In case the unthinkable happens and George gets a second term...

[WilliamPitt]

...some history to remember:

Johnson's second term (technically, as he assumed office in 1963) ended with the Vietnam debacle cashiering his political career.

Nixon's second term ended with Watergate.

Reagan's second term was dominated and desecrated by Iran/Contra.

Clinton's second term featured an impeachment.

Johnson, Nixon and Reagan began their second terms with epic landslide victories.

Keep it in mind.

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. Will...do you know

In which term did Nixon and Reagan appoint their supreme court justices?

Because thats a HUGE thing looming on the horizon should Bush get a second term.

[WilliamPitt]

5. Reagan tried Bork in 1987

and that turned to dust, so he appointed Ginsberg, who backed off because he admitted smoking dope. Reagan finally got Kennedy on the court in 1988. He got Scalia in 1986. He got O'Connor in 1981.

Nixon appointed Blackmun in 1970. He got Renquist in 1972.

[tom_paine]

2. That was during the Days of the Old American Republic

I think the extent to which those examples are relevant depends on how successful we (the collective "we") are at helping to restore the System of Checks and Balances.

Unfortunately, as I see it, that goal is absolutely impossible with a Bush "victory" (ie a Kerry victory with a less than 10% margin) in November.

It is something to keep in mind, but I wonder how relevant those examples are to the New Amerika we live in today.

Sorry to be a killjoy, Will. It was a good post, but this HAD to be said.

[kentuck]

4. Also, if Bush were to win....

He would probably have a Repub Senate and House, and they could stonewall just about any investigation for as long as they wished..

[GOPisEvil]

3. Talk about your pyrrhic victories though...

I hate to see what this bunch will dream up without having to think about re-election.

[VelmaD]

6. Don't even put that thought out there.

I don't want the universe to get any strange ideas.

[seabeyond]

7. thanks william you are just right

bushie boy does get second term, and all the mire he createds in first term is going to come to fruitation. good for you, thanks for sharing. yup

[JanMichael]

8. Keep in mind that Reagan had a Democratic House for 8 years.

IIRC.

The New Deal was still the paradigm and the Supreme Court wasn't as pliable. Tip O'Neil could still run rings around the Repukes.

The situation today is vastly different with essentially One Party control of the Federal Government, on top of that it's a Right Wing Party to boot.

No warm fuzzies I'm afraid.