WI: Woodrow Wilson’s 1916 campaign said “He wants to go to war”

But Wilson didn't want to? He wanted to negotiate: He didn't care about Europe too much but about American ships being sunk by the German Navy.
 
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But Wilson didn't want to? He was an Isolationist: He didn't care about Europe but about American ships being sunk by the German Navy.

It's not correct to say that he was an isolationist or didn't care about Europe. (He hoped the US could play a mediating role.) But it is true that in 1916 he like most Americans hoped to keep the US out of the war. (And even those like TR, Elihu Root, etc. who advocated policies which they knew would likely bring the US into the war didn't dare to openly call for the US to go to war--that was just too unpopular.)
 
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It's not correct to say that he was an isolationist or didn't care about Europe. (He hoped the US could play a mediating role.) But it is true that in 1916 he like most Americans hope to keep the US out of the war. (And even those like TR, Elihu Root, etc. who advocated policies which they knew would likely bring the US into the war didn't dare to openly call for the US to go to war--that was just too unpopular.)
Yeah, you're correct, "Isolationist" is a way too strong word.
 
BTW, though I never cared much for the original meme here, I do like this take-off of it (though it was probably less applicable during the 1916 campaign than earlier or later):

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Not only would it be suicidal everyone would be asking why he wasn't asking Congress to declare war if he wanted to do so.
 
Not only would it be suicidal everyone would be asking why he wasn't asking Congress to declare war if he wanted to do so.

Not that he'd do it or succeed if he tried, but he could hypothetically run on getting a Congressional majority that would support a DOW, the current composition being obviously unsuitable.
 
Would this flip any states? If so, would Wilson still win the election?

Who is "he"? Is this a proposal by Wilson, or an accusation against Hughes?

If Wilson had made intervention a campaign pledge, he would have lost massively. Hardly anyone in the US wanted to go to war. Until the Zimmerman Telegram and resumed submarine warfare, there was no consensus in the US for it, and both of those came after the election.

If Wilson makes that attack on Hughes - I think it might backfire. Hughes would flatly deny it, and Wilson would have no evidence to back up his claim. It might cost him enough votes to lose CA, which flips the election; possibly some other states as well (NH, ND, NM, KY, MO, WA).
 
Not that he'd do it or succeed if he tried, but he could hypothetically run on getting a Congressional majority that would support a DOW, the current composition being obviously unsuitable.

Point taken. I think we can all agree if he campaigned on that he is lucky if he takes the Solid South.
 
I initially took the question to be, "what if Woodrow Wilson made pacifism the centerpiece of his campaign, to the extent of running a mud-slinging campaign accusing the opposition of war mongering?" - to the extent that Europe takes note. Germany might start up USW sooner if they think they have a free pass.

OTOH, maybe Zimmerman doesn't bother to send that telegram if he thinks the US is firmly out of the war.
 
Who is "he"? Is this a proposal by Wilson, or an accusation against Hughes?

If Wilson had made intervention a campaign pledge, he would have lost massively. Hardly anyone in the US wanted to go to war. Until the Zimmerman Telegram and resumed submarine warfare, there was no consensus in the US for it, and both of those came after the election.

If Wilson makes that attack on Hughes - I think it might backfire. Hughes would flatly deny it, and Wilson would have no evidence to back up his claim. It might cost him enough votes to lose CA, which flips the election; possibly some other states as well (NH, ND, NM, KY, MO, WA).

Actually, the Democrats did accuse Hughes of being pro-war (though they simultaneously attacked his "hyphen" support). They did so through association with TR.

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