roosevelt – Bill’s Political Shoppe

Posted on May 5, 2014June 10, 2017 by valentinasoto793 — Leave a comment

Sitting Presidents Challenged from Within

For this week’s blog, I think I have another fun topic. I will be looking at Presidents that faced serious challenges to their party’s presidential nomination from within their party. This only happened three times in the twentieth century. Sorry John Ashbrooke in 1972 against Richard Nixon, but, I don’t consider your challenge serious. Same with Pat Buchanan’s challenge of George H. W. Bush in 1992. And, sorry Eugene McCarthy in 1968, but, Lyndon Johnson dropped out, before your challenge could be considered serious. William Taft had Teddy Roosevelt. Gerald Ford had Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter had Ted Kennedy.

Teddy Roosevelt decided not to see another term as president in 1908. His hand picked successor was William Taft. Taft won the election of 1908. Roosevelt’s expectation was that Taft would carry on the policies that he has espoused. After 4 years, Roosevelt was not happy with the record that Taft had built for himself. He chose to challenge him for he Republican party presidential nomination that year. Taft held onto the nomination. This wasn’t good enough for Roosevelt, so, he decided to run as a third party candidate. In the end, Taft lost the presidency to Woodrow Wilson, finishing third behind both Wilson and Roosevelt. The challenge hurt him. The entry of a third party candidate killed him.

Gerald Ford had never gone through a primary. He had never been vetted for national office by the public, his party or the media. He was vetted by the Nixon administration and by congress. He became Vice-President after the resignation of Spiro Agnew. He became President after the resignation of Richard Nixon. In 1976, he decided that he would seek a full mandate under his own name. For Gerald Ford items CLICK HERE! However, someone else wanted the job. Former California Governor decided that he was better suited to lead the United States of America through those difficult times. Early on, Ford won primary after primary. The Reagan campaign seemed over before a race really began. Suddenly, Reagan started winning primaries. The two candidates would disagree over key policy points. Going into the convention, the two were neck and neck. After the votes were counted, they remained close, but, Ford prevailed. However, Reagan would have more followers than ever before. The battle cost Ford. In the end, the debate he was forced to engage in probably cost him the presidency (that, and the Nixon pardon).

Jimmy Carter won a hard fought battle for his party’s presidential nomination in 1976. He emerged stronger for the fight and won the presidency against a weakened Gerald Ford. His presidency saw, as he put it, a malaise over the nation. The economy was sluggish. Oil prices were rising, when it was available. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan and Iran took American Embassy staff hostage. Many a crises rose. Most beyond his direct control. He could do little but watch. For Jimmy Carter items CLICK HERE! Enter a candidate with the most famous name in the Democratic party. Ted Kennedy would challenge Cater for his party’s presidential nomination. Kennedy called for even more government intervention. Kennedy spoke to the fears of the nation and the party. For Ted Kennedy items CLICK HERE!Carter ultimately won the race for the nomination, but not before feeling Kennedy’s sting. He was badly weakened going into the general election. He lost the presidency to Ronald Reagan.

In each instance, the major challenge cost the person their job. In the case of the latter two, Reagan and Kennedy, the challengers based the opposition on appealing to their party’s base; Reagan from the right, Kennedy from left. The lessons have not been lost. How often do we hear about candidates appealing to their base during primary season only to move to the centre for the general election? Challenges can be healthy and welcome. However, they hurt the incumbent and cost them their jobs.

What do you think? Share your comments below.

