How many United States Presidents won second terms?
Mr. 4,422 Days in Office
Just something to think about on this the Eleventh Day, Year One, of The Golden Age of Obama. It’s actually very rare for a President to win a second term, no matter how well things go in that first term. Because of Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush, we assume a second term’s a given for presidents because the majority of those in our lifetimes have been two-termers (especially for those of us in our early 30s, who’ve mainly known two-termers). But, historically, that’s not the case.
Here are the men (and, unfortunately all men so far, despite all the talk of change still in the air) who’ve held the office two terms (or more, in one case):
(1) Franklin Delano Roosevelt (served 3 full terms, but elected to 4)
(2) Thomas Jefferson (2 terms)
(3) James Madison (2 terms)
(4) James Monroe (2 terms)
(5) Andrew Jackson (2 terms)
(6) Ulysses S. Grant (2 terms)
(7) Grover Cleveland (2 nonconsecutive terms)
(8) Woodrow Wilson (2 terms)
(9) Dwight Eisenhower (2 terms)
(10) Ronald Reagan (2 terms)
(11) Bill Clinton (2 terms)
(12) George W. Bush (2 terms)
(13) George Washington (2 terms)
(14) Richard Nixon (2 terms)
(15) William McKinley (2 terms)
(16) Abraham Lincoln (2 terms)
Those who wanted second terms but lost their elections:
(a) John Quincy Adams
(b) Martin van Buren
(c) Franklin Pierce
(d) Benjamin Harrison
(e) William Howard Taft
(f) Herbert Hoover
(g) Jimmy Carter
(h) George H.W. Bush
(i) John Adams
So, 16 wanted a Part Deux and got one. 9 wanted re-election but were denied. Almost 2/3 of our presidents were thus one-termers (or less).
And another interesting thing to note is that the last time THREE two-term presidents happened in a row was all the way back in the early 1800s, with Jefferson/Madison/Monroe (the 3rd, 4th, and 5th presidents). That hasn’t been repeated for 200 years now.
Not saying it won’t ever again, because it’s much too early to tell, but just noting it’s not an automatic, considering past as probability if not predictor.
Clinton/Bush/Obama as three two-termers in a row would be anomalous but certainly not impossible.
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(j) barrack obama
Since HB brought up the topic of term(s)-in-office, I feel compelled to say that I don’t think BO will finish out the first one.
I have always had a creepy sixth sense regarding people’s health (why couldn’t I have one regarding winning lottery numbers?). When I hear about someone being ill, I instantly know whether or not they’re going to make it.
When I saw my mom on Thanksgiving in 2005, after not having seen her for three months, I knew she was going to die, even though there was no logical reason to think so at that time (she died on March 21, 2006).
One day during the campaign, catching BO on TV, I got an overwhelming feeling that he would pass suddenly and unexpectedly as the result of a heart attack (God forbid).
There’s something about Catholic school “training” that never leaves a person, so I dug out my late dad’s rosary beads and got cracking on a Chaplet of Divine Mercy on his behalf. Because no matter how much I disagree with someone or dislike his/her politics, methods, and so forth, in the end, what I wish for us all (myself included) is enlightenment, good health, and the greatest good.
So, of course, I hope I am wrong. In the unlikely event that the White House doctor is reading this, if it’s possible to do so, check Mr. Obama for any and all of those silent cardiac problems that go undiscovered until it’s too late.
Personally, I’ll continue to pray that I’m wrong and that he lives to see his girls grow up and flourish.
We have a weird feeling Obama won’t seek re-election if the economy is in the dumps in 2012. If he doesn’t think he can win, we bet he walks away and retires in Hawaii, leaving a mess for Republicans to clean up if Democrats take heavy losses in 2010 (which we bet they will) and that trend continues into 2012. A loss would diminish his revenue generating future. There is no way to predict anything for 2012 yet, but that’s our take on him. There were days during the campaign that he looked like he was ill with something chronic. It was probably just the stress he was under, but he looked terrible some days. There must be some reason for his team to keep showing him working out, exercising, and doing “healthy” things. Seems to be compensation for something, but we have no idea what.
Please remember too that blacks have a very high rate of a lethal prostate cancer.
