On Second-Time Candidates
by Patrick Ruffini :: March 20th, 2007 11:42 pmIn his response to my Edwards post, Jim Geraghty ruminates on the nature of second-time candidates:
But I’ve been thinking about the value of experience in running for president. There’s a reason that most, though by no means all, of the successful bids for the nomination in both parties have had some experience in running before. (In fact, the first-timers who have won their party’s nomination often, though not always, ran in fields with no second-time campaigners.)
And yet all the second-time candidates in this field seem to be struggling. I wonder if this isn’t because something has fundamentally changed about campaigns today.
John Edwards has been running for President nonstop since January 2003. At some point, his being constantly exposed to the public as a striver or a loser has to take its toll. His run for VP was arguably even more of a double edged sword, serving on a losing ticket in the process of boosting his name ID from 60 to 90%.
When Ronald Reagan ran for the nomination in 1976 and 1980, he announced in November of 1975 and 1979 respectively. He was not a candidate for three years and three months until his second successful run. He enjoyed a consistent level of exposure through his radio commentaries, but that somehow seems different than trolling for votes in Iowa fresh off the last election.
This year, it’s the first-time candidates who seem to have the momentum. To some extent, there seems to be a crowding out of the second-time candidates who occupy much of the same market space. (Just look at Obama vs. Edwards on the Dem side.) I do think the first-time candidates this time are more skilled than in normal years. (Giuliani, Obama, and Romney are no pushovers.) But I also think something about the almost seamless transition from election cycle to election cycle is making people yearn for fresher candidates.
Tagged: barack obama 
jim geraghty john edwards john mccain rudy giuliani
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I disagree with your post ” He isn’t going anywhere”.
John Edwards is the candidate for the working Americans. Clinton and Obama are the media darlings and the GOP prayer candidates.
John Edwards has been leading with issues that you soon see Obama jump on and Clinton soon there after. The primaries and debates we be interesting.
Speaking of second-time candidates, if Gore decides to enter the race, all bets are off.
Edwards might get some delegates, but Hillary is the one who will gain the most in the battle between the Clinton machine and the Gore machine. Edwards is too cute and too nice to be seen as the PIT BULL to block Hillary. Sorry, but if a man wants to get the Democrats on board now, he had better be more powerful than a wimpy type like Edwards.
Debbie Watson:
TOO CUTE!, Yes, he is great on the eyes, but has fire in his heart. You don’t know John Edwards at all if all you see is his outward appearance. He has more character, and concern for “we” the hard working americans.
Try a visit to: www.johnedwards.com
The Breck Girl is “John Edwards is the candidate for the working Americans.” Please get me a barf bag. Working Americans and John Edwards are two totaly different worlds. John Edwards is a shyster lawyer who abused the legal system and built a mansion that would house a dozen ‘working Americans’. Working Americans are still paying for the damage John did to the doctors and the medical industry in the form of higher costs and fewer doctors. If the working man is a lying thieving con artist, then perhaps the Breck Girl is their candidate. Personally I have a higher regard for the working man and I doubt that their concept of hard work is anything like his.
Last thought: Concider the Communist Chineese. Do you imagine them respecting the Breck Girl? Perhaps the Breck Girl should run for President of France. I think its a perfect fit. But as the leader of the free world, John Edwards isn’t even a serious candidate.
More Experience Questions…
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