# Am I deluded for thinking Trump will not even seek re-election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 16, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232 "2018-06-16T23:36:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![lyannawolfgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lyannawolfgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lyannawolfgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/101 "2018-06-26T15:20:17Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > also Clinton had been bashed since 92, pretty much non stop. She was just as disliked as Bill among the GOP , maybe even more so. But it was “her turn” for many people. Can I just say thank you for calling her Clinton? It drove me nuts and it still does. No one’s going to confuse her with Bill, he ran like, 20 years ago? But yeah she was the most experienced candidate we would have ever had as president. And technically it was her turn. But she was not a good candidate and I was nervous from the start. But I was so sure Trump could not win. Damn you Nate Silver, I’ll never trust you again! People have hated her so long I think they don’t know why they hate her anymore. Because she “let” Bill have an affair? JFK had Marilyn Monroe to the White House Swimming pool, I think, and does anyone blame Jackie for that? Anyway. Bernie would’ve had a better chance because it was all about the populist vote and jobs and money and a lot of people were really drawn to that. They wanted something new. Socialist democracy even! Our first ethnically Jewish president! Of course a female president would’ve been new but that’s not what they wanted. And Of course Bernie would not have gotten votes from the people who hate brown people or are afraid of them and were coming off of eight years of Obama who they were actually convinced was a terrorist, or a secret Muslim, or an alien space lizard or whatever the hell. With the history of race in this country, after our first (half) black president, we should’ve expected this white supremacist, race baiting backlash, and we better have a damn good candidate ready for 2020. ---
**Author:** ![lyannawolfgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lyannawolfgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lyannawolfgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/102 "2018-06-26T15:25:34Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > also Clinton had been bashed since 92, pretty much non stop. She was just as disliked as Bill among the GOP , maybe even more so. But it was “her turn” for many people. > [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > there have been other people who were weak but yet ran since it was their turn - Dole, Mondale and McCain are 3 examples from the past 30 years. So true. Poor old McCain. Is he still With us? I’ve been on anews blackout because it makes me insanely upset to watch this shit happen. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/103 "2018-06-26T16:13:47Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t think it’s unfortunate. I think the Great Compromise was a reasonable and just compromise in the drafting of the Constitution, and our continuing to honor it is appropriate. The Great Compromise was a way of ensuring that slaveholders wouldn’t be outvoted. It was a necessary compromise to keep the new nation united during its early years. But since slavery was abolished 153 years ago, I don’t see the point of continuing to honor the compromise with those who made their fortunes through the forced labor of their slaves. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/104 "2018-06-26T16:36:24Z")
McCain is alive but has brain cancer so he may not last much longer and he’s 81. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/105 "2018-06-26T16:49:07Z")
> [@lyannawolfgirl](#): > > And technically it was her turn. No, it’s never anyone’s “turn” to be President. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/106 "2018-06-26T17:13:30Z")
It’s really not too surprising that you haven’t heard of Hickenlooper yet. I’ve heard of him because I’ve been following who the likely candidates are, and Coloradans have heard of him because he’s their governor, but there’s no need for most of the country to have heard of a potential presidential candidate this far in advance. The candidate doesn’t need to be someone who’s already famous; they’ll become famous enough by virtue of being the candidate. When was the first time you heard of Obama, or of G. W. Bush, or Bill Clinton? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/107 "2018-06-26T17:14:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The Great Compromise was a way of ensuring that slaveholders wouldn’t be outvoted. > > It was a necessary compromise to keep the new nation united during its early years. > > But since slavery was abolished 153 years ago, I don’t see the point of continuing to honor the compromise with those who made their fortunes through the forced labor of their slaves. There were (at least) two separate compromises. You seem to be referring to the [3/5 Compromise](https://constitution.laws.com/three-fifths-compromise). That’s quite a separate kettle of fish from [the Great Compromise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Compromise). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/108 "2018-06-26T17:40:52Z")