But only one President has died of cancer and that was Grant who self inflicted his cancer with alcohol and tobacco.
I was in medical school in the late 1960′s in Washinton DC. I knew the White House doctors.
The reason LBJ did not run for re-election was his bad heart. The doctors told him he would not survive another term. Indeed, he died within 4 years after he left office.
It is a liberal myth that he did not run again because of Vietnam. I was there. I talked personally with his doctors before he passed away. The doctors told him not to run for re-election.
We always heard that about LBJ too — that it was his heart, not Vietnam, and not a fear of losing in 1968 that made him step aside. We also heard that the reason that announcement of his was such a shock was because he had more tests come back shortly before he made the decision — like, days before. So it all happened very fast. This is what a teacher in college told us, whose father was in the medical field and had a similar connection to what rich described above.
I’ll take this with a grain of salt given how wrong we were on Obama-McCain.
Here’s HOPING the list above does not CHANGE! But not for health related reasons.
Wouldn’t it be ironic (and tragic ) considering all the speculation concerning McCain and his age/health?
I hope he is not elected to a second term… Lets all face it, the damage to the country will be bad enough after 4 yrs. My concern here is the media and their lack to call him out on anything…. If the Republicans in the senate are able to reform that damn rescue pkg. He will get the credit.
Now, I a fine with that if that is what is best for the country, but the reality is that if the republicans are successful in taming the spending, the media will never report it. He will be the hero no matter what.
I feel if we are attacked, he is over…but the way is is sucking up to these people who knows. All I can say for sure is I am not comfortable with this man in any way. I am also not comfortable with his appt. of Mitchell to be the best friend of the middle east. Do you think because Hillary has never agreed with him on those issues?
Julliann, if your sixth sense is correct that would give us Biden, and he is too stupid to do much damage.. But that would leave Pelosi and Reed to run things… so I would imagine a first termer at that point.. : )
he will win the second term. the economy is going to be back just in time, and he will take credit
Has anyone considered the possibility that he may resign before the first term is even over? I was discussing this with my father, who is way more politically tuned-in that I am, and he reminded me that Obama has a history of being a very flaky politician who doesn’t seem to finish out his terms. He said that there is a great chance that Obama will become extremely overwhelmed, especially if/when the media turns on him, and when he realizes the position of POTUS is not necessarily as glamourous as it seems. Thoughts?
Chris Matthews and others in the media have said their job is to guarantee Obama succeeds…so we doubt they will ever turn on him.
Reality, however, will turn on him if the economy is not better in 4 years.
Maybe all the bad headlines these days are part of this: make it look bad now, so by summer we are living in a utopia of Obama’s making. Can the media pull that off? Time will tell.
Obama did lots of drugs and smoked lots of cigs. Also being with Rezko, Wright, and the other thugs you know he is under great pressure to keep everything hush hush. He has spent over $800,000.00 to lawyers so we can’t see any personal records of his! Now that is pressure. He is hiding alot. Bad for the old heart.
New Globe article
http://www.globemagazine.com/story/286
http://www.globemagazine.com/story/295
Perhaps I’m just a conspiracy theorist at heart (ugh), but Obama and the far left Congress (and the media) will make sure he’s not only elected to a second term, but also jpossibly to a third and a … I wish him the best of health, but I’m mot leery of Obama the politician…
Leigh: I don’t think BO’s handlers would allow him to quit…unless his health warranted his doing so.
PVG: After my creepy premonition, every time I heard the press make reference to McCain’s age and health, I’d shake my head from side to side, thinking about that very irony.
Anyone care to hear about the astrological implications re BO’s health? Nah…I didn’t think so.
that should read I am most leery of Obama the politician.
Wow, the things I learn here from Hillbuzz. Never knew that about LBJ.
JuLianne, love your comments! I too feel a bad omen around Obama. I too hope I am wrong. I cannot stand the man, and do not trust him as far as I can spit, but his demise would not be a good thing for America. He is no MLK, but would be made out ot be, and like Kennedy, he would be become the epitome of myth and legend, not of truth. Let’s HOPE this does not happen.
