[arthurus]

Clinton and Bush are both demonstrations for why there should be no second terms. There should be no prohibition of second terms but sitting presidents should generally NOT be renominated. Reagan is the glaring exception, and perhaps Eisenhower.

[mkjessup]

Clinton and Bush are both demonstrations for why there should be no second terms. There should be no prohibition of second terms but sitting presidents should generally NOT be renominated. Reagan is the glaring exception, and perhaps Eisenhower.

You raise an excellent point. I agree with you that there should not be a prohibition of a second term for a President but the presumption (usually an arrogant one) that a sitting President is automatically entitled to, and will be annointed as the Party standard bearer is quite frankly un-American.

A sitting President that wishes to seek a second term should be compelled to make their case to their political party first, challengers should be encouraged, *not* discouraged, and if that sitting President is unable to convince the members of his party to renominate him, then the nomination process should be declared 'wide open', and whoever is able to emerge as the favorite, they should be nominated and the sitting President should be expected to campaign as hard for the Party's standard bearer as if it were themselves.

Personally, I'm hoping that I never see another Bush OR Clinton in the White House in my lifetime. I think America has had quite enough of *both* families.