There Has Never Been a Good Second Term

摘要

This is one of those myths that takes root in the minds of various columnists and "thinkers" and is repeated so often that the mere frequency of the repetition seems to make it true. The fact is, there have been several Presidents who have had good second terms. 1. George Washington, most historians agree, would have been reelected to a third term had he wanted one. The few internal disputes that occurred during his second term were nothing that would have put off the voters. But Washington, sensible and modest as always, vastly preferred to return to Mount Vernon. 2. Grover Cleveland was initially, as they say, "counted out" for a second term. However, his first term had gone so well that voters, after electing Benjamin Harrison, returned Cleveland to the White House for a second four years. Available data show no disasters in his second term as President.