Obama is well into his campaign for 2012. All the media and his people already consider it ‘a done deal’ as they constantly talk about 8 years this and 8 years that. Long before the primaries start, and the economy still sucks, they will have all of his followers convinced he needs 4 more years to bring his “hopenchange” to fruition. His followers will always be there chanting ‘yes we can’ like zombies.
If Rebublicans can take away the conservatives that voted for him=Palin, the gay community and their supporters=Palin, the independents=Palin, and the Clinton Democrats=Palin, than we will have a new President in 2013=Palin.
UNLESS: My theory is he knows he’s gonna lose these people so he will kiss Obiden goodbye and put Hillary on the ticket with him for 2012, because he will have lost the moderates by then, and he’ll need her to keep us from voting for Palin.
MichL,
Please don’t let us at HillBuzz make you think the LGBT community will support Palin. Because they won’t. We are an exception — but here in Boystown, gay men, especially, take delight in making fun of Palin every day. STILL. And, worse, these pigs mock little Trig too. It’s sick. And it makes us so mad we’re stifling a colorful stream of expletives here. But, gay men hate Palin, and The Advocate and other LGBT papers and magazines stoke that hate in every issue.
That’s never going to change.
It is an irrational, stupid hate — the kind that does not go away. The LGBT community will lockstep vote Democrat no matter what in 2012.
As for the rest of what you said, conservatives = Palin, independents = Palin, and a good number of Team Hillary Dems = Palin, too.
It’s bizarre to think of HRC running as VP on that ticket, but if Palin became the GOP nominee, that just might happen as the Dems would need a counterpunch. That would be a hard, hard day for us around here.
HB,
I have read all the horror stories you have told of Palin hating in Boystown. I here ya, that most of the LGBT community hates her, but let’s hope some of them can open their eyes to what little O has to offer. If you guys exist, there must be others out there as well. I guess for me it’s just wishful thinking that I added LGBT to my list.
“It’s bizarre to think of HRC running as VP on that ticket, but if Palin became the GOP nominee, that just might happen as the Dems would need a counterpunch. That would be a hard, hard day for us around here.”
hillbuzz- think your analysis is as good as any out there, but have to say I just can’t see HRC getting anywhere near a ticket with jugears the dolt.
He’s already begun trying to marginalize her in her current position, and I’ll be very surprised if she stays all the way through obie’s (one and only- pleasepleaseohplease) term of infestation. Just can’t see her doing any sort of deal with this guy, he’s just a nasty little piece of work she should stay well clear of.
But shoot- we won’t see who is right for a couple years, so who knows?
Think it’d be way cool and awful durned funny seeing the old school dc faces if Palin/Clinton (arrange it any way you like) ran on a dream ticket. Think they’d win in a landslide, despite the soulless ankle biters in the msm. Understood this is incredibly unlikely, but that’s why it’s called a dream ticket.
I’m also curious to find out where lesbians stand when it comes to Palin. And, no, rachel maddow doesn’t count as far as I’m concerned. I think I remember reading on ‘The gay patriot’ that it’s not as bad as we think.
Tammy Bruce (love her) is a lesbian, Democrat, and loves sarah Palin… She has voted Republican for awhile now but I believe she is still a registered Dem. Does not like the leftist liberals, or the media. tammybruce.com
Tammy’s book ” the death of right and wrong” is an excellent read. Real common sense lady.
Julianne …. I’m with you, I just said that today to some of my students, if things continue as they are, and he keeps making these political blunders he seems to be doing daily, his own party won’t let him finish the four years. They’ll pressure him out, assuming he doesn’t go from lung cancer first.
PVG …. I was just thinking the same thing, it would be ironic. Then again McCain has experience fighting to survive, Obama does not.
Sharon …. Pelosi & Reid are already running things.
Dave … yeah, if the economy comes back, no matter the reason, he will take credit for it. That in itself is not unusual. Except for Reagan, he didn’t take credit when he should have.
Leigh …. I agree about the flakiness, I’ve noticed that too, he hardly gets his office set up for his current job before he’s running for the next. How interesting if he were to just resign because it wasn’t as prestigious or easy as he has tried to convince us it would be for him, cuz he’s so smart and all, ya know?
Fae …. shouldn’t those “political leaders” have been asking these questions long before now?
