One Term Presidents

Looking at the list, overall they are not very memorable presidencies other than the complete disasters. Though some were not complete and total failures at the presidency, their accomplishments are few and are not remembered well at all. Carter's one real accomplishment was Camp David, and that still did little to make peace in the Middle East. The other's are a collection of either utter failures or complete bores.

In fact, the only presidents who were beloved to have served one term or less were assassinated while in office!

So Gibbs' pronouncement that Barack Obama is willing to be a one term president so long as he does the right thing for America really doesn't really have an historical analog.

To put it succinctly, such a thing hasn't happened yet.

First African American US President

4 years, 8 years, it doesn't matter.

Other than that, all he is really remembered for is botching the Panic of 1837.

a watered down crappy reform he may get re-elected but not so sure.... no reform.... i don't think anyone is getting re-elected if they don't get it done. honestly... people want SOMETHING done.

His point -

Obama is focused on the present and is doing what he thinks is right; what he thinks is best for this country and isn't focused on the next election.

Of course he wants to be re-elected - and he will be.

We know that if the public option (must be careful that I spell that one correctly!) is passed it will assure him a second term, and if he doesn't then he'll lose his base (that would be us). But he's fucking with their heads so they think he'll be a one termer if he passes the bill. Ergo, they all rally round his bill thinking they'll ruin him.

That is their stated goal.

he wants two terms. They all want two terms

indicate that he's way more interested in getting re-elected than in representing the views of the people who ELECTED him in the first place.

remember what you said about health care reform during the campaign, mr. president?

remember who your employer is mr. president?

He could have just blamed the economy. Indeed, President Obama was criticized early on for not backing down from healthcare, and trying to do too much in the midst of a recession. President Obama could have easily avoided this mess by taking a pass.

..... Granted, definitely one, probably both of those terms were illegitimate to begin with.