In 1956, people within Eisenhower's inner circle had serious doubts as to whether or not he would run for a second term. Eisenhower had a heart attack the previous year, and he had just turned 65. But Eisenhower ran for a second term anyway and won in a landslide. If the 22nd Amendment had not passed, would Eisenhower have run again in 1960? I don't think there is any doubt that he would have won, but since he would have turned 70 in October 1960 he may not have wanted to continue as President.
If the 22nd Amendment Had Not Passed, Would Eisenhower Have Run for a Third Term?
- Thread starter Amadeus
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The second amendment didn't apply to him.
"But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term."
"But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term."
He was also sick and tired
Reagan or Clinton are your best shoots
Only OTL US presidents who could had run and win third term were Clinton and Obama.
Eisnehower was old and not in good health.
Reagan was senile due Alzheimer.
GWB just was too unpopular.
unfair to the Gipper.
Ronnie Reagan was in declining powers, but did not have full-blown Alzheimer’s even on the last day of his presidency — Jan. 20, 1989
Theory — the main effect of the 22nd Amendment has been to make presidents lame ducks the last 2 years of their presidency. From the mid-terms of their 2nd term to the end.
I guess a person with a strong personality could avoid this by saying, Yes, I will be talking about which of my potential successors I prefer, and perhaps even making a formal endorsement.
I guess a person with a strong personality could avoid this by saying, Yes, I will be talking about which of my potential successors I prefer, and perhaps even making a formal endorsement.
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nbcman
Donor
The 22nd amendment didn't apply to the President at the time of the amendment becoming operative. Since it was operative in March 1951, it was President Truman who the 22nd Amendment didn't apply to. President Eisenhower was the first President the 22nd Amendment applied to.
I don’t think he would have wanted to run for a third term first of all he knew he was in poor health and growing quite old. Eisenhower was someone who valued his nation on a very genuine level and he may have felt that it would have just been better for all involved if he stepped aside. He also may have been hesitant to break the two term tradition because of this and he would be much more likely to just honorably accept retirement.
Now if he did run I agree he would win but it would be quite close the age problem and running for a third term would harm him a lot. Also JFK was a partially charismatic candidate and there were a number of small scandals at the end of the Eisenhower administration that damaged Nixon in our timeline.
The amendment came into force on 27 February 1951. Eisenhower was not yet President, so he was not exempted. In fact, since the amendment was "proposed by the Congress" on 21 March 1947, the only person exempted was the President at that time, Truman. If Dewey had been elected in 1948, it would have applied to him.
Incidentally, the wording "any person holding the office... when..." is rather goofy, because there could only be one such person.
if his VP Richard Nixon wasn’t actively running …
when Francis Gary Powers is shot down on May 1, 1960, maybe Eisenhower decides that the international scene needs his stable hand. And maybe he communicates privately to Republican leaders that he wants the nomination at that Summer’s convention.
when Francis Gary Powers is shot down on May 1, 1960, maybe Eisenhower decides that the international scene needs his stable hand. And maybe he communicates privately to Republican leaders that he wants the nomination at that Summer’s convention.
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Despite age, mightn't Eisenhower have run for a third term if not legally barred if he just felt an overwhelming sense of "nobody else likely to be nominated is up for the job".
We'll never really know when Reagan's Alzheimer's began, but were Reagan to run for and win a third term I don't think he'd run again in 1992. He was definitely suffering from more serious health issues by that point, the economy was bad, and I think that Nancy Reagan would be opposed to staying in office longer. If Reagan went full on FDR and was elected to a fourth term in 1992, then I think he resigns in 1994 once he is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Even if Eishenhower would had better health at end of 1950's and in 1960 I am not sure if he would run third term unless he is too worried about Nixon becoming next president. Him had not really reason to do that.
Like Vidal stated, Reagan's son indeed told some years ago that his father had difficulties with memory and probably he knew his father and noticed that something is not right. And usually person has some minor symptoms before Alzheimer is diagnised. Usually there is some signs even years before officially diagnised. Even if Reagan is elected in 1988, his condition would be becoming noticeable bad. It would be very very clear that he either resigns during his third term or at least not run anymore fourth one. And surely even GOP establishment would be against that. Reagan just wouldn't anymore fit to post-Cold War Era and he would be already really old, even older than Biden was in 2020.
What do you all think a third Eisenhower term would be like? I am imagining he would practical and level headed during the Cuban missile crisis somewhat like Kennedy. Would he do anything notable towards civil rights or on domestic or foreign policy? And he might also be assassinated by Oswald around the same time as Kennedy because Oswald would probably kill anyone in the position (though I don’t know if butterflies would prevent this).
Eisenhower might manage to launch succesful Bay of Pigs so there is not even Cuban Missile Crisis. I think that there is not his assassination.
Foreign policy probably won't be very different from Kennedy's one. Vietnam might be anyway handled differently.
Civil Rights question might be pushed forward but not sure if there is lot of legisation.
I heard Ron, Jr. say 2 things—
One, his Dad was never the same after the 1981 assassination attempt, and
Two, given that his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s was in 1994, a slow ten year progression or thereabouts, you figure he HAD TO HAVE some issues while president
On Foreign Policy? War in Cuba, War in Laos, and a stand-off over Berlin.
On Domestic Policy and Civil Rights? Nothing of substances with some tepid mealy mouthed statements of support at best.
Ron explicitly shares that he noticed cognitive decline in the second term and that afterwards he grew so worried he spent a day shadowing Reagan — and that day did nothing to abate his concern. Source here: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ron-reagan-signs-fathers-alzheimers-white-house/story?id=12618068
I would also say in the book LANDSLIDE, which I’ve skimmed as part of my research for Last One for the Gilper, there was extensive concern among White House staff as relayed by them to the book’s authors.