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Incumbents who fought uphill to win over their parties struggled to get reelected, history warns
PBS ^ | 07/03/2024 | Bill Barrow

Posted on 07/05/2024 6:51:24 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

ATLANTA (AP) — There’s plenty of worry among Democrats about whether 81-year-old President Joe Biden is up to the job itself or the task of defeating Donald Trump.

Previous presidential campaigns offer lessons. None convey reasons for optimism.

Going back to Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, several presidents eligible for reelection faced significant primary challenges or questions about whether they should run again. George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford pushed forward and won their nominations, only to be defeated in November. Johnson opted to withdraw — and Democrats lost anyway.

Biden had no real primary fight. But his allies now acknowledge how poorly the president performed in his debate against Trump. They’ve fretted privately about Biden’s ability to serve until he is 86, and, more immediately, whether he can keep the job by defeating the Republican former president — himself a 78-year-old saddled with a felony conviction, other indictments and voter concerns over his values and temperament.

The warning from history is ominous: Incumbent presidents still working to consolidate and reassure their own party this late in a first term typically do not get a second.

(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: history; incumbents; parties; reelected
Ford had his Poland is not a eastern block country and Bush 41 with read my lips and Perot.
1 posted on 07/05/2024 6:51:24 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Great! Now I see why homosexuals, planned parenthood chemical murder, unblind justice and tranny bathrooms are the new conservative.
Any compromise for power.
#EarnMyProlifeVote #HowToLoseChurchVotes


2 posted on 07/05/2024 6:55:01 AM PDT by momincombatboots (BQEphesians 6... who you are really at war with.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

And Jimmy Carter grappled with the Iran hostage crisis, energy crisis, and malaise.


3 posted on 07/05/2024 6:55:23 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Jimmy did a great job of micro-managing the tennis court reservation/schedule!


4 posted on 07/05/2024 6:59:49 AM PDT by Cold_Red_Steel
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To: Cold_Red_Steel

yep I remember those stories of Jimmy managing the tennis court schedule. A good example of Jimmy spending his time on the wrong things.


5 posted on 07/05/2024 7:05:33 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Ah yes. PBS. They’re on the chopping block.


6 posted on 07/05/2024 7:07:28 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: ChicagoConservative27

From the article, “several presidents eligible for reelection faced significant primary challenges or questions about whether they should run again.”

The Democrats did not allow any primary challenges. Robert Kenedy Jr. is now outpolling Biden in some demographics in many areas.


7 posted on 07/05/2024 8:07:45 AM PDT by fireman15 (Irritating people are the grit from which we fashion our pearl. I provide the grit. You're Welcome.)
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