The Bull Moose Party, was a former political party in the United States, founded by Theodore Roosevelt during the presidential campaign of 1912. The Bull Moose Party was formed because Theodore Roosevelt was beaten in the Republican primary by Taft yet still wanted to run for president. Right around this time, the political party called for direct election of U.S. senators, women's voting rights, reduction of tariffs, and many social reforms. Roosevelt, who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909, began his campaign as the party's presidential candidate. A key point of his platform is "Square Deal", Roosevelt's concept of a fair business competition based on society and the added benefits to Americans who need it. …show more content…
One of his most impactful speeches was the Address at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October, 14, 1912; “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… The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best”- Theodore Roosevelt. However, Taft was not so ideally moved, In language that clearly indicated his friendship with Taft was at an end, he called his rival a 'hopeless fathead.' President Taft responded with proclamations that Roosevelt was a 'dangerous egotist'. In the end, Roosevelt defeated Taft in the primaries, by which voters chose their preferred Republican candidate. Effectively, at the Republican National Convention, the party bosses nominated Taft for reelection. Roosevelt implicated the party leaders as thieves, him and his delegates walked out of the convention furious. Reported fistfights erupted on the convention floor. In the midst of all this, the Bull Moose Party lost at the national government level in 1912, it continued putting candidates on the election at the state and local votes. However, these candidates were ineffective in 1914. Though the party did hold a convention in 1916, they choose to nominate Roosevelt to run again. Theodore Roosevelt refused, and the party tried to give the nomination to Charles Evan Hughes which led to the disintegration of the