Thread: 2008 Presidential Election and Past US Presidents

What can the backgrounds of recent US Presidents tell us about who might be a successful candidate for President of the United States (POTUS) in 2008?

All recent Presidents of the United States have been either Democrats or Republicans. The last POTUS who was not a Democrat or a Republican was President during the 1800s!

All recent Presidents of the United States have had at least a bachelor's degree. The last POTUS without a bachelor's degree was President Truman (source: Wikipedia article).

Going back to President Kennedy all Presidents have held elected political office prior to becoming POTUS. All of these recent Presidents of the United States were current or former Vice-Presidents of the United States, state governors, or US senators prior to becoming POTUS.

Since the Kennedy Presidency only two men have served two complete terms as POTUS. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Reagan was a former two term California governor in November 1980. Clinton was a multiple term Arkansas governor in November 1992.

Nixon was twice elected POTUS. Nixon did not complete his second term, however. Nixon was a two term Vice-President of the United States under Eisenhower and a US senator for less than two years. Nixon was not a state governor.

US Senator John F. Kennedy won the 1960 Presidential election. JFK was assassinated in 1963. JFK was not a Vice-President of the United States or a state governor.

Vice-President Johnson succeeded President Kennedy after JFK was assassinated. President Johnson won the 1964 Presidential election but chose not to be a candidate for reelection in 1968. Johnson was a US senator prior to becoming Vice-President. Johnson was not a state governor.

Vice-President Gerald Ford succeeded President Nixon in 1974 and completed Nixon’s second Presidential term. In 1976 Ford was defeated by former one term Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Ford has not been a state governor or US senator.

Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter won the 1976 Presidential election. In 1980 Carter, a former one term Georgia governor, was defeated by former two term California Governor Ronald Reagan. Carter has not been a US senator or Vice-President of the United States.

Vice-President George H. W. Bush won the 1988 Presidential election. In 1992 George H. W. Bush was defeated by multiple term Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. George H. W. Bush has not been a state governor or US senator.


In recent history three Presidents of the United States were turned out of office by the electorate. In 1992 President George H. W. Bush was defeated by Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. George H. W. Bush was a two term Vice-President under Ronald Reagan. George H. W. Bush has never been a state governor or US senator.

In 1980 President Jimmy Carter was defeated by former California Governor Ronald Reagan. Carter was a one term Georgia governor prior to becoming POTUS (Carter could not seek gubernatorial reelection in 1974 due to Georgia's Constitution, which in 1974 did not allow two consecutive gubernatorial terms). Jimmy Carter has never been a Vice-President of the United States or a US senator.

In 1976 President Ford was defeated by former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Vice-President Ford succeeded President Nixon in 1974. Ford has never been a state governor or US senator.


The current Vice-President and the former living Vice-Presidents of the United States are Cheney, Gore, Quayle, George H. W. Bush, Mondale, and Ford, respectively.

The oldest man elected POTUS was Ronald Reagan. Reagan was sixty-nine in November 1980 and seventy-three in November 1984.

Cheney, Gore, and Quayle will be younger than sixty-nine in 2008. Cheney has stated that he will not be a candidate for President in 2008.

There are quite a number of current and former state governors and US senators.

Is there any current or former two term state governor or current state governor going for reelection in 2006 or 2007 who is for better border enforcement, no instate tuition for illegal aliens, and no automatic US citizenship for babies born to illegal alien parents?

Well, I can say a couple of things. First--WELCOME TO ALIPAC, Politicalactivist!

If CHENIAC runs for President, I'm the one who's gonna be running for the border!!! ANY BORDER but outta here! That would spell THE END for America as we know it. Ditto Condi. Ditto ANYONE remotely connected to DUBYA. So that takes care of that bunch.

As for Governors--I sure haven't seen any that impress me. Even those border Governors such as Bill Richardson refuse to put the Guard on their borders and put a stop to the invasion.

Maybe this is wishful thinking but I still have hope that a third-party candidate will be THE ONLY answer for 2008. I think MOST people in this country are SICK TO DEATH of BOTH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES. I have NEVER seen this country so divided and THAT will be the downfall if SOMEONE who really CAN bring this country back together is not elected.

Politicalactivist, welcome to ALIPAC! Glad to have you aboard.

Like your avatar, had_enuf!!!

Are you SICK of Christmas ones???

Thanks Bootsie. I found this one when I was searching for New Years images & really liked it.

It's pretty and looks OLD and AUTHENTIC!

Political Activist,

To answer your question....I am not aware of any and I doubt any do.

What I do know is that the next POTUS will be a Democrat or Republican.

That is why I suggest activists get involved in party politics too and apply pressure within the parties.

It's not realistic to think you can effect long-term change without changing the political machines that support pro-illegal candidates.

Get involved in your local party ward clubs and start educating people on the issue. You will develop support pretty quickly because the grassroots end of the political parties are largely unaware of what's going on--in both the DEM and REP parties. You will also have the opportunity to question candidates who circuit these clubs looking for votes and campaign support. Hold their feet to the fire!

Bootsie and had_enuf, thank you for the welcome!

Of the current state governors Mitt Romney might be the best immigration reform candidate for President. Romney is completing his first term gubernatorial term and will not seek reelection in 2006.

Jimmy Carter did become POTUS even though he was a former one term state governor in November 1976.

Yes, I HAVE seen him interviewed a couple of times and he had said he would NOT run for Governor again next year which IMPLIED that he had his eye on the Presidential nomination. I don't know enough about him yet to make an informed decision.

Former Governor Lamm of Colorado gave a speech which shows that he understands many of America's problems. Lamm is seventy years old; he would be seventy-three in 2008.

Many in 1980 probably thought that Reagan was too old to become POTUS. However, Reagan was twice elected POTUS and was POTUS for two complete terms.

The media would probably raise the age issue, if Lamm were to run for POTUS in 2008.

President Reagan was reelected in 1984 at age seventy-three.