Even if the 22nd Amendment fails of ratification by a state or two, does that mean the no-third-term tradition will necessarily be dead? If for decades after FDR's death, one president after another (Truman, Ike, Reagan) decides not to run for a third term--and whatever their actual reasons each one says something like "no president should run for a third term except under exteme conditions like thise of World War II" (and some Republican presidents might even omit the last phrase!)--could that not make it more difficult for future presidents to do so? In fact, I can see some of them seeking to win difficult re-election contests by promising that their second term will be their last. (Yes, they know this will reduce their leverage with Congress, but to have any leverage they first have to win their second term...)