President Obama considering not running for re-election?

In an interview from China, President Barack Obama talked openly about the idea that he might not run for re-election in 2012.

Obama, speaking with CNN on a wide range of topics - including Sarah Palin'snew book, said that he realizes he is already making difficult decisions about the future of the United States, and that could hurt his prospects in 2012.

Here's the full quote for context:

But when it comes to the 2012 race, Obama didn't discount the possibility he may sit out on a reelection bid.

"You know, if - if I feel like I've made the very best decisions for the American people and three years from now I look at it and, you know, my poll numbers are in the tank and because we've gone through these wrenching changes, you know, politically, I'm in a tough spot, I'll - I'll feel all right about myself," Obama told CNN's Ed Henry during an interview in China.

"I said to myself very early on, even when I started running for office, I don't want to be making decisions based on getting reelected, because I think the challenges that America faces right now are so significant," the president also said. "Obviously, if I make those decisions and I think that I'm moving the country on the right direction economically, in terms of our security interests, our foreign policy, I'd like to think that those policies are continued because they're not going to bear fruit just in four years."

But in the next breath the president quickly sounded like someone who would relish taking his case to the American people in 2012, saying he's tackling big issues like health care and Iran that he's confident will bear fruit in the future. The last president not to seek reelection was Lyndon Johnson in 1968.

OK, so there's a fair bit to digest in there, and you have to take everything he is saying with a grain of salt because when you're dealing with such a wide array of complex issues at one time - two years can seem like a lifetime.

Anyone willing to run for president has to have a very healthy and developed sense of self worth - and Obama is definitely stocked in the ego department. That is a silly critique of any president as long as the they're not erecting statues to themselves.

Plus, not many folks aspire to hold a single term in the White House, an ignominious feat that has become an insult to past presidents. Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush are routinely blasted by critics for only managing four years in office.  

Further, Obama pretty much has to say he's not making decisions based on getting re-elected because voters don't like being openly pandered to. You have to at least talk about the "tough decisions" you are making in office.

But the whole idea that Obama wouldn't run for re-election is a bit absurd because a four year window is such a quick blip on the national scene. Think about how any decisions he made during a hypothetical single term would look in the context of history.

Opponents could basically pooh-pooh any accomplishments he made in office because of the short time frame. Think about the refrains that would haunt him. He didn't fix the economy the market did. Yeah but well we still have troops fighting in two wars. And on and on.

Here's the full - short - item from CNN's web site and yes I am a Google slut....

   

Comments

[bob]

obama should get himself out of that mess and stop giving people a reason to talk bad about him and his family.he shouldn't have run for election last year in the first place, let another repub screw things up even more.maby then you people would stop talking about a soclaist, anti semitic and anit american obama.let someone else be the whipping boy,while you take vacations in the caribbean whith your wife and kids.

[vitamin d]

I'm not so sure this is true. He won last time because he managed to win enough votes from independents to carry him through. It may not happen in 2012, many independents are not liking what they are seeing from the dems. Of course things could change between now and 2012 but if this trend continues he may have a hard time getting re-elected. Alot depends on who it is he would be running against also.

[truth1]

With three more years under Obama the public may be ready to vote for Hoody Doody or anyone running against him. Look at the two Governor races, it tell alot of what will happen in 2010 and 2012. With polls not at 46% his polls will continue to fall and may not survive a full term if he keeps making bone head decisions, like a show trial in NYC.

[GovGirl]

The previous comment is laughable at best - WHAT MEDIA ATTACK has Obama been under? The vast majority of the media does not attack him, they COVER for him on everything! Lets look at the Ft. Hood attacks, had that been under Bush the angry demands for answers from the White House would have been screamed from LA to NY - have we heard any such demands? No - we haven't. The media has consistently portrayed those who oppose Obama's ideas as crazy fringe people, but made Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink into national heroes (and they really are crazy finge). So do not give me this garbage about how the media has been merciless. They only thing you got right was that Obama will not relinquish power voluntarily. As for Palin the jury is still out on her, and there are very few Republicans talking about her as president - that is mostly the media. But one things is sure, the left fears her. They will always tell you who they fear, it is the person they attack - and they attack her constantly.

[J. Tyler Ballance]

The way that the media and the opposition mercilessly attack our elected officials these days, how can we expect anyone other than megalomaniacs from seeking office? Why would truly good spirits ever consider putting themselves in the line of such relentless fire?

Truman was famous for saying, "If you can't stand the heat, stay (the Hell) out of the kitchen." However, even Mr. Truman would wither under the constant media barrage and attacks.

Mr. Obama, like most politicians at the national level today, is highly unlikely to relinquish the spotlight voluntarily. Of course with the Republicans hinting of a Palin candidacy, Mr. Obama can be confident that he will have eight years to serve as our nation's rhetorical target-in-chief.

One thing is clear, the political process we have today has chased the truly competent, genuinely compassionate leaders, out of politics. We have gotten the leadership that this nation deserves.