(no subject)

[novapsyche]

George Washington and LBJ. Any other presidents who voluntarily walked away from the office? (I'm a bad Amer Studs scholar, I know.)

Comments

[o-lucky-man.livejournal.com]

Until the 22nd amendment was adopted, technically they all did (except for those who died in office, of course).

Rutherford B Hayes announced he would only serve for one term and did not seek re-election, and Richard Nixon voluntarily resigned.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I don't consider Nixon's resignation to be something that he accepted without pressure--that is, willingly.

(As for the other technicalities, I would say that FDR did not relinquish power voluntarily--he was the one who broke the understood precedent, leading directly to the 22nd Amendment. Also, without JFK's tragedy, resignation of President or VP was not recognized as a legal method--there was no way to abdicate the office [other than impeachment and removal].)

So, Hayes. Why didn't I know about Hayes? I have some studying to do.

[o-lucky-man.livejournal.com]

Henry Adams once famously described Hayes as "a third rate nonentity, whose only recommendation is that he is obnoxious to no one."

Hayes' main claim to fame is that he lost the popular vote in the disputed election of 1876. Hayes is not considered a great President by any means, but not an unmitigated disaster either.

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

not an unmitigated disaster either
That's pretty high praise for the late 1800's, isn't it?

[childe.livejournal.com]

I'm distantly related to Hayes. As I understand it, one of the most corrupt elections in U.S. history, and he was one of the most honest presidents.

[moiety-tx.livejournal.com]

LBJ's decision not to run for office in 68 is not best described as voluntary either...

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Well, if he had run, the Democrats would not have chosen anyone else for the ticket.

[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

Others in this century include Truman, Coolidge, and TR in 1908 (although he did run again in 1912). Wilson did not run for a third term because of his stroke. Hayes and Arthur in the nineteenth century chose not run for a second term. Tyler, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanon, and Andrew Johnson were incumbent presidents who wanted to run for reelection but failed to secure their party's nomination. After failing to be nominated for reelection in 1852 Pierce ran as the No-Nothing Party candidate in 1856.

[moiety-tx.livejournal.com]

Truman dropped out of the race in 52 (very early), but he did run.

[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

novapsyche cited the example of LBJ who was on the ballot and won the New Hampshire primary in 1968 49% to 42% for Eugene McCarthy, and puledl out of the race a few weeks later. Like LBJ, Truman was also on the ballot in the 1952 New Hampshire primary, but unlike LBJ Truman lost the New Hampshire primary, and like LBJ 16 years later, he announced he would not run a few weeks after.

[bonerici.livejournal.com]

In 1844, the Democrats were split
The three nominees for the presidential candidate
Were Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionist
James Buchanan, a moderate
Lewis Cass, a general and expansionist
From Nashville came a dark horse riding up
He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

Austere, severe, he held few people dear
His oratory filled his foes with fear
The factions soon agreed
He's just the man we need
To bring about victory
Fulfill our manifest destiny
And annex the land the Mexicans command
And when the vote was cast the winner was
Mister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump

In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tarriffs fell
And made the English sell the Oregon territory
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of
Mister James K. Polk, our eleventh president
Young Hickory, Napoleon of the Stump


they might be giants, james k polk