous and successful but Howdy Doody also ran for President of All Kids in 1972 on a platform that included “easy-off snowsuits” and “allowances that are in line with minimum wage laws.” Here’s a pamphlet explaining the campaign:
1972 Howdy Doody President of All Kids Pamphlet
And here are two Howdy Doody for President campaign pins:
1972 Howdy Doody President of All Kids Pins
I wonder how many kids today even know who Howdy Doody is?
Howdy did campaign for “President Of All Kids Of the United States” in 1948- in fact, it was during this period that Frank Paris, Howdy’s original puppeteer during the first few months of the show, walked away (with the original “Howdy”) after an ownership dispute because of the amount of mail received after a promotion for a free “Howdy Doody For President” campaign button [over 10,000 requests were received, more initially than the buttons on hand!]. Howdy got a new puppeteer, and “makeover” in the spring of ’48 into the puppet we know and love [and on the button above], and “won” the election. And he did it again, in 1952. Around 1971, there was a Howdy “revival”, with “Buffalo Bob” Smith touring college campuses with a live “one man” show (sometimes with “Clarabell” {Lew Anderson}), and RCA reissued several of Howdy’s ’50s recordings on an LP. The now-defunct “Howdy Beef n’ burger” chain, with permission from NBC, decided to capitalize on Howdy’s resurgence by offering him as a candidate for President in ’72. I’d like to think he won, but Richard Nixon was known for doing “unsavory” things to hold HIS seat in office- and anyone else who tried to “muscle in on his territory”- even as “President Of All Kids”….
Howdy Doody was right when he stated how politicans should be more like kids in respect that kids are better at forgiving and forgetting, keeping life simple and enjoying life itself.
Howdy’s platform issues in 1948 and in 1972 would be resoundingly cheered by my 2 year-old grandson, if only he could read. I’m partial to Howdy’s two Christmases pledge. If it resurfaced in 2020 it would probably win the day. A jump ball Trump vs Warren!
Howdy Redux!