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Life as a Presidential Could-Have-Been Life as a Presidential Could-Have-Been
(about 4 hours later)
CALL it Idling Plane Syndrome.CALL it Idling Plane Syndrome.
In 1991, Gov. Mario Cuomo of New York couldn’t decide whether to run for president.In 1991, Gov. Mario Cuomo of New York couldn’t decide whether to run for president.
His decision became a public spectacle. On Dec. 20, 1991 — the deadline to register for the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary — Mr. Cuomo’s staff arranged for two chartered planes to be at the ready in Albany to fly to Concord, N.H., so that he could file his paperwork in person. CNN broadcast live shots of the idling planes. At the last moment, Mr. Cuomo decided not to run because of a budget impasse in the New York State Legislature — or at least that was the reason he gave.His decision became a public spectacle. On Dec. 20, 1991 — the deadline to register for the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary — Mr. Cuomo’s staff arranged for two chartered planes to be at the ready in Albany to fly to Concord, N.H., so that he could file his paperwork in person. CNN broadcast live shots of the idling planes. At the last moment, Mr. Cuomo decided not to run because of a budget impasse in the New York State Legislature — or at least that was the reason he gave.
This election season, no one was waffling in as public a manner as Mr. Cuomo. But both political parties have at times seemed to be pining for candidates who aren’t on a primary ballot — specifically Senator Elizabeth Warren and the House speaker, Paul Ryan.This election season, no one was waffling in as public a manner as Mr. Cuomo. But both political parties have at times seemed to be pining for candidates who aren’t on a primary ballot — specifically Senator Elizabeth Warren and the House speaker, Paul Ryan.
Divisive nominating contests have led to efforts to draft white knight candidates in both parties: Early in the Democratic primary, before Senator Bernie Sanders entered the race, progressives focused their attention on drafting Ms. Warren, the senator from Massachusetts. More recently, establishment Republicans have looked to Mr. Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012, to save them from becoming the party of Donald Trump.Divisive nominating contests have led to efforts to draft white knight candidates in both parties: Early in the Democratic primary, before Senator Bernie Sanders entered the race, progressives focused their attention on drafting Ms. Warren, the senator from Massachusetts. More recently, establishment Republicans have looked to Mr. Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012, to save them from becoming the party of Donald Trump.
Both of these party darlings made it abundantly clear that they were not interested in becoming president — not in 2016, at least. And talking to people who support Ms. Warren and Mr. Paul, you get the sense that they’re relieved that these two members of Congress are sitting out now, saving their political power for a later date. They may find that they’ll be able to exert more influence from outside the White House gates than within them. Still, it’s hard not to wonder: What does it feel like to watch a race unfold and think that you could have run? Both of these party darlings made it abundantly clear that they were not interested in becoming president — not in 2016, at least. And talking to people who support Ms. Warren and Mr. Ryan, you get the sense that they’re relieved that these two members of Congress are sitting out now, saving their political power for a later date. They may find that they’ll be able to exert more influence from outside the White House gates than within them. Still, it’s hard not to wonder: What does it feel like to watch a race unfold and think that you could have run?
As the November ballot gets locked in — the Indiana primary will most likely leave little doubt as to who the two nominees will be — some voters’ thoughts inevitably turn to their parties’ non-candidates. It doesn’t help that Hillary Clinton and Mr. Trump have the two highest negative ratings of any party nominees since at least 1992.As the November ballot gets locked in — the Indiana primary will most likely leave little doubt as to who the two nominees will be — some voters’ thoughts inevitably turn to their parties’ non-candidates. It doesn’t help that Hillary Clinton and Mr. Trump have the two highest negative ratings of any party nominees since at least 1992.
For someone like Vice President Joe Biden, whom supporters encouraged to run in 2016, the answer isn’t easy. “I regret it every day,” he said in January. “But it was the right decision for my family and me.”For someone like Vice President Joe Biden, whom supporters encouraged to run in 2016, the answer isn’t easy. “I regret it every day,” he said in January. “But it was the right decision for my family and me.”
Mr. Biden wasn’t the only alternative to Mrs. Clinton whom Democrats sought out. Last year, progressive groups like MoveOn.org and Democracy for America tried to draft Ms. Warren. Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, told me that he thought Senator Warren would have been a “more formidable” candidate against Hillary Clinton than Mr. Sanders has been.Mr. Biden wasn’t the only alternative to Mrs. Clinton whom Democrats sought out. Last year, progressive groups like MoveOn.org and Democracy for America tried to draft Ms. Warren. Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, told me that he thought Senator Warren would have been a “more formidable” candidate against Hillary Clinton than Mr. Sanders has been.
