Don't Change Horses Midstream

Contrary to the title of this post, this week’s post will be slightly different from the previous weeks. The previous entries have been focused on the initial election campaign for the candidate (with the exception of “I Still Like Ike,” as that was a shortened post and I don’t count it), while this week will be looking at a reelection slogan that has been used twice. The reason for the change is I felt like including Abraham Lincoln in this blog before I continued on to more recent presidents. Additionally, while I was looking for blog topics, I noticed that this slogan shows up twice in the presidential races; both times during massive wars. For those who do not like the change, the single president, single campaign format will be back next post; I’m merely looking at another horse midstream.

Lincoln and Johnson, Election of 1864 (courtesy of Wikimedia)

During the election of 1864, there was a war going on. The Civil War had seen some of its bloodiest months and an end was nowhere in sight. Through it all, President Abraham Lincoln was trying to reunite the country without slavery; however, if he was not reelected, the “Peace Democrats” would have gone for peace at any cost, resolving none of the issues that started the war. It was integral that Lincoln oversaw what he started and this was reflected in his slogan.

“Don’t change horses in midstream” is an old expression that fit Lincoln’s campaign perfectly. The saying refers to crossing a river on horseback. To cross with only one horse is a challenge in itself, but to cross with multiple horses is an even more difficult feat. It would be an absurd to try to switch which horse you are riding. If you did, you would risk losing your horses and possibly yourself. This led to the practical meaning of “don’t change your mind about your path halfway through the project or everything may be lost.”

This was the message that Lincoln was trying to convey to the voters. Although many were desperate for peace, they allowed him another term which was cut short by John Wilkes Booth. The shift in leadership following Lincoln’s assassination shows a glimpse of what it was like to “change horses in midstream” in regards to the Reconstruction efforts. The peaceful re-assimilation and smooth transition back to normality that Lincoln had foreseen became a harsh military reconstruction.

Roosevelt and Truman, Election of 1944 (courtesy of Wikimedia)

The next time the slogan* showed up was during World War II for the third reelection campaign (1944) of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Here we find a great amount of similarities to Lincoln’s situation. The nation is at war and the casualties are rising. President Roosevelt has seen the war through from the start and insists he be allowed to finish it. However, Roosevelt’s untimely death caused by his failing health ushered in Harry Truman as president. The war may have ended without the bombing of Japan.

At a time when the nation needs strong leadership, there are often great people to take the lead. In the cases of Lincoln and Roosevelt, they often need more time to achieve the desired goal. As a result, these presidents utilized a common idiom to convey to voters that allowing them to finish what they started is the wisest decision.While this slogan isn't particularly catchy or emblazoned on every campaign item, its meaning serves the purpose of getting voters.

*FDR used "Don't swap horses in midstream" but the meaning and usage are the same.