“The Button” (October 17, 1984)
by Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
9.5 x 13.5, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

In 1984, former vice president and presidential candidate Walter Mondale, seen as an underdog, selected Geraldine Ferraro to be his running mate in the upcoming election. Ferraro became the only Italian American to be a major-party national nominee in addition to being the first woman. The positive polling the Mondale-Ferraro ticket received when she joined soon faded, as damaging questions arose about her and her businessman husband’s finances and wealth and her Congressional disclosure statements.

She faced a threshold of proving competence that other high-level female political figures have had to face, especially those who might become commander-in-chief; the question “Are you tough enough?” was often directed to her. Ted Koppel questioned her closely about nuclear strategy and during Meet the Press she was asked, “Do you think that in any way the Soviets might be tempted to try to take advantage of you simply because you are a woman?”

October 11, 1984 was the Vice Presidential candidate’s debate.

This cartoon is a remarkable first-hand insight into the times.

The Reagan-Bush ticket won the election in a landslide.