There are two reasons that politicians who feel qualified to run for president decide not to. One is that you don’t want to turn your life into a parade of news conferences, bad truck-stop meals, sleeping on campaign buses and pretending to enjoy foods on sticks. Put simply, you don’t want to be president badly enough. (On running for the White House, President James Garfield once said: “My God! What is there in this place that a man should ever want to get into it?”)There are two reasons that politicians who feel qualified to run for president decide not to. One is that you don’t want to turn your life into a parade of news conferences, bad truck-stop meals, sleeping on campaign buses and pretending to enjoy foods on sticks. Put simply, you don’t want to be president badly enough. (On running for the White House, President James Garfield once said: “My God! What is there in this place that a man should ever want to get into it?”)
In 1995, a group led by the presidential biographer Stephen Ambrose tried to recruit Colin Powell to run for president in 1996. “I never found inside of me the internal passion that you’ve got to have to run for elected office,” Mr. Powell said in 2009.In 1995, a group led by the presidential biographer Stephen Ambrose tried to recruit Colin Powell to run for president in 1996. “I never found inside of me the internal passion that you’ve got to have to run for elected office,” Mr. Powell said in 2009.
The other reason not to run for president is to focus on exercising the political power you already have, and maybe bide your time. Mr. Ryan, who has already headed two powerful committees in the House and is now leading its unruly band of lawmakers, is in a better position than almost anyone else in his party not named Donald Trump to promote a personal agenda.The other reason not to run for president is to focus on exercising the political power you already have, and maybe bide your time. Mr. Ryan, who has already headed two powerful committees in the House and is now leading its unruly band of lawmakers, is in a better position than almost anyone else in his party not named Donald Trump to promote a personal agenda.
Across the aisle and in the Senate chamber, Ms. Warren is flexing her own political muscle, calling for increased Wall Street regulation and promoting the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which she helped create.Across the aisle and in the Senate chamber, Ms. Warren is flexing her own political muscle, calling for increased Wall Street regulation and promoting the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which she helped create.
“I think she’s positioned fantastic where she is right now,” Mr. Chamberlain said of Ms. Warren. “As much as I would have liked to have seen her endorse Bernie, I think that it was a smart decision to stay out of the primary for her political power going into next year.”“I think she’s positioned fantastic where she is right now,” Mr. Chamberlain said of Ms. Warren. “As much as I would have liked to have seen her endorse Bernie, I think that it was a smart decision to stay out of the primary for her political power going into next year.”
Still, we’re getting a hint of what Ms. Warren may have been like as a presidential candidate. Last month, after Senator Ted Cruz sent out a fund-raising email talking about the “significant sacrifice” he made to run for president, Ms. Warren laid into him.Still, we’re getting a hint of what Ms. Warren may have been like as a presidential candidate. Last month, after Senator Ted Cruz sent out a fund-raising email talking about the “significant sacrifice” he made to run for president, Ms. Warren laid into him.
“Are you kidding me, @TedCruz? We’re supposed to pity you because trying to be the leader of the free world is hard?! 2 words: Boo hoo,” she wrote on Twitter.“Are you kidding me, @TedCruz? We’re supposed to pity you because trying to be the leader of the free world is hard?! 2 words: Boo hoo,” she wrote on Twitter.
Before that, she’d doled out a few sick burns to Donald Trump, calling him a “loser,” a bully and a narcissist. She’s been able to watch the election unfold from the Twitter pulpit: a lot of the attention of running for president with a fraction of the scrutiny.Before that, she’d doled out a few sick burns to Donald Trump, calling him a “loser,” a bully and a narcissist. She’s been able to watch the election unfold from the Twitter pulpit: a lot of the attention of running for president with a fraction of the scrutiny.
As the election season has worn on, and the Trump machine has churned out victory after victory, some Republican Party leaders have sunk deeper into the cool waters of denial. Last month, The Huffington Post reported that the Republican donor Charles Koch was hoping for Mr. Ryan to secure the nomination at a contested convention. Mr. Ryan said he would not accept his party’s nomination, if he did get it. He’s had to come up with new ways of saying no, to the point that “Saturday Night Live” recently made a campaign-style ad poking fun at his insistence that he’s not running.As the election season has worn on, and the Trump machine has churned out victory after victory, some Republican Party leaders have sunk deeper into the cool waters of denial. Last month, The Huffington Post reported that the Republican donor Charles Koch was hoping for Mr. Ryan to secure the nomination at a contested convention. Mr. Ryan said he would not accept his party’s nomination, if he did get it. He’s had to come up with new ways of saying no, to the point that “Saturday Night Live” recently made a campaign-style ad poking fun at his insistence that he’s not running.
