Presidential Bracketology

[Antilogic]

In the spirit of March Madness, MSNBC put together a bracket of also-rans, near-misses, and contenders for president. It looks like they are going to have members of the site vote on the the winners or something for each.

I have a bit of criticism, particularly the focus on recent candidates; they have lumped all of the 18th and 19th century together in a single bracket, have two brackets for the 20th, and another for the few elections of the 21st. It's ridiculous.

So, discuss! Your brackets, the idea, or anything else!

 

[Perfection]

Benjamin Franklin will kick everyone's ass.

 

[Cutlass]

Can't say I know a lot about people who failed to get elected president, before recent years.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Benjamin Franklin will kick everyone's ass.

I most respectfully agree.

 

[Cutlass]

I most respectfully agree.

Unfortunately, he died in 1790. So not good timing on that.

 

[BvBPL]

Joshua A. Norton would clean Ben Franklin's clock.

 

[Antilogic]

Benjamin Franklin will kick everyone's ass.

I most respectfully agree.

He has name recognition but is up against Daniel "Friggin'" Webster in the first round.

Also, I wish Henry Clay, John Frémont, Horace Greeley, and maybe James Weaver were on the list too. And that's just 19th century guys who made it out of their parties' primaries.

 

[warpus]

Can't say I know a lot about people who failed to get elected president, before recent years.

I'm not American but I do know that Ron Paul continues to lose every time he runs. Other than that do people really remember the people who fail to become president even once? I only remember the guys who win 1 term but lose another. But again, I'm not American, you guys learn this stuff in school.

 

[downtown]

He has name recognition but is up against Daniel "Friggin'" Webster in the first round.

Also, I wish Henry Clay, John Frémont, Horace Greeley, and maybe James Weaver were on the list too. And that's just 19th century guys who made it out of their parties' primaries.

Yeah, who the hell made Webster an 11 seed? That should be an Elite Eight matchup, not a first rounder.

I think I'd like Franklin to get out of the oldest region, (Although Jay would be an interesting 12 seed), John Glenn in the mid 20th, (Jack Kemp as a one seed, gtfo), Bobby to beat Earl Warren in the early 20th...and I guess Gore? I think either Franklin or Bobby Kennedy would be the winners.

 

[Antilogic]

Yeah, who the hell made Webster an 11 seed? That should be an Elite Eight matchup, not a first rounder.

I think I'd like Franklin to get out of the oldest region, (Although Jay would be an interesting 12 seed), John Glenn in the mid 20th, (Jack Kemp as a one seed, gtfo), Bobby to beat Earl Warren in the early 20th...and I guess Gore? I think either Franklin or Bobby Kennedy would be the winners.

Exactly!

I had Webster advancing to the Sweet 16 against W. J. Bryan. LaFollette and Tilden faced off as well. John Glenn is an interesting inclusion--I know he was a senator for about 20 years, but I don't know of any legislation he sponsored.

I had Henry Wallace and Earl Warren in the Elite 8 for the early-mid 20th. They both could have had a huge impact if they were elected (or inherited the office). Also, George Romney got further than Mitt Romney.



(I'm thinking about remaking this bracket thing with a greater focus on the 18th and 19th century guys, maybe giving them two brackets instead of one and condensing the others.)

 

[BvBPL]

I approve of Ross Perot having a better seed than Mitt Romney.

I'm not sure why Perot is in the "modern / 21st century" era when Kemp and Dole are in the 20th century one though. And Nader didn't make it at all?

 

[Antilogic]

Neither did Byrd, Thurmond, or George Wallace--you'd figure there would be at least one Dixiecrat bolter.

 

[Cutlass]

I'm not American but I do know that Ron Paul continues to lose every time he runs. Other than that do people really remember the people who fail to become president even once? I only remember the guys who win 1 term but lose another. But again, I'm not American, you guys learn this stuff in school.

Except for a few notables, few of the runners up are known except for some political and history junkies. Now some were well known, but in other contexts. Every American knows at least something about Ben Franklin, but Franklin died while Washington was still in his first term as president. So when might he have run? And Hamilton wasn't born in territory that became part of the US, so was he even considered eligible at the time? A number of the others are known in other contexts, but generally weren't ever considered serious presidential contenders.

 

[Antilogic]

Except for a few notables, few of the runners up are known except for some political and history junkies.

I promise not to take that personally.

Now some were well known, but in other contexts. Every American knows at least something about Ben Franklin, but Franklin died while Washington was still in his first term as president. So when might he have run? And Hamilton wasn't born in territory that became part of the US, so was he even considered eligible at the time? A number of the others are known in other contexts, but generally weren't ever considered serious presidential contenders.

The eligibility clause reads: "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution..." Thus Hamilton was arguably eligible, given he served in the Continental Army and could claim to be a citizen of New York before ratification.

 

[Zack]

Other than that do people really remember the people who fail to become president even once?

I'm pretty sure Henry Clay was a close runner-up something like four times.