2004: President Bush versus former President Clinton

[Sir Mohamed]

Let's assume the 22nd Amendment only applies to consecutive terms and a former prez is allowed to run again after leaving office. In late 2003, Bill Clinton decides to jump into the 2004 race, gets the Dem nomination and runs on his record in office from 1993 to 2001. He faces off against heasily is successor, W., whose term just happens as it did in the real world. Who wins? Discuss with maps. Parts of the South should be interesting.

[MIKESOWELL]

Well, if this goes as it did in real life Clinton would have to drop out of the race soon after being renominated for a third time after experiencing chest pains in early September 2004 and needing heart surgery.
 

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

It would be kind of funny for Clinton to win, be popular initially as the economy continued to recover from the early 2000s recession (though not sure what he does in Iraq), and then preside over the 2008 crash.

[President Johnson]

Given that 2004 was already modestly close, I think Bubba would have won the election. He was popular at the time, though his numbers would have taken a hit upon announcing his candidacy.

✓ Former President William J. Clinton (D-AR)/Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA): 301 EV. (50.27%)
President George W. Bush (R-TX)/Vice President Richard B. Cheney (R-WY): 237 EV. (48.15%)

[Pollster]

Clinton of the 90's succeeded because of his relentless and successful focus on the economy. A Bill Clinton Presidency in a post-9/11 world in which he had to manage the Iraq War would have been a massive change, and for all we know, could have totally eroded his popularity.

[morgankingsley]

Bill wins