Some Republicans hold out hope that the speaker doth protest too much. For anti-Trump Republicans, Mr. Ryan is the person gently shaking them awake with a cold compress and reassuring them that this past year has just been a terrible dream. And while he has said time and again that he doesn’t want to be the Republicans’ white knight candidate, he intends to continue pushing his agenda from within the walls of the Capitol.Some Republicans hold out hope that the speaker doth protest too much. For anti-Trump Republicans, Mr. Ryan is the person gently shaking them awake with a cold compress and reassuring them that this past year has just been a terrible dream. And while he has said time and again that he doesn’t want to be the Republicans’ white knight candidate, he intends to continue pushing his agenda from within the walls of the Capitol.
“I thought I could make a huge difference and still have the kind of balanced life family that I enjoy at this stage in my life, and that’s why I didn’t run for president,” Mr. Ryan told CNN recently. “But also because there are a lot of good people running.”“I thought I could make a huge difference and still have the kind of balanced life family that I enjoy at this stage in my life, and that’s why I didn’t run for president,” Mr. Ryan told CNN recently. “But also because there are a lot of good people running.”
He is more than comfortable offering party statesman-like reassurance. Speaking to students at Georgetown University last week, he said that all intraparty turmoil will be over before the convention in July. Of course, he needs to believe that: He’s the chairman of the convention.He is more than comfortable offering party statesman-like reassurance. Speaking to students at Georgetown University last week, he said that all intraparty turmoil will be over before the convention in July. Of course, he needs to believe that: He’s the chairman of the convention.
John Milton Cooper, a presidential historian, said Mr. Ryan was probably “thanking his lucky stars” he hadn’t entered this year’s race.John Milton Cooper, a presidential historian, said Mr. Ryan was probably “thanking his lucky stars” he hadn’t entered this year’s race.
“He’s being very smart about this,” Mr. Cooper said. “Ryan is trying as much as he can to head for the storm cellar and let the tornado pass, and then see what they have to do to rebuild.”“He’s being very smart about this,” Mr. Cooper said. “Ryan is trying as much as he can to head for the storm cellar and let the tornado pass, and then see what they have to do to rebuild.”
There’s no reason to think Mr. Ryan would have succeeded at this particular political moment. If his party’s own primary voters rejected so-called establishment Republicans from Jeb Bush to Marco Rubio to Chris Christie to Scott Walker, why would they vote for him over the charismatically angry man with yellow hair?There’s no reason to think Mr. Ryan would have succeeded at this particular political moment. If his party’s own primary voters rejected so-called establishment Republicans from Jeb Bush to Marco Rubio to Chris Christie to Scott Walker, why would they vote for him over the charismatically angry man with yellow hair?
Rick Perlstein, a presidential historian and author, most recently, of “The Invisible Bridge: the Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan,” says it’s hard to blame anyone who doesn’t want to run for president.Rick Perlstein, a presidential historian and author, most recently, of “The Invisible Bridge: the Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan,” says it’s hard to blame anyone who doesn’t want to run for president.
“It’s a terrible job, running for president,” Mr. Perlstein said. “Almost by definition, anyone who wants to be the most powerful person in the world is barely sane anyway. You don’t do it if you’re a normal person.”“It’s a terrible job, running for president,” Mr. Perlstein said. “Almost by definition, anyone who wants to be the most powerful person in the world is barely sane anyway. You don’t do it if you’re a normal person.”
Looking toward 2020, Mr. Ryan and Ms. Warren could learn something from Walter Mondale, the former Minnesota senator. In 1974, he insisted he wouldn’t run for president, saying, “I don’t want to spend the next two years in Holiday Inns.”Looking toward 2020, Mr. Ryan and Ms. Warren could learn something from Walter Mondale, the former Minnesota senator. In 1974, he insisted he wouldn’t run for president, saying, “I don’t want to spend the next two years in Holiday Inns.”
Two years later, President Jimmy Carter named Mr. Mondale his running mate, and he clarified his position on running.Two years later, President Jimmy Carter named Mr. Mondale his running mate, and he clarified his position on running.
“I said I didn’t want to spend most of my life in Holidays Inns, but I’ve checked and they’ve all been redecorated,” he said. “They’re marvelous places to stay and I’ve thought it over and that’s where I’d like to be.”“I said I didn’t want to spend most of my life in Holidays Inns, but I’ve checked and they’ve all been redecorated,” he said. “They’re marvelous places to stay and I’ve thought it over and that’s where I’d like to be.”