According to Luke: 2012 and 1912, what a difference 100 years can make. Or not.
Photo shows President William Howard Taft riding in carriage with Woodrow Wilson, on the way to Wilson’s inauguration at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
I know we’ve just elected a new president, and with the current state of the union it seems silly to even be thinking about this, but with the recent resignation of Sarah Palin, I started thinking about the 2012 election.
The 2012 election will be the 100th anniversary of the election of 1912, an election that some say changed America. This was the election that Theodore Roosevelt broke from the Republican Party (who nominated Taft) to start his Bull Moose Party and run for a third term. The Democrats nominated Woodrow Wilson instead of William Jennings Bryan who was the party’s candidate three times prior, and the Socialist Party ran Eugene Debs for the third time. Obviously as we all know Wilson was the victor, and helped, along with Roosevelt to usher in the modern presidency and continue the progressive reform of the early 20th century.
How fascinating this must have been at the time; but far-fetched 100 years later right? Current polls show Barack Obama’s initial popularity is wearing off, and if the economy doesn’t turn around pretty quick he might be looking at larger group of competitors for the nomination. I don’t think liberals are stupid enough to nominate someone over a sitting President, but our recent political history is full of surprises. Of course the Dennis Kucinich’s of the world wouldn’t have a chance but maybe an Al Gore, or even Hillary Clinton; perhaps Howard Dean will resurrect from the dead YEAARRRGGGHHH!!!
On the other side, the Republicans find themselves void of leadership. The candidate that emerges from the field in 2012 could say a lot about the future of the party, whether it is indeed becoming a regional party, or if it will regain its national dominance. Enter Sarah Palin. While her approval ratings aren’t high enough for a successful run right now, she does have that “It” factor. She is definitely well liked among conservatives and will not have as much trouble rallying the base as John McCain.
Maybe Ron Paul will mobilize a more formidable third party opposition with his popularity? Or perhaps someone like Joe Lieberman could mobilize from the middle?
Roosevelt, Taft, Debs, and Wilson meet Obama, Gore, Palin and Paul. What an election that would be. It’s the stuff that makes graduate students in political science squeal with joy. Of course it is a long shot. But 100 years ago nobody expected it either.
–Luke Inhen
Add comment July 18th, 2009
