Coincidences
It is interesting to reflect on the following coincidences:
John Adams - elected president in 1796
William H Harrison - elected president in 1840
George HW Bush - elected president in 1988
John Adams - failed to be re-elected president in 1800 (defeated)
William H Harrison - failed to be re-elected president in 1844 (dead since 1841)
George HW Bush - failed to be president in 1988 (defeated)
John Quincy Adams - son of John Adams
Benjamin Harrison - grandson of William H Harrison
George W Bush - son of George HW Bush
John Quincy Adams - won 1824 election despite coming second in popular vote (House of Representatives decided)
Benjamin Harrison - won 1888 election despite coming second in popular vote (electoral college decided)
George W Bush - won 2000 election despite coming second in popular vote (electoral college - effectively, Supreme Court - decided)
John Quincy Adams - lost bid for re-election in 1828
Benjamin Harrison - lost bid for re-election in 1892
George W Bush - well, we'll see...
(Of course one difference between 2004 on the one hand, and 1828 and 1892 on the other, is that Andrew Jackson and Grover Cleveland, who defeated the younger Adams and Harrison, had actually been the candidates who won the popular vote in 1824 and 1888 respectively, and then stood again successfully four years later. Al Gore is supporting Kerry this year but is not on the ballot himself.)
John Adams - elected president in 1796
William H Harrison - elected president in 1840
George HW Bush - elected president in 1988
John Adams - failed to be re-elected president in 1800 (defeated)
William H Harrison - failed to be re-elected president in 1844 (dead since 1841)
George HW Bush - failed to be president in 1988 (defeated)
John Quincy Adams - son of John Adams
Benjamin Harrison - grandson of William H Harrison
George W Bush - son of George HW Bush
John Quincy Adams - won 1824 election despite coming second in popular vote (House of Representatives decided)
Benjamin Harrison - won 1888 election despite coming second in popular vote (electoral college decided)
George W Bush - won 2000 election despite coming second in popular vote (electoral college - effectively, Supreme Court - decided)
John Quincy Adams - lost bid for re-election in 1828
Benjamin Harrison - lost bid for re-election in 1892
George W Bush - well, we'll see...
(Of course one difference between 2004 on the one hand, and 1828 and 1892 on the other, is that Andrew Jackson and Grover Cleveland, who defeated the younger Adams and Harrison, had actually been the candidates who won the popular vote in 1824 and 1888 respectively, and then stood again successfully four years later. Al Gore is supporting Kerry this year but is not on the ballot himself.)