Posted on April 8, 2014June 10, 2017 by valentinasoto793 — Leave a comment

Bill’s 6: Greatest Presidents the U.S. NEVER Had

And, now the U.S. version of last weeks blog. The Bill 6 seems quite popular. The beauty of this kind of topic is that there’s lots of room for discussion. This week, I am looking at the greatest Presidents the U.S. never had. These are people who never sought the presidency. This means that persons that ran as their party nominee are disqualified (sorry Barry Goldwater and Al Gore). It also precludes people that ran for their party’s nomination and lost (sorry Ron Paul and Edmund Muskie). I’m also leaving out people that are young enough that they may still run in the future (sorry Hillary Clinton and John Kasich). Voters had the option of making them President (or will) and rejected them (or may still elect them). Here we go…

6. William Sherman – William Sherman was a successful Civil War general. He managed men. He led people. He was sought after by people on all sides to seek the presidency. He declined. “If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve”. He felt that he had done his part for God and country. His renouncing of there being any possibility of his running remains the measure of denials to this day. When asked, people are urged to give a “Sherman declaration” as their denial. Most refuse to be so adamant. Sherman gave his, and it was a loss to his nation.

5. Mario Cuomo – The New York governor said that the plane was on the runway ready to go to New Hampshire to file his papers, but, there was too much work to do at home. He staid out of the race. The voters of New York ended up defeating him their next chance. However, Cuomo represented something that politics was lacking. He was true to his convictions. He was an unabashed liberal when the term had become a dirty word. He didn’t care. He was who he was. He won…and lost being himself.

4. Colin Powell – Colin Powell rose through the ranks of the military to serve in the highest offices in the land. Many in the nation wanted him to seek the presidency. He declined. He held views that weren’t popular with many of the base of his party. He wouldn’t back away. He did back away from the race. He offended many in his party by endorsing Barack Obama over his own party nominee. He could have been the first African American President. Instead, he helped elect someone else to that position. For Barack Obama items CLICK HERE!

3. Martin Luther King – Dr. King never ran for office. He didn’t have too. He led women and men. He sought equality for all Americans. He sought it through peaceful means. He knew how to lead. He knew how to achieve his goals, and the goals of his followers without resorting to name calling or negativity. He was felled by an assassin’s bullet. Had he lived, he may have sought office. His death was a loss, not just to the people that he led, but, to all Americans.

2. Eleanor Roosevelt – Before there was Hillary Clinton, there was Eleanor Roosevelt. She was first lady to the longest serving President, Franklin. She demonstrated leadership in this capacity. After his passing, she showed strength. She continued to lead. She spoke out on the issues that were important to her. Her party asked her to run for various offices. She declined. She felt that she could make a greater contribution to the well being of her country from outside elected office. She made a great contribution. Whether it could have been greater, we’ll never know. For Franklin Roosevelt items CLICK HERE!

1. Benjamin Franklin – Franklin was a founding father that never sought to lead the nation that he was so instrumental in forming. He passed away while George Washington was still President, so, we’ll never know what aspirations he may have had for himself going forward. He was a diplomat. He was an inventor. He was a negotiator. He was a lover (just throwing that one in…really not relevant to being President). He was a true father in his nation. For George Washington items CLICK HERE!

What are your thoughts? Should any of these have been excluded? What other ones should have been added? Leave your comments below.

Posted on March 24, 2014June 10, 2017 by valentinasoto793 — Leave a comment

20th Century Vice Presidential Ascenders

Last week, I looked at Presidents that only served one term. I excluded Presidents that rose to the office as a result of their predecessor passing (or resigning, as the case may be). This week, I’ll take a look at the ones that rose to the office because of the constitution instead of an election. And, I’ll look at their own electoral successes. Four Vice-Presidents rose to the highest office as a result of the passing of their boss. A fifth got the job because of a resignation. The first four won a term in their own right. The fifth barely lost (at least in the electoral college). Lets look at Teddy Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford.

Teddy Roosevelt (William McKinley) – McKinley was the third president to be assassinated. Roosevelt, the former governor of New York, hadn’t even been on the ticket the first time around. He was added to strengthen the ticket for the 1900 election campaign. It worked. After assuming the presidency, he observed that the office provided a “bully pulpit” to the office holder. He dramatically expanded the national park system. He won the election of 1904 (name the guy he ran against-’nuff said). He didn’t seek another term. And, he could have. In 1912, he tried a comeback as a third party candidate, finishing second. His political career came to an end.

