Slick Rick Nixon: Woodrow Wilson- The Third Party Speech, 1912

Source:Slick Rick Nixon- Woodrow Wilson, for President in 1912.

Source:The Daily View

"This is a speech from Democrat Governor (future president) Woodrow Wilson along the campaign trail in 1912. Woodrow Wilson talks about the new Progressive Party, criticizing Theodore Roosevelt and his methods of supporting the small business man. This is the AUDIO RESTORED version, so most of the static is totally gone and it should be pretty easy to hear.

Fun Fact: T. Woodrow Wilson served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910 and was Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913. As President, he led the United States through World War I and sought the creation of a League of Nations.

For historical authenticity, here is the original: Historical Voices."

Source: Slide Player- Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party 

On domestic policy and perhaps even foreign policy, Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, were very similar. They were both Progressives ( in the classic and real sense ) but Teddy Roosevelt wanted to be President again after declining not to run for reelection in 1908 and perhaps not regretting that and after not getting the Republican nomination for President in 1912 created the Progressive Party and ran third-party for President in 1912.

Source: Slide Player- Progressive Democratic Party?

Woodrow Wilson was a Democrat and back in 1912 the Democratic Party wasn’t seen and wasn’t a progressive party. A party that was dominated by right-wing Southerners who were basically Neo-Confederates and Nationalists. Wilson wasn’t those things, but he was to the right of Teddy Roosevelt. And in the Republican Party you had a conservative party led by President William H. Taft.

So in 1912 America was still a fairly conservative country, but there was an opening on the Left and perhaps even Far-Left with Eugene Debbs and his Socialist Party to take on the Conservative Republicans led by President Taft, with the Wilson progressive wing in the Democratic Party and the Roosevelt progressive wing in the Republican fleeing to the Progressive Party. Leaving President Taft without enough voters to get reelected.

I don’t see how Woodrow Wilson becomes President of the United States in 1912 or in the distant future if it’s just Democrats vs Republicans. Because the Republican Party had the Conservatives and the Progressives and the Democratic Party was a Dixie party controlled by Southern Neo-Confederates. Which is one thing that makes the 1912 presidential election so interesting and such a great election, because it really was liberal democracy with so much choice for American voters to choose from for President. A real Conservative in William Taft. A real Progressive in Theodore Roosevelt. And a moderate Progressive in Woodrow Wilson. As well as a hard-core Socialist in Eugene Debbs.