The rural-urban divide wasn’t much different from the slave-free divide, though. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/109 "2018-06-26T17:47:30Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > There were (at least) two separate compromises. You seem to be referring to the [3/5 Compromise](https://constitution.laws.com/three-fifths-compromise). That’s quite a separate kettle of fish from [the Great Compromise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Compromise). We were talking about the compromise with respect to the election of the Presidency via electoral votes. Either that, or your remark that I responded to was a complete non-sequitur. So we’re talking about the combination of the two. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/110 "2018-06-26T18:29:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If Oprah runs, it’ll be a joke. There are plenty of real contenders out there, like Colorado governor John Hickenlooper. Glad you made it back to this thread. Could you provide an answer this question: > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Huh? What limits do you understand there to be on the amendment process, and where do those limits stem from? Please be specific. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/111 "2018-06-26T18:33:33Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > We were talking about the compromise with respect to the election of the Presidency via electoral votes. Either that, or your remark that I responded to was a complete non-sequitur. So we’re talking about the combination of the two. Nothing I’ve said in this thread (other than pointing out your confusion) has anything to do with slavery or the 3/5 compromise. Could you explain what you mean by “your remark that I responded to was a complete non-sequitur”? Perhaps it would help if you briefly summarized your understanding of the “Great Compromise”? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/112 "2018-06-26T20:29:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Trump’s already “joking” about how he won’t leave office after two terms. There’s no way he won’t run again if he’s able. Aw, man, did you have to remind me? Let’s not create a thread tangent for this, but I for one am a firm believer in that the following is possible after Trump’s second term: (a) Trump runs for VP on a ticket with some lackey; (b) The Trump supporters elect them; (c) The Democrats claim, “The 12th Amendment prevents Trump from being VP”; (d) Trump points out, “I am still constitutionally eligible to be President, so I can be VP”; (e) The Democrats respond, “The 22nd Amendment says otherwise” (f) Trump responds back, “The 22nd Amendment says I can’t be _ **elected** _ President again; it says nothing about becoming President through another means.” (g) Five Supreme Court justices say, “Trump is right on this one.” (h) President Lackey resigns; President Trump! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/113 "2018-06-26T23:49:35Z")
Obviously the limits on the amendment process stem from the portion of the Constitution which establishes the amendment process in the first place, and are as laid out in that portion. As **ElvisL1ves** already pointed out (he and I were referring to the same Constitution, after all). I’m not sure why you missed it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/114 "2018-06-27T00:03:26Z")
I’m still wondering why the limit on amendment subjects can’t be amended too. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/115 "2018-06-27T05:51:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Obviously the limits on the amendment process stem from the portion of the Constitution which establishes the amendment process in the first place, and are as laid out in that portion. As **ElvisL1ves** already pointed out (he and I were referring to the same Constitution, after all). I’m not sure why you missed it. I think you’re factually wrong here, and having a hard time admitting it, so let me see if I can help you get there: Do you take the phrase “no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate” to mean that any amendment to this clause is impossible? Earlier you wrote “Actually it’s this that’s factually wrong. We can change almost anything about our government by passing an amendment. The enshrined inequality of representation is the one thing that we can’t.” To my eye, that’s not what “without its consent” means. It specifically leaves open a route to amend that section of the Constitution through peaceful means. Agree or disagree? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/116 "2018-06-27T12:47:42Z")
OK, true, you could abolish the inequality of representation in our system if _every state in the Union_ agreed to it. And that’s theoretically possible. But it’s so far beyond the requirements even of the usual amendment process that I think it’s fair to ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/117 "2018-06-27T14:01:45Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > I’m wondering if the Donald will even try to seek another term as POTUS. IMHO, he accomplished everything he wanted the second Hilary Clinton conceded the election. Everything else is just angering the blues, making more business contacts, traveling the world with heavily armed security on the taxpayer’s dime and being a constant fixture on every possible headline, magazine and blog. I really suspect he would rather not seek out a new term by bowing out rather than face another election he may not win. > > I’d like to believe that if a halfway sane and publicly acceptable primate showed up to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination then the party leadership would quietly encourage the POTUS to step down - or, maybe, not quietly. I wouldn’t mind seeing a huge public meltdown within the party structure. Note that I have no clue who this alternate Republican candidate might be. I can’t think of any I’d trust. > > Maybe