国立アメリカ歴史博物館さんのインスタグラム写真 - (国立アメリカ歴史博物館Instagram)「This piece of paper—page 1 of a 50-page speech—helped save Theodore Roosevelt’s life. Theodore Roosevelt had been president for almost 8 years (3 ½ years following the assassination of William McKinley and a full term of his own), when he chose not to run for re-election in 1908. 2 terms, however, would prove insufficient for his political ambitions. Roosevelt became disillusioned with his handpicked successor, President William Howard Taft, and tried to seize the 1912 Republican nomination from the incumbent. When his efforts failed, Roosevelt took his ambition and a nickname he had used for years to a new party, the Progressive Party. Asked if he was healthy enough to run for office as an independent, Roosevelt responded that he was “fit as a bull moose” and the name stuck. Images of a moose appeared on numerous campaign items, and Roosevelt frequently used it in campaign speeches. Roosevelt's most memorable “Bull Moose” reference was an impromptu one. On October 14, 1912, he was shot at a campaign appearance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bullet was blocked by his heavy coat, metal eyeglasses case, and his folded 50-page speech. After a brief examination revealed that the wound was not life threatening, Roosevelt insisted on returning to the stage where he started with a new introduction: “Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot—but it. takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” He added “the bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best.” His “best” extended to *90 minutes*. Roosevelt lost the 1912 election to Woodrow Wilson but the Bull Moose Party stunned the Republican establishment by finishing 2nd with over 27% of the popular vote and 88 electoral votes. (Taft became the only sitting president to finish 3rd in a re-election bid). Interested in learning how you can vote in your home state or territory? Follow the link in our bio to visit @usagov's website and find resources that can help: usa.gov/voting #VoteHistory #AmericanHistory #CampaignHistory #ElectionHistory #PresidentialHistory #AmericanDemocracy」10月28日 4時47分