Calvin Coolidge (Warren Harding) – Harding went on a trip to the west coast, developed pneumonia, and never recovered. Calvin Coolidge is the president that conservatives harken back to when they refer to the better days. Even Ronald Reagan referred to him as his favourite president. He won his own term in 1924 against Al Smith. The country wasn’t ready for a Catholic president. And, Coolidge would epitomize the “small government” conservative presidency that modern Republicans talk about.

Harry Truman (Franklin Roosevelt) – Harry Truman got his job by 82 days. If Franklin Roosevelt had passed away earlier, there was another Vice-President (though, given the election was 2 1/2 months before that, he still would have, ultimately, become the President). Roosevelt, had 3 different Vice-Presidents. For Franklin Roosevelt items CLICK HERE!Truman was his last. Truman would definitely put his stamp on the office. “The Buck Stops Here”. “Give Them Hell, Harry”. He sought his own term in 1948. Though the Chicago Sun Times called it for his opponent, Thomas Dewey, he won his own term. For Thomas Dewey items CLICK HERE! The Korean War began during his own term. A constitutional amendment was adopted during his term limiting the time a President could serve in office. He was exempted, but chose to not seek another term. For Harry Truman items CLICK HERE!

Lyndon Johnson (John Kennedy) – John Kennedy was the fourth (and last) president to have his life taken from him while in office. For John Kennedy items CLICK HERE!The assassination has still raised questions. There are many who believe that there was a conspiracy afoot. Many believe that his Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson, was part of that conspiracy. It is believed by many of those conspiracy theorists that Johnson was to be dropped from the ticket. There is no proof to substantiate any of the theories. However, upon Kennedy’s death, Johnson rose to the presidency and, a year later, won a term in his own right against Barry Goldwater. For Barry Goldwater items CLICK HERE! Johnson came forward with an aggressive agenda. The Civil Rights Act was adopted. The “Just Society” programs came into place. The Vietnam War expanded. Then, his address to the nation. “I will not seek, nor will I accept my party’s nomination”. He would serve out his term and not seek another. For Lyndon Johnson items CLICK HERE!

Gerald Ford (Richard Nixon) – Nixon remains the only president to have ever resigned the office. Gerald Ford remains the only person to have assumed the office without winning a national office through a general election. A corruption scandal forced Vice-President Spiro Agnew from office. Under changes to the Constitution, a new person could be appointed to the office. Gerald Ford became the first person to ever have that privilege. Soon after, the Watergate scandal would force Nixon to resign his office. For Richard Nixon items CLICK HERE! Gerald Ford became president. The final troops came home from Vietnam during his brief time in office. What’s more often remembered about his time in office is his pardon of his former boss, Richard Nixon. Given the closeness of the vote in the 1976 general election, it’s quite easy to believe that the pardon cost him the election. His time in office was brief. The Democrats used Watergate and defeated him. For Gerald Ford items CLICK HERE! Jimmy Carter became the 39th president of the United States. For Jimmy Carter items CLICK HERE!

In the case of Gerald Ford, it’s clear he lost because of the scandal that elevated him to the presidency. Though not involved in any way with it, his pardon of Nixon was enough to tie him to the scandal. However, the four who made it because of the passing of the predecessor represent another story. Roosevelt, Coolidge and Truman had opportunity to make the office their own. Were their predecessors forgotten? And, were people happy with what they saw? Even Johnson had legislative victories prior to facing the voters. Again, were voters happy with what they saw. Did the four receive “sympathy” votes in honour of the men that passed? Was it a simple matter of voters being happy with the job they were doing in the office? Were their opponents just weak? This latter one is the most interesting of all. Opponents always seem weak after they’ve lost. If one looks closely, 3 of the four really were weak (I’m being generous to New York governor Thomas Dewey).

In the end, especially in the days before extensive internal polling was done, it’s really impossible to know why voters did what they did. One thing is clear…in the twentieth century, having your boss die was good for ones own electoral prospects.

Do you agree? Disagree? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.