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What If...

Discussion in 'Tilted Philosophy, Politics, and Economics' started by no128s, Aug 16, 2011.

  1. no128s

    no128s New Member

    Location:
    Afghanistan
    Okay... so I was watching a certain 24-hour news network the other morning. I couldn't hear what ws being said as it was too noisy where I was eating, so I was reading the information scrolling across the bottom of the screen.

    One thing that seemed to stick out for no apparent reason was that President Obama was starting a mid-West bus tour. I imagine this is all campaigning in the run up to the next election, no big deal, but it got me thinking....

    How awesome would it be for a sitting President of the United States to NOT campaign!? Follow me here... What if the guy in the White House said simply, "Look at what I have done. I rest on my record. I've made a few mistakes, but in the end, look at my accomplishments." How wild would that be... how bold... that is a guy or gal that I'd probably vote for just for the sheer audacity!

    Now I know that they would still have to assist in campaigning for senators and congressmen etc, but again, how refreshing would it be for the sitting President to go to Senator X's rally and say, "It's not about me today it's about Senator X, look what they have done for you!"

    I know this is a rediculous fantasy, and trust me, I am a political junkie and undertand the naitevete(sp) that this represents and all that... just sharing a thought!
     
  2. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    I was surprised to read recently (in a biography of Theodore Roosevelt) that it wasn't always a foregone conclusion that a sitting President would even win his party's nomination. Several Presidents didn't run for a second term (Pierce, Polk, Buchanan Hayes, Johnson, among others), sometimes because a lack of support in their own party (John Tyler).

    Can you imagine that happening in modern times?!?
     
  3. the_jazz

    the_jazz Accused old lady puncher

    Borla, I'd like you to meet President Jimmy Carter and Senator Ted Kennedy. There's a school of thought that Kennedy cost Carter's re-election by forcing a tough primary on a sitting president. It's a bit of a "what-if" but since that's the title of the thread, it bears mentioning. Personally, I still think that Reagan was going to steamroll into the White House, but others might disagree.

    Honestly, I can't imagine a POTUS ever getting away with just not running and getting re-elected, unless its Washington. He has to engage the opposition at some point, even if at debates. Otherwise it kind of flies in the face of the whole democratic process.
     
  4. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Yeah, that is a good example, though Carter DID win the nomination. Hard to believe that, even back then, one of the major issues was government's involvement in health care.
     
  5. no128s

    no128s New Member

    Location:
    Afghanistan
    Jazz... you are absolutely right, it was just a thought! Talking about Carter, the same happened with George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot. I read somewhere that any siting President who has had a primary challenger from his own party has not been reelected... food for thought, maybe we can get Hillary Clinton to run!?
     
  6. the_jazz

    the_jazz Accused old lady puncher

    Well, I don't think that Perot qualifies since he never tried for the Republican nomination. He always made it clear that he was a third party candidate, unless I'm misremembering.

    Hillary won't run. She's a party loyalist. Granted Teddy K was too, but I think Bill brings too much baggage for her to go maverick.
     
  7. samcol

    samcol Getting Tilted

    Location:
    indiana
    you would hope that this was somehow possible. you'd think that when these new presidents (bush and obama) got the power of both houses as well, they'd be able to pull this off.
     
  8. the_jazz

    the_jazz Accused old lady puncher

    There are a lot of great "what if's" out there. Like Perot not running in '92, McCain picking a different running mate, Kerry mounting an effective defense to the Swiftboaters....
     
  9. Redlemon

    Redlemon Getting Tilted

    Location:
    New England
    ...Florida learning to design a ballot properly...
     
    • Like Like x 2
  10. I watched an historical piece that claimed that Lincoln was the first sitting president to actually campaign for re-election. PBS... must be true:D
     
  11. samcol

    samcol Getting Tilted

    Location:
    indiana
    funny but true :D
     
  12. Derwood

    Derwood Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I was watching CNN last night and they were discussing this. Obama advisers said that Obama's approval ratings tend to go up when he's out of DC and getting his message out to the people, while it goes down when he's locked into debate/conflict with Congress. Obama has a couple of big bills coming in September (a jobs bill and something else) that he's trying to drum up support for before Congress comes back next month
     
  13. no128s

    no128s New Member

    Location:
    Afghanistan
    Probably why he takes so many vacations... drumming up support! ;)