Two non-consecutive terms for a 20th century president?

What if in the 20th century, a president was elected twice and under two non consecutive terms? Who would be the most likely to pull this off?
 
Better communication to Airforce 2 when Reagan was shoot might have allowed Bush Sr to serve as a temporary president. Then he serve a term as in OTL.
 
Hmm. perhapse Eisenhower becomes to sick to run for re-election in 1956, so the democrats lose the win the election. Then Eisenhower recovers and wins the election in 1960?
 
I see two chances for Gerald Ford.

Scenario 1: During the 1980 campaign, Reagan becomes ill and questions about his age and health become factors. Ford becomes the front runner. Timing can vary; the switch can come just before convention time, so the delegates favor Ford over Bush.

Scenario 2: Ford becomes Reagan's VP in the 1980 election. Hinkley assassinates Reagan on March 30, 1981, making Ford president again.
 
Theodore Roosvelt probably

There are 3 ways:

1. He gets nominated by the Republicans in 1912 and wins
2. He wins as a Progressive in 1912, there's a whole thread about it here
3. He doesn't die in 1919 and is elected President in 1920
 
I think its highly unlikely that there would be any two non-consecutive terms presidents ever again. Cleveland will remain the sole example unless there was a particular national emergency. In the late 19th century and early 20th century it was political machine politics that nominated candidates. In the late 20th and early 21st century candidates are marketed and 'branded' by the national parities much like a new product. Failure to 'sell' consigns a candidate to the discount aisle. The worst possible thing would be to lose reelection since one would have to campaign on two fronts, the second being why one deserves a second chance.
 
If Obama doesn't win again in 2012, he's certainly young enough to make a comeback.

The OP is for the 20th Century not the 21st. Your scenario would make for an interesting future AH TL though.

I see two chances for Gerald Ford.

Scenario 1: During the 1980 campaign, Reagan becomes ill and questions about his age and health become factors. Ford becomes the front runner. Timing can vary; the switch can come just before convention time, so the delegates favor Ford over Bush.

An excellent scenario. I think it would a POD very early in the process, even before the NH primary. What I know about the Ford-Bush friendship leads me to believe that Ford would never pull the rug out from under Bush if Bush were the front runner or holding his own against Reagan at the time of Reagan's withdrawl from the race.

I see two chances for Gerald Ford.
Scenario 2: Ford becomes Reagan's VP in the 1980 election. Hinkley assassinates Reagan on March 30, 1981, making Ford president again.

An interesting scenario IF (extremely big and emphatic "if") Ford had said yes to Reagan's offer of the vice Presidency.
 
Here are some more possibilities.

Richard Nixon

Nixon wins in 1960, but lacking Kennedy's charisma, does poorly with civil rights and loses to Johnson-Humphrey in 1964. Johnson gets low marks for Vietnam and loses support in 1968. Nixon runs again for a split second term and wins.

GHW Bush

Reagan-Bush are elected as in OTL. Reagan is killed on March 30, 1981. President Bush lacks Reagan's appeal and becomes unpopular through the term. In 1984, the media does not break the story of Gary Hart's infidelity, so a Hart-Glenn ticket wins in 1984. In 1985, the story about Hart's affairs does become public, putting him in disfavor. In 1988, Hart wisely decides not to run again and defers support to Glenn. Bush decides to run again and the campaign successfully attacks Glenn for having a wife who stutters. Bush wins a second non-consecutive term.

Twenty-First Century, Al Gore

Gore wins in 2000 but is perceived as weak after the 9/11 attacks. In 2004, John McCain runs a campaign based on his military credentials and wins. Late in his term, McCain loses favor and given his age, decides not to run in 2008. For Gore to run again, he would have to want the job, which was not the case in OTL. Having been president, perhaps some environmental factor motivates him to run again and win.
 
It is hard to think of a 20th century situation where this could happen but suppose a President seeking a second term won the popular vote, lost the electoral vote, and there were serious arguements about whether there had been a fair election in certain crucial states.

Any way something like this could have happened in 1996?
 
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