HB …. President Obama is in trouble if the economy isn’t better in ONE year. He’s made some pretty big promises, saying “it’ll take some time” now isn’t going to make much difference and he can only blame President Bush for so long. Then again, after this election, I’ll never underestimate the ability of the media to manipulate the general public and our political climate.
MichL … the difference in the next campaign is that the moderates won’t be so easily swayed by the charm and lies. HOPE & CHANGE won’t win him the Presidency a second time. He’s going to have to prove he’s actually DONE something for a change.
Sharon … thanks for the book recommendation. I like seeing Ms Bruce on Fox frequently and usually agree with her whole-heartedly.
O and his Chicago thugs will bummble their way through the next four years,and continue the propaganda that he is ‘the one’. He’ll leave kicking and screaming come Jan.2013. One term is four years and that will be the longest job this man has ever held, but what could he aspire to next?
Oops, bumble.
I do not see him finishing his term out. I think legal issues arising from whatever Tony Rezko is telling federal prosecutors will be Zero’s undoing. Think about it: Rezko has had his federal sentencing post-poned, not once but twice. What is he giving the feds that is worth that much?
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I am only projecting what I want, but I don’t think I am wrong in seeing his failure to finish his term out. My twinkie(my nickname for my identical twin sister) and I were talking and she said she thinks something will keep him from finishing out his term. I prefer to think something legal will do him in politically, rather than the alternative.
Glad to know I am not the only one that gets these really weird vibes off him.
TGIF, no more executive orders until Monday.
Ok, color me blonde, but I was under the misguided impression that executive orders were utilized by lame duck presidents on the back end of their presidencies…not on the front end. Did I miss a memo or something?
PS: I am a natural blonde, so I am taking aim at myself with the above post.
How funny tx, LOL on the blonde comment…. All I know is this guy is nuts.. Have you heard anything on a military oath he was changing? I saw it online, do not want to pass it on, as I am not able to verify.
P.S… I think in the future we are not getting memos… We just have to follow along.
Anyone seen the photo of The One on Drudge today? Doesn’t look like he’s going to make it to Day 20 of his Golden Reign. Guy’s aged years in two weeks.
Granny: I tripped on over to DRUDGE. Yikes–you weren’t kidding!
Good night nurse!!! The One looks absolutely dreadful. He looks like he’s been in office for at least 4 years…and a rough 4 years at that. OK, what’s going on? No president that I can recall has looked THAT bad after only a week. If he looks like he’s physically deteriorated this badly after only one week, the over/under line I give him is 2 years tops.
Anyone have any ideas, ’cause I’ve no clue.
TX Conservative: Maybe you should change that first line to “Quick, get the night nurse!”
Aside from the fact that my creepy sixth sense tells me BO has a cardiac problem, it seems to me he has no emotional or mental stamina, either. When I recall the course of the primary race, I saw Hillary get STRONGER and more passionate and alive over time.
For one thing, she has an enormous intellect to back her up. The woman has a mind like a steel trap; she can think on her feet (i.e., needs no teleprompter), has a firm grasp of a host of issues, and sixty-plus years of life and professional experience at her beck and call. She’s been through emotional trials and survived them. Toward the end of her run, the only physical problem she was ever beset by was laryngitis.
She has FORTITUDE in spades.
So does McCain. I wouldn’t have lasted five seconds as a POW, let alone five years!
BO, on the other hand, often looked ragged out in the past year, and man, did he go gray overnight, or what! And we all know that auditioning for the job isn’t nearly as taxing as actually getting the job…and having to perform. Once Meanchelle starts embarrassing him, in addition to all the other stressors, he’s toast. Especially if Rev. Wright rears his ugly racist head.
I give BO 18 months until he cries Uncle Sam. He’ll be followed by Obiden, who might possibly make it the remaining 2.5 years.
You’re right ladies……
The funny part is under BO’s picture, Drudge writes “recovery will take years not months”. What a crack up!
By contrast, Michael Steele looks like the Energizer Bunny! What a difference!!!
November 22, 1963 a tragedy
?? ?? 2009.. a day for celebration…and it cant come soon enough for me! Will one brave american stand up against the vile threat we face?