Originally Posted By DlandDug >>That's baloney. No incumbent candidate whoever ran for higher office has done this.<< Really? Really? Certainly not since John "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Kerry ran. But surely we can think back... 'way back to, say 1996? "Ladies and gentlemen, one of the qualities of American politics that distinguishes us from other nations is that we judge our politicians as much by the manner in which they leave office as by the vigor with which they pursue it. You do not lay claim to the office you hold. It lays claim to you. Your obligation is to bring to it the gifts you can of labor and honesty and then to depart with grace. And my time to leave this office has come. And I will seek the Presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people and nowhere to go but the White House or home." --Senator Bob Dole
Originally Posted By DlandDug Dole went on to say: "Six times, six times I've run for Republican leader of the United States Senate, and six times my colleagues, giving me their trust, have elected me, and I'm proud of that. So my campaign for the President is not nearly about attaining office. It's about fundamental things, consequential things, things that are real. My campaign is about telling the truth. It's about doing what is right. It's about electing a President who's not attracted to the glories of the office but, rather, to its difficulties. It's about electing a President once he takes office who will keep his perspective and remain by his deepest nature and inclination one of the people. Therefore, as the campaign for the Presidency begins in earnest, it is my obligation to the Senate and to the people of America to leave behind all the trappings of power, all comfort, and all security." But hey, he lost, so what does he know...
Originally Posted By johnno52 >One guy, 1996. Ooooo, a trend.< If this is not the norm, then what does it say about the conviction, dedication and integrity of the many others than have and are running?
Originally Posted By jonvn "Really? Really?" Good for you, you found one. I guess you win a cookie. That just goes to show never say never. In any case, they don't generally resign, and running for office is part of the job. That's how it is.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Ooooo, a trend.<< Why so touchy? I didn't say anything about a trend. I was responding to the flat assertion that, "No incumbent candidate whoever ran for higher office has done this [resigned]." Which was, you know, wrong. And was wrong very recently. That's all. 15 Senators have become President. Of them, only two (Warren G. Harding and John F. Kennedy) were still in the Senate when they ran for office. They resigned from office after being elected President.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo So does that mean, do not run for office while senator? It seems the trend is they leave that office via the undertaker!
Originally Posted By jonvn "So does that mean, do not run for office while senator?" Harding died in San Francisco, you know. In the Presidential Suite of the Palace Hotel. It's still there. I think they changed the sheets since then, though, so it's probably ok.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Regardless of the trends, regardless of the here's-why-they-don'ts, regardless of the coulda-woulda-shouldas... resign.
Originally Posted By talaner >>They'll resign when you do.<< Really? Really? Or are you just, you know, wrong again.