Presidential Trivia

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elwoodblues · #1 Post by **elwoodblues** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:25 pm

Assuming President Bush completes his term he and Bill Clinton will be consecutive presidents who each served a full eight years. Who were the last consecutive presidents who each served two full terms?

TheCalvinator24 · #2 Post by **TheCalvinator24** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:27 pm

Truman and Eisenhower

elwoodblues · #3 Post by **elwoodblues** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:29 pm

Truman did not serve two full terms. He finished FDR's fourth term and served one term of his own.

Bob Juch · #4 Post by **Bob Juch** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:42 pm

Spoiler

Madison and Monroe

elwoodblues · #5 Post by **elwoodblues** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:46 pm

Bob got it.

Spoiler

You have to go back to Jefferson, Madison and Monroe for the only other time consecutive presidents each served two full terms.

#6 Post by **littlebeast13** » Sat May 17, 2008 4:27 pm

I made note of this odd factoid after the last election. It's kind of hard to believe....

lb13

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #7 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Sat May 17, 2008 6:33 pm

It's because of the Tecumseh's Curse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_Tippecanoe

bazodee · #8 Post by **bazodee** » Sat May 17, 2008 7:03 pm

Taking this question one step further, it's hard to believe that:

Spoiler

It's only happened thrice in US History. Jefferson and Madison was the first and Madison and Monroe was the second;

TheConfessor · #9 Post by **TheConfessor** » Sat May 17, 2008 7:44 pm

bazodee wrote:Taking this question one step further, it's hard to believe that:

Spoiler
It's only happened thrice in US History. Jefferson and Madison was the first and Madison and Monroe was the second;

Spoiler

It hasn't happened thrice yet. Although if Bush 43 fails to complete his second term, I think that would be the longest incomplete term in presidential history. Most who died or left office early did so in the first year or two of that four year term. I haven't checked, but I think that's true in every case.

#10 Post by **littlebeast13** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:15 pm

TheConfessor wrote:
bazodee wrote:Taking this question one step further, it's hard to believe that:

Spoiler
It's only happened thrice in US History. Jefferson and Madison was the first and Madison and Monroe was the second;

Spoiler
It hasn't happened thrice yet. Although if Bush 43 fails to complete his second term, I think that would be the longest incomplete term in presidential history. Most who died or left office early did so in the first year or two of that four year term. I haven't checked, but I think that's true in every case.

Spoiler

Off the top of my head, I think Kennedy has the longest incomplete term. He was shot late in his third year in office, the only one to make it past the halfway point I think....

lb13

bazodee · #11 Post by **bazodee** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:28 pm

Since it's not related to the original question, I think it's OK not to use the spoiler box.

Kennedy is the president who served the longest duration of a presidential term (of those Presidents who were to die in office). He clocks in at 2 years and ten months. Harding is next at about 2 years and five months.

Then comes Zachary Taylor at 1 year and four months.

Wm. Harrison, Lincoln (2nd term), Garfield, McKinley (2nd term) and FDR (4th term) all died in the first year of their final term in office.

#12 Post by **littlebeast13** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:31 pm

bazodee wrote:Since it's not related to the original question, I think it's OK not to use the spoiler box.

Kennedy is the president who served the longest duration of a presidential term (of those Presidents who were to die in office). He clocks in at 2 years and ten months. Harding is next at about 2 years and five months.

Then comes Zachary Taylor at 1 year and four months.

Wm. Harrison, Lincoln (2nd term), Garfield, McKinley (2nd term) and FDR (4th term) all died in the first year of their final term in office.

Tricky Dick comes between Harding and Taylor at a year and 7 months (August of '74, right?).

I forgot all about Harding....

lb13

bazodee · #13 Post by **bazodee** » Sat May 17, 2008 10:12 pm

I was thinking only about dead presidents, but you are right; Nixon clocks in at 1 year and 7+ months...

slam · #14 Post by **slam** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:56 am

TheConfessor wrote:
Spoiler
It hasn't happened thrice yet. Although if Bush 43 fails to complete his second term, I think that would be the longest incomplete term in presidential history. Most who died or left office early did so in the first year or two of that four year term. I haven't checked, but I think that's true in every case.

Depends how you define "incomplete term". I'd say that Tyler's term (a full term minus about a month) was the longest incomplete term.

Oh, you meant from the beginning of a normal term.

etaoin22 · #15 Post by **etaoin22** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:46 am

Given the brevity of FDR's fourth term, and the fact that HST's term in office would nowadays have been disqualifying for a second election as pres -- although the 22'nd amendment was written specifically not to apply to Truman.

The answer should be Truman and Ike.

But this is a trivia bored....

And so I will be probably about the dozeneth to say...

Spoiler

Madison and Monroe.

hf_jai · #16 Post by **hf_jai** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:21 am

etaoin22 wrote:Given the brevity of FDR's fourth term, and the fact that HST's term in office would nowadays have been disqualifying for a second election as pres -- although the 22'nd amendment was written specifically not to apply to Truman.

The answer should be Truman and Ike.

Um, Truman was only elected as president once, in 1948. Thus, he served less an a full two terms.

