Cocktails & American Political Imagination

1806: The Cocktail is Born in the Hudson River Valley

The earliest known reference to “cocktail” appeared on May 13, 1806, in The Balance and Columbian Repository, a newspaper from New York’s Hudson River Valley. Defined simply as a blend of spirits, water, sugar, and bitters, this spirited creation gained immediate political significance. A local Democratic-Republican candidate reportedly served nearly 300 cocktails in an attempt to charm voters. While he ultimately lost to his Federalist rival, this incident showcased how offering free drinks—known as “treating”—could be used as a campaign strategy, setting the stage for the cocktail’s enduring role in American politics.

1864: Lincoln’s Eggnog Toasts the Union Army

Fast-forward to the 1864 re-election of Abraham Lincoln, when soldiers in the Union Army marked his victory with a wartime-friendly version of eggnog. Using whiskey, eggs, milk, and whatever sweeteners were on hand, the troops fashioned a drink that bolstered camaraderie and reminded them of familiar comforts. Eggnog, traditionally associated with holiday festivities, evolved into a liquid symbol of unity and morale, underscoring the power of shared rituals during a critical chapter of American history.

1896: McKinley’s Delight and Bryan’s Free Silver Fizz

By 1896, cocktails had become culturally embedded, so it was only natural for them to appear in the showdown between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. McKinley’s supporters enjoyed McKinley’s Delight, a sophisticated mixture of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters—often traced to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Its polished yet robust profile embodied the Republican candidate’s industrial optimism.

On the opposing side, Bryan’s followers created the Free Silver Fizz, a refreshing blend of gin, lime juice, and carbonated water. This bubbly concoction symbolized his populist platform of expanding the money supply through silver coinage. Supporters eagerly “drank their allegiance,” raising Free Silver Fizzes in toasts to Bryan’s policies and personality. Although Bryan lost, the Free Silver Fizz endures as an example of how cocktails can literally and figuratively unite a candidate’s base.

1912: Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Cocktail

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt ran under the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party and declared himself “fit as a bull moose.” Bartenders responded with the Bull Moose Cocktail, a potent combination of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and absinthe. Its strong, slightly wild flavor suited Roosevelt’s vigorous approach to politics and reform. Despite the cocktail’s popularity and Roosevelt’s spirited campaign, the Bull Moose Party split the Republican vote, leading to Woodrow Wilson’s victory. The Bull Moose Cocktail, however, remains a tribute to Roosevelt’s bold legacy.

1936: Landon’s Cooler for an Underdog Campaign

By 1936, Alf Landon—the Republican challenger to Franklin D. Roosevelt—faced long odds in a nation still grappling with the Great Depression. Supporters devised the Landon Cooler, a bright combination of rum, lime juice, and ginger beer to rally excitement. Effervescent and tangy, this drink aimed to boost morale and encapsulate Landon’s underdog spirit. Though he suffered a landslide loss, the Landon Cooler lives on as a testament to how cocktails can channel even a quixotic campaign’s optimism.

1984: Mondale’s Margarita and Reagan’s Wine

The 1984 election featured two very different ways of toasting presidential aspirations. For Walter Mondale, supporters in the Southwest popularized the Mondale Margarita, a classic blend of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, to reach out to younger and more diverse audiences. Meanwhile, Ronald Reagan, celebrating his second term in 1985, championed California wines at his inauguration, spotlighting his home state’s growing wine industry on a global stage. This dual approach showed how political identity could be expressed in markedly different drinks—one playful, the other refined—yet both reflective of the respective candidates’ backgrounds and supporters.

2008: Obama’s Presidential Punch

During the 2008 election, bartenders across in New York City created cocktails inspired by Barack Obama’s campaign message. One of the most popular was the Obama Presidential Punch, a lively mix of vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and blue Curaçao—a visual nod to his campaign’s red, white, and blue branding. This crowd-pleaser offered a cheerful way for supporters to embrace the season’s energy and optimism.

A Spirited Legacy

Nowhere is the connection between cocktails and cultural heritage more profound than in America, where these libations have become a unique reflection of the nation’s political journey. From the eggnog that comforted Civil War soldiers to the margaritas served at modern campaign fundraisers, cocktails have not only mirrored the country’s social and economic transformations but have also played a central role in its political traditions. In America, sharing a drink has often been an act of community and collaboration, whether in smoky back rooms, campaign rallies, or lively debates. This enduring bond between cocktails and politics underscores how deeply intertwined they are in shaping the American story.

Cheers to the past, the present, and all the spirited connections that make American political history so memorable!