The Myth of the Beloved Wartime President

Topic: Elections

There are idioms, whoppers, and wives’ tales scattered throughout the political landscape, and to take it a step further, the general historical landscape.  Most of the time, these are not meant to be malicious or destructive to another – they are just misinformed.  Take for instance, the existence of Texas as a Republican stronghold for all-time.  A quick check of facts would show that Texas has actually been a Democrat stronghold for most of its history as a U.S. State and has only changed its presidential stripe in the past four decades, and at the state level, in the past two.  Your modern Republican capital of the country is actually Arizona, and for the long-run, Maine, which backed all but three GOP presidential nominees from 1856 through 1988.

In these pages, I have mentioned that I, like many others, believe violence is a real possibility in 2024’s designed election interference plots.  From my New Year’s Predictions, of which three are already spot-on:

VI.           Violence (or War) will be the “COVID” of 2024

Branch COVIDians will be disappointed to read that their dysfunctional masquerade will likely be overlooked for lack of public interest and unwillingness for law enforcement to continue the scam that destroyed small business, child development, and basic personal interaction for nearly two years; still, with Joe Biden or any Democrat unable to defeat President Trump in a fair election, something will have to be cooked up to convince people it is too dangerous to emerge from their homes, and give a nudge for election procedures to be loosened just a little bit more, as if there is much slack left to give.

Politicians from both parties, especially Joe Biden, are chomping at the bit to bang the war drums, especially against Russia and China, now that warmongering on behalf of Israel seems to have run its course.  Why would foreign entanglements help Biden?  People pushing those buttons know wartime presidents have historically received extra political grace from the public because in the past, Americans have been unwilling to change horses in the middle of a massive war.  The public’s awakening toward wars of choice may circumvent this historical note, so it would make sense that massive, coordinated cartel violence in major metros, along with violence from the military-aged men of many nationalities, would serve to destabilize the American public and create a narrative for the government to exercise greater control for what they will inevitably describe as the public safety.  Read here if you want to see what happens along the border, more than a thousand miles from where it is dotted on your map.

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The 22^nd Amendment to the United States Constitution limited any individual to just two terms, consecutive or non-consecutive, as President.  That is because, after 144 years of precedent from George Washington declining a kingship and setting a standard observed by 30 more presidents (granted, a number that includes some who weren’t reelected, or died in office), Franklin D. Roosevelt discarded this unwritten rule in 1940 and ran for a third presidential term rather than hand over power to someone else.  This was done under the guise of economic recovery under the New Deal and of course, with Europe and Asia engulfed in what would eventually lasso the United States in unfathomable combat, Americans were hesitant to change horses, although his victory against Republican Wendell Willkie showed some signs of administration fatigue.

Anyway – how have Americans typically responded to wartime, or even violence-time, presidents?

War of 1812 (1812-15)

President: Madison

War was declared late in Madison’s first term and didn’t keep him from reelection that fall.  He gave way to fellow Jeffersonian Republican James Monroe, who was elected in 1816.

Mexican War (1846-48)

President: Polk

I consider Polk, who promised to run for just one term and kept it, one of our most successful presidents and one who may resemble Donald Trump to those who come after us.  Nevertheless, America changes horses from Polk’s Democrat Party and elected Whig Zachary Taylor, who was a hero of the Mexican War.

Civil War (1861-65)

President: Lincoln

Lincoln was re-elected in the closing months of the Civil War, which was fought for the preservation of the Union itself, although the Democrats were trying to rip elections off with mail-balloting even back then.  Confederate states, which would have backed the Democrat, General George B. McClellan, were not eligible.  Lincoln won the Electoral College 212-21.

Spanish-American War (1898-1902)