The Return of the One-Term Presidency

Between 1824–1932, the United States had 26 Presidents. From John Quincy Adams to Herbert Hoover. Of those, only three, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant and Woodrow Wilson, served two full terms. Two were re-elected, Lincoln and McKinley, but died before the completion of their second term. Grover Cleveland was the only President to be elected twice, non-consecutively. Six died in office and Wilson had a stroke during the last 18 months of his second term and died shortly after leaving the White House.

Most of these men were “one-term wonders.” William Henry Harrison died 31 days after becoming president, in 1841 and John Tyler became the first Vice President to ascend to the office.(He also has a living grandson) But most have been forgotten to history.

I bring this up because we seem to be embarking, at least, in the short-term, on yet another period of one-term presidencies. Since 1952, there have been just two one-term presidents (Carter and G.H.W. Bush). Kennedy was assassinated and Ford became president when Nixon resigned.

Along comes Donald Trump and he becomes an interesting case. He (likely) will run again and (probably) face one of these five-to-seven candidates: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigeg or either Amy Kolbuchar/Tulsi Gabbard.

Now, as much as I wished the Geritol set (Biden, Warren and Sanders) to sit this one out, they didn’t. Sanders is 77 (b. 1941), Biden 76 (1942) and Warren, who will be 70 on June 22, all…