How Do You Feel About Cleveland?
Grover Cleveland was born on this day in 1837. I suppose historians could tell me about his significance, but to the average American, he's known for one thing--he served as President for two non-consecutive terms. He was elected in 1884 and 1892. In between (a good trivia question) he lost--even though he got more votes--to Benjamin Harrison.
Of course, like, say, a triple play, things have to be set up right for it to happen. In most games you don't even get in a situation where there can be a triple play, and in most elections, there's no chance or not much of a chance for a President who's lost to run again. It'd be interesting to see. Let's say if Trump loses, would he try again, or would he figure that's enough (or would his party figure that's enough).
Anyway, good work, Grover. You will be forever remembered as a guy who didn't quit. I wonder if they put your stuff in storage for four years, or if you had to re-supply everything when you tossed those Harrison people out?
*I guess you could argue that FDR was elected to non-consecutive terms. He won four times, so election 1 and 3, 2 and 4, and 1 and 4 were non-consecutive.
posted by LAGuy @ 7:00 AM
3 Comments:
Technically, the United States of America had sixteen presidential terms before George Washington: the First Continental Congress had two (from 9/1774 to 10/1774), the Second Continental Congress had five (from 5/1775 to 2/1781), and the government under the Articles of Confederation had nine* (from 3/1781 to 11/1788).
Only fourteen men served in these sixteen terms. Two men served non-consecutive terms. Peyton Randolph was #1 and #3. John Hancock was #4 and #13.
The reason that Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence in big letters isn't so King George could read it without his glasses. It was because he was President in July 1776.
His title was actually "President of the Continental Congress," but why quibble? He signed a document on behalf of "the United States of America." And under the Articles, the title became "President of the United States in Congress Assembled" -- which is pretty close to our current title.
Some people think the reason we don't teach kids about the sixteen Pre-Washingtonian Presidents is that they weren't important. After all, they didn't have executive powers; they presided over the legislature, like the Speaker of the House does today. But they were really cool! Henry Laurens (#5) was captured by the British and imprisoned in the Tower of London. John Jay (#6) later became the first Chief Justice.
Maybe the reason we try to forget them is that when Henry Middleton (#2) was captured by the British, he switched sides and became a Tory! Confusion seems to have been in his genes; his great-grandsons were the brothers were the Middleton brothers Edward and Williams Middleton of South Carolina, who became leaders on opposite sides during the Civil War.
* Or ten if you count Samuel Huntington, who was the last elected by the 2nd CC and continued in the post in the first few months under the Articles. See Presidents of the Continental Congress and Articles of Confederation for details.
In third grade, my parents gave me the World Almanac as a birthday or Christmas present. It had a list of the Forgotten Sixteen Presidents that amazed it. It also listed all 105 chemical elements. And all nine planets, only one of which had rings. The universe was different back then.
Here's almost two more.
The Constitution requires a particular oath of office BEFORE the president-elect can be president. "Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” " (Art. 2, Section 1, Clause 8.)
It also states that the President's term ends at noon on January 20. "The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January," (20th Amendment)
In his first inaugural, George Bush did not take the oath until 12:01.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_inauguration_of_George_W._Bush
And in his first inaugural, Barack Obama messed up the oath and had to take it again the next day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_inauguration_of_Barack_Obama#Oath_of_office
Now since these both happened in the first term, they served two consecutive terms, although the first was arguably shortened by a small amount.
If this had been their second term it is arguable that there was a brief interregnum period with no president. And that would have lead to two non-consecutive terms.
If anyone want to google all the president's inaugurations and see if there were any errors in a president's second term, please be my guest.
While we're at it, Richard Nixon served as President for several weeks in 1955 after Eisenhower had a heart attack.
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