Possible REP Or DEM Canidates For President In 2016

[Ben.]

Senators Harold Ford or Barack Obama

[Ben.]

Sen. Harold Ford (TN)

HAHAHAHA... wha, is he gonna run for State Senate?  No, wait, Republicans almost beat the Fords in their home district, the most Democratic district in the state, so maybe not.  I guess he could run for Student Senate at one of our Community Colleges.

Play nice Don.

Ford may be a long shot, but he's doing much better in the polls than either Santorum or Harris, both of whom are not generally counted as out for the count. I think you dismiss him way too easily.

[Ben.]

We're 11 years out, folks...

Predictions can be made...

A guess of John Kerry in '93 wouldn't have been too unreasonable [although I doubt many would have seen a nine-year Senator as "rising star" material]--but no-one would have been able to predict the situation in 2004 in 1993, certainly.

But in 1989, who'd have guessed that George W. Bush would have run for President in 2000.

Bob Dole in 1985--not unreasonable, although most people would have pegged him for '88, not '96.

Bill Clinton in 1981?  An unknown governor of Arkansas who served for a brief two years before being thrown out of office?

Michael Dukakis in 1977?  Maybe.  An up-and-coming Governor of Massachusetts two years into office...

George Bush in 1977?  People were thinking about him for 1980, if at all.

Walter Mondale in 1973?  Not too bad of a guess--a one-term senator who just won re-election in 1972 of all years...

Ronald Reagan in 1969?  Not a bad guess, considering he'd made an effort the previous year.  Although talk would have been more focused (and for good reason) on 1976.

Jimmy Carter in 1965?  An unknown Georgia State Senator?  I don't think so.

Gerald Ford in 1965?  Not the most likely of candidates, as House Minority Leader, but certainly could have been talked about (if quickly dismissed) in abstract terms.

George McGovern in 1961?  A former South Dakota Congressman who just lost an election for Senate?  Not very likely.

Richard Nixon in 1957?  Certainly, although few would have guessed 1968 for him.

Hubert Humphrey in 1957?  Certainly could have (and probably would have) been on people's lists (perhaps for sooner than 1968).

Barry Goldwater in 1953?  A rising star at the time (having unseated the Senate Majority Leader)--and, for once, a rising star who actually got the nomination down the road.

Lyndon Johnson in 1953?  Another rising star, the new Senate Minority Leader thanks to Goldwater's unseating of the prior leader.

JFK in 1949?  An Congressman from the Boston area--politically well-heeled, but unknown outside Massachusetts, certainly.

Nixon in 1949?  After Alger Hiss, he was certainly well-known at the time...

Stevenson in 1941/5?  An Assistant Secretary of the Navy?  No-one had heard of the guy.

Dwight D. Eisenhower in November 1941?  Some random Brigadier General--don't think so.

Thomas E. Dewey in 1937?  The new DA in Manhattan isn't a bad position for a Republican in 1937...but enough to consider him Presidential material?  Apparently, he did, as he ran in 1940 anyway.

Harry Truman in 1937?  Possible, as a freshman Senator, but not *that* likely.

Thomas E. Dewey in 1933?  Who?

Wendell Wilkie in 1929?  Some Democrat lawyer--least likely candidate ever.

Alf Landon in 1925?  Some random liberal Republican in Kansas...nope.

FDR in 1921?  Sure--akin to John Edwards, the guy who just lost his race for VP.

Hoover in 1917?  Well known, well-respected--why didn't he run earlier?

Al Smith in 1917?  Sherrif of Manhattan--perhaps significant--assuming he got elected Governor at some point.

John W. Davis in 1913?  US Solictor Generals make great Presidents, riiight...

Calvin Coolidge in 1913?  Some random State Senator...

James Cox in 1909?  Local Ohio newspaperman and freshman Congressman--not exactly highest caliber.

Warren G. Harding in 1909?  Local Ohio newspaperman four years out of a term as Lieutenant Governor.  Heck, if Harding had a chance, we should be considering Sherrod Brown for President come 2016...

Charles Evans Hughes in 1905?  A New York lawyer---hmm, I don't think so

Woodrow Wilson in 1905?  President of Princeton.


There have been cases when it could be predicted...but they're few and far between.

Calvin Coolidge in 1913?

Al Gore '89.

i agree 100%.......
i think that the one to watch, if he doesn't die or be found in a compromising position with a bowl of goldfish or the world doesn't end would be Sen. Barack Obama.....

Agreed he's the only real "star" in the Senate... save perhaps McCain, though McCain last chance is rolling round in 08 while Obama first chance is still a long way off.

Obama will have to be careful not to acquire the voting record of an ultra-liberal though, and so far he seems to be avoiding mimicking the exploits of the Durbin’s and Boxer’s of this world… his committee work is also excellent by all accounts.