Either I'm misunderstanding your point, or you misread the original question, or I'm just losing it completely. I wouldn't discount the possibility of the last.

etaoin22 · #17 Post by **etaoin22** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:36 am

hf_jai wrote:
Either I'm misunderstanding your point, or you misread the original question, or I'm just losing it completely. I wouldn't discount the possibility of the last.

You aint losin it. Youve always called me up correctly. And I am glad to be "talking" with you again, here.

My silly point was in the nature of what a math student might say:

Let us define a "Full Term":

That which counts towards disqualfiying you in the future under the 22'nd amendment, is a full term..

bazodee · #18 Post by **bazodee** » Sun May 18, 2008 12:09 pm

Full term means full term. Four years is a full term. From one scheduled inauguration to the next scheduled inauguration.

Gerald Ford served a part of a term that would have "counted" in the calculation of how many full terms he could run for in the future. Gerald Ford did not serve a full term as President.

hf_jai · #19 Post by **hf_jai** » Sun May 18, 2008 6:08 pm

etaoin22 wrote:
hf_jai wrote:
Either I'm misunderstanding your point, or you misread the original question, or I'm just losing it completely. I wouldn't discount the possibility of the last.

You aint losin it. Youve always called me up correctly. And I am glad to be "talking" with you again, here.

My silly point was in the nature of what a math student might say:

Let us define a "Full Term":

That which counts towards disqualfiying you in the future under the 22'nd amendment, is a full term..

After being away from the Bored for a few hours and re-reading this, I think I can understand what you were trying to say after all.

Nice to see you again too, etaoin.

wintergreen48 · #20 Post by **wintergreen48** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:16 pm

OK, here's one: there were two Presidents who were elected and who served at least one full term under the U.S. Constitution, but in each case the Presidents completed a 'full' term that was actually shorter than the 'full' term of any of the other Presidents. Who were these two guys, and why were their 'full' terms shorter-than-usual? Bonus: which one served the shortest 'full' term?

N.B. I mention 'under the U.S. Constitution' just because this is not a trick question-- I'm not counting guys who served under the Articles of Confederation or any such similar situations. We're talking about regular old U.S. Presidents.

slam · #21 Post by **slam** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:19 pm

wintergreen48 wrote:OK, here's one: there were two Presidents who were elected and who served at least one full term under the U.S. Constitution, but in each case the Presidents completed a 'full' term that was actually shorter than the 'full' term of any of the other Presidents. Who were these two guys, and why were their 'full' terms shorter-than-usual? Bonus: which one served the shortest 'full' term?

N.B. I mention 'under the U.S. Constitution' just because this is not a trick question-- I'm not counting guys who served under the Articles of Confederation or any such similar situations. We're talking about regular old U.S. Presidents.

Spoiler

I don't remember off the top of my head who they were, but it must have had something to do with Inauguration Day being moved around since it used to be in March.

#22 Post by **littlebeast13** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:20 pm

Spoiler

Without looking up the exact guys this involves, the trick has to involve whoever was President whenever Inauguration Day was moved from March 4th to January 20th. I think I heard inaugurations are put off a day if it falls on a Sunday, so I'm guessing the other correct answer got jipted a day off their term due to a later inauguration date....

lb13

elwoodblues · #23 Post by **elwoodblues** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:24 pm

wintergreen48 wrote:OK, here's one: there were two Presidents who were elected and who served at least one full term under the U.S. Constitution, but in each case the Presidents completed a 'full' term that was actually shorter than the 'full' term of any of the other Presidents. Who were these two guys, and why were their 'full' terms shorter-than-usual? Bonus: which one served the shortest 'full' term?

N.B. I mention 'under the U.S. Constitution' just because this is not a trick question-- I'm not counting guys who served under the Articles of Confederation or any such similar situations. We're talking about regular old U.S. Presidents.

Spoiler

Washington because he took office after March 4, which would be the end of his term four years later, and FDR because Inauguration Day was moved up from Mar. 4 to Jan. 20 during his first term.

themanintheseersuckersuit · #24 Post by **themanintheseersuckersuit** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:27 pm

wintergreen48 wrote:OK, here's one: there were two Presidents who were elected and who served at least one full term under the U.S. Constitution, but in each case the Presidents completed a 'full' term that was actually shorter than the 'full' term of any of the other Presidents. Who were these two guys, and why were their 'full' terms shorter-than-usual? Bonus: which one served the shortest 'full' term?

N.B. I mention 'under the U.S. Constitution' just because this is not a trick question-- I'm not counting guys who served under the Articles of Confederation or any such similar situations. We're talking about regular old U.S. Presidents.

Spoiler

John Adams and McKinley both had terms without a leap year. George Washington was sworn in April for his first term. FDR was shorted in his second term whenthe Inauguration Day changed. FDR had the shortest full term

#25 Post by **littlebeast13** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:29 pm

Spoiler

OK, George Washington was inaugurated on 4/30/1789, so his first term was quite short, but was he actually elected by the people?

FDR's first term was shortened by the switch of Inauguration Day from 3/4 to 1/20.

Then there is John Adams and William McKinley, who each lost a day off their terms due to the Leap Day anomoly in century years (Every other full Presidential term covered exactly one leap day)....

Only Adams did not get elected to a second term....

lb13