john f. kennedy returns to politics

jfk survives dallas , wins 2nd term after leaving the white house returns to congress and stays till he dies sometime in the mid 1980s. how would congress inthe 70s and 80s work witha expresident as one of its members. how would we look at jfk had he stayed in politics and had good health no scandles till he dies in 88?
 
Nah, I don't think JFK's plan was to go back into politics after his presidency. IIRC, he wanted to serve two terms as POTUS, and retire in 1969. Getting him to go back into politics, in Congress or Governor or whatever, is very difficult to do.
 
Not to hijack, but it is interesting how few presidents have any post-presidential career in frontline politics, especially when compared to British PMs of the same period. Is there a way to make holding the presidency be seen as not the end of career, but just another step in a continuing one?
 
Not to hijack, but it is interesting how few presidents have any post-presidential career in frontline politics, especially when compared to British PMs of the same period. Is there a way to make holding the presidency be seen as not the end of career, but just another step in a continuing one?

The reason so many ex-PMs were in Parliament after their tenure is because the MP who is elected PM still represents his district in Parliament, and he isn't elected PM by the same people who elect him as a Member of Parliament. Therefore, what normally happens is that the PM may lose re-election to the Prime-Ministership, by either losing his/her party leadership election, or the Opposition taking a majority in Parliament and voting in a new PM, but still be elected to Parliament by his constituents.

In America, meanwhile, the one who is elected President can only be President; if he/she is a member of Congress and is then elected President, he/she must resign his/her seat in the House or Senate before taking office. So when the President leaves office, after either four or eight years, he/she doesn't have any political office whatsoever upon leaving.

So, as you can see, it isn't a rarity for an ex-PM to stay in Parliament. He/she just has to be re-elected to Parliament in order to do so. Completely different story with the President of the United States.
 
The reason so many ex-PMs were in Parliament after their tenure is because the MP who is elected PM still represents his district in Parliament, and he isn't elected PM by the same people who elect him as a Member of Parliament. Therefore, what normally happens is that the PM may lose re-election to the Prime-Ministership, by either losing his/her party leadership election, or the Opposition taking a majority in Parliament and voting in a new PM, but still be elected to Parliament by his constituents.

In America, meanwhile, the one who is elected President can only be President; if he/she is a member of Congress and is then elected President, he/she must resign his/her seat in the House or Senate before taking office. So when the President leaves office, after either four or eight years, he/she doesn't have any political office whatsoever upon leaving.

So, as you can see, it isn't a rarity for an ex-PM to stay in Parliament. He/she just has to be re-elected to Parliament in order to do so. Completely different story with the President of the United States.

Yeeee-esssss, *but* there's no reason why ex-PMs kept turning up in 19th century British Cabinets (which require membership of the legislature) and ex-presidents don't turn up in American ones (which don't). I agree a *legislative* career for an ex-president is unlikely, but an executive one might be possible? Teddy Roosevelt as SecWar in Taft's Cabinet? Cal Coolidge as SecCommerce in Hoover's? Bill Clinton as SecState in a Hilary Cabinet?
 
The presidency is such a dominant position that anything else just feels underwhelming. Plus it's exhausting, and most former presidents just want to relax and make some money.

Parliamentary systems typically have had somewhat weaker leadership, and responsibilities have been diffused throughout the cabinet. Plus there's more independent authority for cabinet members. As a result, former PMs do sometimes wind up in another position. Even in the UK, however, that is much less likely these days, as the premiership has become more "presidential."

One other factor is the two-term limit on presidents. With little hope of a comeback, there's probably not much need for presidents to burnish their resumes after leaving the WH.
 
Rudd is Foreign Minister, but today that's the exception rather than the rule.

That was party compensation for the way he was kicked out. And given the way the Gillard government is going, Rudd may well be back as PM within the year.
 
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