Obama: If I Ran for a Third Term, I Could Win

[kpete]

U.S. AFRICAN UNION

Obama: If I Ran for a Third Term, I Could Win, "But I can't"

Maya Rhodan @m_rhodan 8:15 AM ET

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech to the African Union on July 28, 2015, in Addis Ababa.

President Obama said that if he could run for a third term he thinks he would win, while calling for African leaders to adhere to term limits during a historic speech before the African Union.

“I actually think I’m a pretty good president. I think if I ran, I could win. But I can’t,” Obama said in Ethiopia on Tuesday. ” There’s a lot that I’d like to do to keep America moving, but the law’s the law.”

President Obama addressed his third term viability while calling on African leaders to step aside when their terms end on Tuesday. During his speech, the first by an American president before the African Union, Obama said when a leader “tries to change the rules in the middle of the game” in order to stay in office it puts a nation’s stability and the future of Democratic progress across the continent at risk. Obama specifically noted recent elections in Burundi, where President Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term. The United Nations has said those elections occurred in an environment that was not “not conducive for an inclusive, free and credible electoral process,” according to the Associated Press.

” The point is, I don’t understand why people want to stay so long. Especially, when they’ve got a lot of money,” Obama said Tuesday, during the final stretch of his historic trip to two African countries. “And sometimes you’ll hear a leader say ‘I’m the only person who can hold this nation together.’ If that’s true, then that leader has failed to truly build their nation.”



http://time.com/3974517/obama-third-term/

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. That's ok. Hillary is running for your third term. nt

[Skinner]

2. You say that like it's a bad thing.

[CTyankee]

5. IIRC, Bill Clinton was so popular that he would have won a "third term."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. Given the closeness of the 00 race that seems a virtual certainty.

eom

[ffr]

45. I'd have voted for any Democratic president for a third term

Any Democrat is better than ANY Republi. I'd vote twice, if I could, for Bill Clinton or Barack Obama though. And if Sanders is the candidate, I'd vote for him too.

Fuck the GOP and their leachy supporters!

[joshcryer]

66. He'd still be President.

Incumbents have a huge advantage as it is, and Clinton wouldn't have gone to Iraq (9/11 would've potentially been averted; we may have gone to Afghanistan either way).

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

21. I think we can do better.

And I think Obama could have done far more, had he not had the weird idea that working 'with' Republicans was possible or needful.

But here's a link for you, since you're one of the few Hillary supporters I don't have on ignore.

http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/news/a29104/ladavia-drane-hillary-clinton-black-voters/

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. Precisely.

[tavalon]

48. At best, it's an acceptable thing

I'm very pleased that Bernie Sanders is forcing her to the left, where she should be. He probably won't win in the primary but he is serving a very valuable service. By the time he's through molding her, the DLC/Third Way won't recognize her. That is a good thing.

[Krytan11c]

51. Because Hillary needs a man to mold her?

Wtf?

[Hekate]

53. +1 Skinner

[Adrahil]

4. That would be fine with me!

Most effective President in my lifetime. I could live with more of that!

[treestar]

18. What does that mean? No it would be Hillary's first term.

[Chemisse]

22. That would be fine if it was accurate.

But Hillary will be her own person with her own style and priorities - and obligations.

[geek tragedy]

27. We should be so lucky if she wins. nt

[swilton]

30. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

short and sweet!

[Godhumor]

32. I would take it

Considering Obama had been a fantastic president.

[MineralMan]

39. No, actually she is not.

She's running for her first term, and she will be a different President if she succeeds. At this point, President Obama is not speaking about his preferences for his successor. If she wins the nomination, though, I'm absolutely certain that he will campaign strongly for her, and she'll be happy to have his support.

If he did endorse her now, though, that would put an end to any chance of a different nominee. He won't do that, though. He believes in the process that ended up with his election. He will let the process proceed.

[LynneSin]

40. Um, Hillary wasn't his VP - that was Joe Biden and he will be running for Obama

[Cha]

60. Are you saying.. Bernie is running against President Obama?

[Fred Sanders]

3. Hell, Americans, because the majority still are not brainwashed totally by the media, would make him President-for-Life!

Although Clinton is so close to Obama's personality and vision, so an excellent second choice.

An historical first in so many ways if President Clinton can continue the legacy Obama will leave behind.

Day 1 of the Obama Presidency, the economy was in tatters.....I remember.

[Gothmog]

6. I agree with President Obama on this

He could win a third term

[sufrommich]

7. He's right. nt

[greytdemocrat]

8. Statements like that

are far too arrogant. There is a reason for
a two term limit.

[sufrommich]

9. You didn't read the article,did you?

It's the exact opposite of "arrogant".

[greytdemocrat]

10. Oh I read it

And I have a feeling I know exactly
what he means.

