Eleven US Presidents have been defeated in their bids for a second term.
Trump is the only one of them to, so far, refuse to concede.
Despite the fact that several of them did better in their re-election races than Trump did.
Trump is the only one of them to, so far, refuse to concede.
Despite the fact that several of them did better in their re-election races than Trump did.
John Adams, the first President to lose a re-election contest, got a higher share of the electoral vote than Trump did (even if Trump wins all the states in which he's currently leading in). He also lost the electoral college by a smaller margin than Trump has. But he conceded.
Grover Cleveland lost in 1888 even though he WON the popular vote (he lost the Electoral College by a only two and a half percentage more than Trump will). But he conceded. And dealt with the loss like a winner. He got elected again in 1892, beating the guy who beat him.
And the guy who President Grover Cleveland came back to get electoral revenge on, President Benjamin Harrison, lost in 1892 by a smaller popular vote margin than Trump will. There was only a 3% difference in the vote. But President Harrison did the patriotic thing. He conceded.
Gerald Ford, in 1976, lost the Electoral College to Jimmy Carter by a smaller margin than Trump will. Ford got a higher share of both the popular vote and the electoral vote than Trump did. But he conceded.
Several of the presidents who lost re-election and who did not stain their legacies or tear the country apart with their losses went on to do great things. Defeated President William Howard Taft became a US Supreme Court Chief Justice.
Gerald Ford became fairly wealthy, served on numerous corporate boards, became a respected elder statesman and nearly got picked to be Reagan's VP.
Jimmy Carter became the longest-living President in US history and became a celebrated humanitarian.
Jimmy Carter became the longest-living President in US history and became a celebrated humanitarian.
George H.W. Bush was defeated after only one term. But he lived to see his firstborn son serve two terms as President. He also became a beloved and respected elder statesman.
But none of these guys did what Trump is doing now. They all lost. Some by a smaller margin than him. But they did the math, maintained their self-respect and went on with their lives. And, in the case of Cleveland, lived to fight and win another day.
That's how America works.
That's how America works.
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