My question is if Obama loses in 2012 should he step aside in 2016?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

I'm interested in this dynamic because while two years or six years is a political eternity and much can and will change he is right now on track to be a one and done. Due to his age and his political base he could be a factor in the next 5 or 6 presidential election cycles.

[wndycty]

1. If he is defeated in 2012? Why would he dare to run in 2016?

:kick:

[Joe Bacon]

17. Grover Cleveland was the only President who pulled that off

And it was because of the massive corruption under Harrison. Nobody's been able to do that since 1892.

[GSLevel9]

22. +1

if he loses in 2012 he goes on the talk/booksigning circuit to be followed by 40 years of golf, family vacations and opulence.

[frazzled]

2. Puhleeze

Why don't you take one day at a time. Think about today, tomorrow, and next week. Because everything changes after that. Speculation is an idle game.

[stray cat]

3. Politicians seldom rise from the dead to regain the presidency after losing to the other side

[Tesha]

25. "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore"

[liberal N proud]

4. If he loses in 2012, what would 2016 have to do with it?

Presidents rarely if ever run for office again once they are out of office.

[Mz Pip]

5. If he loses in 2012

it won't matter much what he does in 2016. He will have lost ecause he lost his base and they won't be caring too much about what he says or does in 2016. That's politics.

[muffin1]

6. I guess it depends on why he loses in 2012

and what happens between then and 2016. :shrug:

[Skink]

7. If another democrat takes office and they have the chance they should...

nominate Obama for the supreme court.

[Tesha]

24. Why? (NT)

[CJCRANE]

8. Is there a competition to see how many different ways

this meme can be pushed?

Seems like variations of it have been pushed pretty hard the last few days.

The Pro-Obama people out there need to push a counteracting meme louder and more often.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. 1) won't have a choice 2) no he isn't.

If Obama loses in 2012 he will not be a factor in subsequent elections. See Jimmy Carter. On the other hand your assertion that he is 'on track to be a one and done' is nonsense. See Bill Clinton.

[Arkana]

10. If he's beaten in 2012 (he won't be), there'd be no call for him to run in 2016.

Democrats would want to move on from a guy with the stink of loser on him.

[LiberalFighter]

11. unrec --- Resources are being wasted with hypotheticals when now, 2011 and 2012 are more important.

[Peacetrain]

12. 2016? I am not following this at all..

[tritsofme]

13. I have pondered this dynamic before. Due to those factors you mentioned, the media would be

clamoring for a 2016 rematch, especially if his presumed Republican successor were to be a failure.

If Obama does not win reelection in 2012, I think the prospect of Obama running would loom large every four years in the Democratic primary field for a very long time, even if there wasn't a realistic chance he would do so.

And if he were to win we could have an interesting debate as to whether he could legally seek a third term. But thinking about this makes me feel like I have way too much time on my hands.

[Ter]

14. What debate? If he loses in 2012, he can serve one more term period

Even if it's 2024, he can run then, but if he wins he can't run again in 2028, 2032, or ever again. Two terms only, but they don't have to be consecutive.

[tritsofme]

16. You are right.

I was thinking of something else.

[craigmatic]

15. He will step aside if he loses. By that point somebody new will come along.

[Amonester]

18. If that happens, I so want that somebody new will be Alan Grayson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ery7RZ4tZ2Y&NR=1

Talk about my kind of POTUSOA! I even have a recurrent 2012 dream! :kick:

[WI_DEM]

19. Obama will not lose and it's too early to speak of 2016, one election at a time.

[MBS]

20. he's not going to lose in 2012 n/t

[Tesha]

26. You mean he's going to resign (or be impeached and convicted) first?

'Cause he is absolutely going to lose if he stands for election
in 2012.

Tesha

[Phx_Dem]

21. He's not going to lose, but it sounds like alot you hope he does.

[DrToast]

23. If Obama wins in 2012, he should definitely step aside in 2016

;)