Better a Third Termer Than a Third Rater

FDR supporters tended to use catchphrases only to mock those of the Willkie campaign, as in “Better a Third Termer than a Third Rater.” Given that Franklin Delano Roosevelt ran for president—and won—four times, he had his fair share of campaign slogans, but official (like “Happy Days Are Here Again”) and unofficial. One of the catchiest slogans to appear on a campaign button came during the 1940 election, and read: “Better a Third Termer Than a Third Rater.”

This wasn’t the work of a politically savvy wordsmith: it was actually a statement made by Senator Henry Ashurst, a Democrat from Arizona regarding his feelings on voting for the Republican candidate, Wendell Willkie, in the presidential election. Though Ashurst and FDR were from the same party, the senator previously backed a proposed constitutional amendment which would limit presidents to serving one six-year term. Even though being reelected in 1940 would put Roosevelt in his third term, Ashurst uttered the words that became a campaign slogan when faced with the political alternative.

Some information about Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

• Born: January 30, 1882, Hyde Park, New York State, USA
• Date of death: April 12, 1945
• 32nd President of the United States of America