# Democrats 2012 absent Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 29, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502 "2011-08-29T15:51:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/21 "2011-09-01T17:25:40Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Al Gore could always try again. Maybe third time’s the charm. I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/22 "2011-09-01T22:01:30Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Hard to envision the catastrophe such he doesn’t run. Health problems? Dunno, I see him as a guy that if you told him he would drop dead on the last day of his next term, he’d still run. Harry Truman could have run in 1952, but his approval rating was 22 percent, so he dropped out of the race, and encouraged Adlai Stevenson to run. If Stevenson had been elected president in 1952 the CIA would not have overthrown the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953, so there would have been no Iranian Revolution in 1979. The United States would have signed and honored the Geneva Agreement of 1954, so there would have been no War in Vietnam. Alas… ☹ If the economy gets worse, Obama’s approval rating will tank. He might decide that he cannot be reelected, and ask Hillary Clinton to run. I voted for Obama in the primary because he was slightly ahead of Hillary, and I thought he would have a better chance of beating John McCain. Now I think that with Bill as her number one adviser she would be better able to out think and out maneuver the Republicans. I like Barack. Nevertheless, polls indicate that on issues of taxing the rich, and cutting Social Security and Medicare the voters agree with the Democrats more than the Republicans. Obama should be rolling the Republicans, but he is not. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/23 "2011-09-02T16:36:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Harry Truman could have run in 1952, but his approval rating was 22 percent, so he dropped out of the race, and encouraged Adlai Stevenson to run. He’d already had two terms. Granted, he was officially allowed to run again under a grandfather clause in the 22nd Amendment, but then again, every president prior to him was also officially allowed to run again, having predated the 22nd entirely. I don’t think we can read any more into Truman’s decision not to run again than we can into any of the dozens of other presidents before him who made the same decision. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/24 "2011-09-03T18:17:04Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Presumably she said that assuming there won’t be an opening for a non-Obama Dem Prez candidacy until 2016. I imagine she’d at least reconsider if there was a sudden opening next year. She’d reconsider it for about 1 microsecond, then run, baby, run! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/25 "2011-09-03T18:43:52Z")
> [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](#): > > If the economy gets worse, Obama’s approval rating will tank. He might decide that he cannot be reelected, and ask Hillary Clinton to run. Wouldn’t happen. If Obama had to withdraw because of some personal crisis like a serious illness or a personal scandal, there might be an opening for Clinton to step into. But if Obama has to withdraw because of a terrible economy, he’s going to take the Democratic Party down with him for at least an election. Clinton’s not going to step into the sacrificial role of being a doomed candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/26 "2011-09-10T13:11:50Z")
I liked (and voted for) Bill Richardson last time, so I’d be happy with him at least getting a VP nod this time if Obama couldn’t go. ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/27 "2011-09-10T13:49:11Z")
My dream pick would be the [little known junior Senator of Minnesota…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken) ---
**Author:** ![PapaJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PapaJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapaJack)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/28 "2011-09-10T14:29:34Z")
We dems are in a tough situation for 2012. As much as Obama has become a personal disappointment, rolling over to the Republicons in every legislative battle, he is the only choice for next year. Putting all that aside, I too believe Franken and Richardson are good choice. Both are willing to stand up to Republicon BS, but how far any democrat can preach the return to liberal policies is hard to say. The ‘Cons have put the country into the exact situation they hoped – a strangling economy that is devastating the middle and lower class wage earner but hardly denting those at the top. ---
**Author:** ![Knocean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Knocean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knocean)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/29 "2011-09-10T14:47:20Z")
I too voted for Obama, and had such high hopes. At first I thought, “Well, I am disappointed in him, but I still respect and admire him and hope he can make changes.” Now I am disappointed to the point that I am about to give up completely on politics. Can’t stand to look at any of them or listen to them speak (including him). It’s all a bunch of crap. No one can really do anything. I am so new here that I don’t know what is the difference between “Quick Reply” and “Go Advanced.” ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/30 "2011-09-10T19:30:36Z")
> [@Knocean](#): > > I am so new here that I don’t know what is the difference between “Quick Reply” and “Go Advanced.” Hi, **Knocean**! Welcome to the boards. ‘Quick Reply’ immediately posts your reply. ‘Go Advanced’ gives you a preview of what your post will look like and gives you a visual control panel to add bold, italics, smileys, and so on. I hope you enjoy your time here! ---
**Author:** ![Knocean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Knocean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knocean)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/31 "2011-09-10T20:09:40Z")
Thanks Ace 309 - I appreciate the Welcome, and the answer to my question. I was going to include your post in this message, but when I tried, it asked for a “Title.” I thought "Title? " and checked out some other posts, not seeing any titles. So, no Quote this time. But I am going “Advanced.” I think. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/32 "2011-09-14T16:35:22Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Probably a stupid thing for me to say, but why not Dean? One word: “Yeeeeeahhhhhh!” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/33 "2011-09-14T16:52:02Z")
Franken is a very smart man who knows his public policy but not exactly brimming over with gravitas or charisma. Every time I watch him in Congress I still expect to hear him say “…and that’s why I wear…the bow tie…”. Not the inspirational leader people would flock to. I also can’t see Biden doing it. The man is a walking gaffe machine. I don’t even understand why he’s VP, to be honest. Richardson and Dean are good choices, maybe even as a joint ticket in that order. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/34 "2011-09-23T16:46:24Z")
If you ever saw a long interview with Biden, you would understand. He is extremely smart.He knows politics . He does seem to gaffe occasionally but he is a first rate politician who understands how the government works. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/35 "2011-09-23T17:00:46Z")
> [@Surbey](#): > > My dream pick would be the [little known junior Senator of Minnesota…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken) As I recall, he once wrote a book titled, “Why Not Me?” Why not him, indeed? Stepping outside the thought experiment of this thread, I’m quite seriously rooting for him to run in 2016. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502/36 "2011-09-23T19:03:15Z")
You would have to postulate some Tet Offensive like event and with the filing deadlines for the primaries it is probably awfully late to create the organizations to get on the primary ballots much less contest the primaries at this point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-2012-absent-obama/594502.md?page=1)