Random question of the day: If Bush is re-elected...

[Scarface98.9]

...then do you think there's a chance a radical person would ever try to assassinate him? Of American descent? I mention it since someone reminded me of the man who tried to kill Reagan to impress Jodie Foster, and how odd some motives for murders really are. I don't remember if a motive was ever established for Lee Harvey Oswald, but with the anti-Bush sentiment around, and the controversial policies that'd probably go into effect upon his re-election, do you think anyone would actively go and try to stop him? And if that happened, would we be better off with Dick Cheney?

[Thrizzle]

I shudder to think what Cheney would do if Bush got assasinated.......martial law maybe. ;)

And Al Qaeda wouldn't go after Bush, he's the best thing to ever happen to their recruitment campaign.

[BorderEevilIII]

Oh gawd! 4 MORE years of Bush......

I am just hoping Dubya does NOT get re-elected but at the rate how things are going....WHO KNOWS.....

[jeo4]

1. Bush might as well have a bull's-eye on his forehead right now. Any/every president in this country has been a target. And it isn't just because of opposing sentiments, although I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone dumb enough to take the initiative to kill him for their agenda would do so.

2. For those of you bitching about Dubya, try this one on for size: President Cheney.

:eek: Nooooooooo!!!

Seriously, this guy is about the biggest crook in office since Nixon. Let's not let that happen.

3. Until the big two (Democrats and Republicans) are given some competition from other political parties, I think that not much is going to change at all in this country. Quite sad, really.

[electriclite]

Well I guess its God's will then isn't it?


In which case I'm becoming a buddhist monk. ;) :D ;)

[Lynn7]

Mockage :D

Bush is a huge target for a bullet. Just on these message boards there is an unbeleivable amount of hatred for him. I see him as a regular guy who tries to do the right thing. Others see him as a threat to life as we know it. It's no longer about political disagreement on policies. It is now the quest for political power at any cost even if it means grinding out hatred. The right did it with Clinton and now it is even worse with the left.

I think the only way a third party could grow large enough is if we changed to a parlimentary system. The two parties work best in a democracy, IMO.

[BubbaStrangelove]

The only way I can see Bush getting reelected is if he wins 100% of the votes like Saddam did in 2002.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002-10-16-iraq_x.htm

[Ultrahumanite]

Well, if he doesn't get shot at, he'll be breaking a tradition.

Every president elected from 1840 onward in the years ending in 0 either has been shot or has died in office. Interestingly, an Indian curse may be to blame for it (if you believe that sort of thing).

Legend has it that, after the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, the Shawnee chief Tecumseh sent Gen. William Henry Harrison a message. Delivered by released prisoners, the chief's words are supposed to have been a prophecy that we now call "Tecumseh's Curse": "Harrison will not win this year to be the great chief. But he may win next year. If he does ... he will not finish his term. He will die in office."

One prisoner told the Chief that no president had ever died in office. Tecumseh's reply: "Harrison will die, I tell you. And when he dies, you will remember the deaths of my people. You think that I have lost my powers: I who caused the sun to darken and red men to give up firewater. But I tell you Harrison will die. And after him, every great chief chosen every twenty years thereafter will die. And when each one dies, let everyone remember the death of our people."

In 1840, the presidential death cycle foretold by Chief Tecumseh began. Subsequently, every sitting president elected in a year ending in zero has died in office. The only exception was Ronald Reagan who survived (fortunately), but still endured a serious assassination attempt. Some have even claimed that Reagan's escape broke the curse.

So there's one more thing that we can all be grateful to Reagan for! :cool:

Now, let's everybody hum the X-Files theme...

[Raymond Babbit]

Originally posted by Ultrahumanite
Well, if he doesn't get shot at, he'll be breaking a tradition.

Every president elected from 1840 onward in the years ending in 0 either has been shot or has died in office. Interestingly, an Indian curse may be to blame for it (if you believe that sort of thing).

Legend has it that, after the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, the Shawnee chief Tecumseh sent Gen. William Henry Harrison a message. Delivered by released prisoners, the chief's words are supposed to have been a prophecy that we now call "Tecumseh's Curse": "Harrison will not win this year to be the great chief. But he may win next year. If he does ... he will not finish his term. He will die in office."

One prisoner told the Chief that no president had ever died in office. Tecumseh's reply: "Harrison will die, I tell you. And when he dies, you will remember the deaths of my people. You think that I have lost my powers: I who caused the sun to darken and red men to give up firewater. But I tell you Harrison will die. And after him, every great chief chosen every twenty years thereafter will die. And when each one dies, let everyone remember the death of our people."

In 1840, the presidential death cycle foretold by Chief Tecumseh began. Subsequently, every sitting president elected in a year ending in zero has died in office. The only exception was Ronald Reagan who survived (fortunately), but still endured a serious assassination attempt. Some have even claimed that Reagan's escape broke the curse.

So there's one more thing that we can all be grateful to Reagan for! :cool:

Now, let's everybody hum the X-Files theme...

Wait, that curse was done in 1811. Every 20 years after that would be 1831. Wouldn't it be years that end in 1, not zero?

[Raoul Duke]

President's have been shot and killed for less than what Bush has done.

[Ultrahumanite]

Originally posted by Raymond Babbit
Wait, that curse was done in 1811. Every 20 years after that would be 1831. Wouldn't it be years that end in 1, not zero?

The curse was done in 1811, but Harrison didn't get around to running until 1840, despite expectations to the contrary. Busy having kids, I guess; he had 10 (and 48 grandchildren -- one of whom, Benjamin Harrison, was also elected president). And the curse was not on the sitting president (James Madison) but on General Harrison himself... He was the first and last Whig elected to the Presidency, he caught pneumonia at his inaugral speech, and died April 4, 1841, not only the first president to die in office, but also the shortest term of any president.

[bmain77]

Well I'm counting two of three schmoes who might be getting knocks on their door from the secret service. :D

All I'm going to say is that I'm suprised there hasn't been a shot fired at him yet.

[Jim H]

Originally posted by Raoul Duke
President's have been shot and killed for less than what Bush has done.

Honestly, I'm pretty amazed more presidents haven't been killed. If you're willing to give your life for it, killing the president isn't particularly difficult.

[Tom Samborski]

If Bush continues to make further screw-ups (which I 100% know he will if he gets re-elected), then yes, I think there will be some assassination attempts. I remember around last year, a man from West Virginia was arrested for allegedly plotting to kill Bush, so if they uncovered assassination plots during Bush's first term, who knows what will happen if he gets re-elected?