[stevenleser]

11. I'm not sure you do. He means, "Hey despotic leaders in Africa who have been in office forever. Step

down"

[sufrommich]

12. Why waste a perfect opportunity to call Obama arrogant?

[stevenleser]

13. Right? But we're the assholes because they and Bernie are receiving criticism for the first time and

they can't deal. While we have dealt with this crap for 6+ years.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027017090#post12

[greytdemocrat]

15. We are all entitled to our OPs

[stevenleser]

16. You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. His meaning was obvious. nt

[greytdemocrat]

23. You are more right than you know. nt

[malaise]

36. Ha

Clearly NOT

[Politicub]

19. You're using loaded language in your post

You know that, right?

[mac56]

26. I'm sure the poster chose the language deliberately.

[geek tragedy]

28. what's 'arrogant' about a politician standing by his record and believing

it's supported by the voters?

[Cha]

58. You have no clue as to what President Obama is like.

[irisblue]

64. The reason for the 2 term limit is b/c Rs freaked out massively over FDR

popular & effective is troublesome to them

[panader0]

14. But, but, isn't that what Jade Helm 15 is all about?

Once the invasion of Texas is complete and the interment camps are full, Obama can declare Martial Law
and the coup will be complete.
I know a couple of people who actually believe that.

[mainstreetonce]

17. Joe could do it

Go for it (Obama) Biden round three.

[Politicub]

20. And I would gladly vote for him a third time, if I could

But at the end of the day, I think term limits are a good thing.

[Renew Deal]

24. I think he's correct

[spanone]

25. damn right.

[geek tragedy]

29. Of course he could. Then again, Bill Clinton would have crushed George W Bush. nt

[Amimnoch]

31. Yep, and I'd be throwing in for him again.

quite happily. He's been the most effective president in many decades.

[jalan48]

35. Ouch. Hillary would come in second again?

[tavernier]

37. What a shame term limits aren't for

asses like Boner and the turtle.

[Paladin]

38. I read the entire statement. I understand what he's saying.

And I still wish he hadn't said it. The paranoid racist right is going to get mileage out of this.....

[sufrommich]

42. So what? What can they do to him at this point? nt

[Paladin]

44. It's not him I'm worried about. (nt)

[Hekate]

47. Obama said it very well: Even if you think you can continue effectively, leave office at end of term

Nonetheless the paranoid left is already in this thread getting mileage out of this. Whaddya gonna do?

[Cha]

59. Yeah, they'll have their snipes.. they always have for 7 years and counting.. but, it means nothing.

President Obama is popular.. he's a great President and he could win again. Ha.

Too bad for them.

[LynneSin]

41. Just get Joe Biden to make his announcment! Then all is good

[angrychair]

43. Shocking

Some of the comments here are shocking. I voted for PBO (twice) campaigned for him ( twice). I think he is the greatest president in modern history. My posts, on this or any site, support my position.
That being said, I would never ask or want any president, no matter how good, to serve a third term. It is a violation of law and our core values that reject the concept of a king or dictator. I only wish those values extended to members of congress..

[nadine_mn]

46. I think he said just to make Republican heads explode

Seriously - you know that sound bite is going to be playing non-stop on conservative media as evidence that Obama wants to be a dictator. They will be so focused on Obama they won't have time to spend on the Hillary and Bernie

I bet he is laughing his ass off

[Kali]

54. I'm with you

I love when he trolls those assholes.

[Initech]

49. Republicans: Obama To Defy Constitution, Run For Third Term

[jomin41]

50. As somebody,not me, must have said,

" I love the smell of Republican heads exploding in the morning".

[still_one]

55. That was Robert Duvall, a republican by the way, but you already knew that. Good actor though

[Drunken Irishman]

69. Was a Republican. Duvall left the GOP after 2008 when they went off the deep end...

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/03/16/longtime-conservative-actor-robert-duvall-abandoning-gop-mess/

[still_one]

70. Interesting, thanks

[still_one]

52. He is right, on both counts, and in spite of detractors inside and out, I believe history will view

him as one of the greats

[0rganism]

56. rwnj headline: OBAMA RUNNING FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL THIRD TERM!

anything to keep the panic level high...

[cascadiance]

57. Not so sure... If he still played the Fast Track and TPP cards not as a lame ducker...

Maybe he would have held off until 2016 for that, but even then, perhaps he might have gotten primaried. I think even if he did run, if he had pushed through TPA and TPP like he has, he'd get a lot of resistance this time around! And I think many of us wanting prosecution for banksters will say "Holder it! Time's up! Time to put some of these bums in prison, not grease your way to the revolving door when you leave later".

[Cha]

61. Yeah, President Obama would win again.. I don't care how much "tpp" is trotted out.

[Hotler]

62. He would not get my vote. n/t

[JI7]

63. i would love it if he was

[Kath1]

65. I would gladly vote for him again if I could!

So would a lot of other people, He promised change and is one of those rare politicians who actually delivers.

[Solly Mack]

67. Bet his saying that chapped a few asses.

lol

I like it when conservatives get their panties in a wad.

[Lodestar]

68. True dat. I don't trust polls and the msm which is why I think Obama's election

speech was held in a stadium so that the numbers of supporters could not be denied, contested
or distorted by anyone.