it’s just wishful thinking. Maybe I’m delusional, I don’t know. What are the odds Trump won’t even try to get another term? I’d say the odds of Trump not running are pretty low. Not zero, but at this point you’d have to ask the question…why wouldn’t he run? He has a pretty good base of support, and they are pretty fired up about all the idiotic stuff he does. He’s got them convinced that everything he does is part of a master strategy, that it’s working exactly as he predicted, and that there is a ‘deep state’ that is actively conspiring to get him (and manufacturing ‘evidence’ to impeach him). Oh, and the media are all liars and are part of the conspiracy as well. He is like a CTer, but one that is able to convince those who believe in him (I think it’s the hair…it has some sort of hypnotic effect on those susceptible to his blandishments), and to swallow anything he puts out there. At this point, he doesn’t know who the Dems will run. For all he knows, it will be Sanders or Hillary again…or someone else he feels he will have no trouble beating. So there isn’t any downside to him running again. Unless the situation changes and all of the house of cards he’s built start to fall down and people see him for what he is and what he’s done in a clear light, if his trade war chickens come home to roost and the economy tanks and he’s not able to handwave that away and deflect to someone else, if his immigration policies come back to bite him and create a wave of revulsion and disgust in enough people…well, unless all that happens AND the Dems run someone who the majority of the American people want, instead of a darling of the left, then there is no point in him not running. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/118 "2018-06-27T16:37:50Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I’d say the odds of Trump not running are pretty low. Not zero, but at this point you’d have to ask the question…why wouldn’t he run? He has a pretty good base of support, and they are pretty fired up about all the idiotic stuff he does. He’s got them convinced that everything he does is part of a master strategy, that it’s working exactly as he predicted, and that there is a ‘deep state’ that is actively conspiring to get him (and manufacturing ‘evidence’ to impeach him). Oh, and the media are all liars and are part of the conspiracy as well. He is like a CTer, but one that is able to convince those who believe in him (I think it’s the hair…it has some sort of hypnotic effect on those susceptible to his blandishments), and to swallow anything he puts out there. > > At this point, he doesn’t know who the Dems will run. For all he knows, it will be Sanders or Hillary again…or someone else he feels he will have no trouble beating. So there isn’t any downside to him running again. Unless the situation changes and all of the house of cards he’s built start to fall down and people see him for what he is and what he’s done in a clear light, if his trade war chickens come home to roost and the economy tanks and he’s not able to handwave that away and deflect to someone else, if his immigration policies come back to bite him and create a wave of revulsion and disgust in enough people…well, unless all that happens AND the Dems run someone who the majority of the American people want, instead of a darling of the left, then there is no point in him not running. How can you make an analysis of the situation without building into it the fact that he has a lot of corruption investigations going on all at once, from many sides? There is a giant forest he is in, and he is not in control of it. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/119 "2018-06-27T17:03:39Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > How can you make an analysis of the situation without building into it the fact that he has a lot of corruption investigations going on all at once, from many sides? There is a giant forest he is in, and he is not in control of it. Well, I did say unless the situation changes. Obviously, if he’s found guilty of something that will be a major change. Certainly all of the investigations are throwing some doubt in some peoples minds about whether this guy should be president, but so far he’s been able to deflect his base and throw doubt (in their minds) about how valid those investigations are. To date I don’t think, in Trump’s own mind at least, there would be any issue with him running for another term. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232/120 "2018-06-27T17:11:58Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Well, I did say unless the situation changes. Obviously, if he’s found guilty of something that will be a major change. Certainly all of the investigations are throwing some doubt in some peoples minds about whether this guy should be president, but so far he’s been able to deflect his base and throw doubt (in their minds) about how valid those investigations are. To date I don’t think, in Trump’s own mind at least, there would be any issue with him running for another term. I’m not with you on this. Trumps mind is full of stuff. It’s a circus in there and he is not oblivious. This is why I think an analysis can also not ignore this. It does have a tendency to playing the “Fox” game where he is “teflon” for the purposes of public debate, because that’s the business plan, no matter what. That is not the business plan of America. The situation is changing every day. When would you admit to a change? Flynn, gates, manafort, papadop, Cohen, Prince? When is it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-deluded-for-thinking-trump-will-not-even-seek-re-election/816232.md?page=7)