Top Ten Failed Candidates

[President Mitt]

What are your Top Ten Failed Presidential Candidates (Primary and General will work)?

Mine:
1. Jerry Brown, 1976 Surprising, I know, but the 1970's Jerry Brown was actually Fiscally Conservative, and Socially Libertarian, today he's just a Neo-Pelosi (What a shame)

2. Howard Baker, 1980 I still like Ronnie, but Baker probably would have been our best President ever had he won.

3. Henry Clay, 1824, 1832, or 1848, A bastard, but a smart bastard.

4. John Q. Adams, 1828, That damn Andrew Jackson never let Adams get any of his agenda out, which would have helped in the long run.

5. John Bell, 1860, I think this guy could have held off the Civil War. I mean the only philosophy he had was to "compromise".

6. William H. Taft, 1912, TR went off the hook on this one. Taft busted more trusts than Teddy himself, and Wilson is still an asshole.

7. Robert Dole, 1996, I still supported Clinton, but I think Dole would have been a decent President.

8. John McCain, 2000, This was the John McCain who hadn't sold himself out to the Religious Right.

9. Nelson Rockefeller, 1964, 1968, Goldwater brought those bible thumpers into the GOP, Rocky definitely wouldn't have done that.

10. Richard Nixon, 1960, He would have been a third term for Eisenhower, Sounds good to me.

[You kip if you want to...]

1. Al Gore, 2000
2. Michael Dukakis, 1988
3. John McCain, 2000 (If a Republican had to have won that election, it should've been 2000-edition McCain. The "centrist" one.)
4. Paul Tsongas, 1992 although I prefer Bill Clinton
5. Hillary Clinton, 2008 although I supported Obama
6. Hubert Humphrey, 1968
7. John Kerry, 2004
8. Adlai Stevenson, 1952 & 1956

They're the only ones that come to mind off the top of my head.

[Vepres]

In no particular order

- John McCain,  2000: I love anti-establishment candidates, the straight talk was good
- Ross Perot, 1992: Anti-deficit, straight shooter, understood the numbers, great
- Jerry Ford, 1976: A good guy, moderate, seemed fairly intelligent despite his gaffes
- William Jennings Bryan, all his presidential bids: A man who stood up for the little guy back then, excellent
- Richard Nixon, 1960: Except for the scandals, I really like Nixon, and had he not lost a few states in 1960 questionable, I doubt he would've broken the law
- Walter Mondale, (though I would've wanted him to run a different year): Honest guy despite some disagreements I have with him

That's all I can think of.

[Mint]

Barry Goldwater, John M. Ashbrook, John Hospers, Ed Clark, David Bergland, Ron Paul, Andre Marrou, Harry Browne, Michael Badnarik, Bob Barr. The last one I'm kicking myself over still. Oh well, there's always next election.

[Antonio the Sixth]

1 Tilden 1876 because he should have won
2 Gore 2000 for the same reason
3 Bob Kennedy 1968
4 T. Roosevelt 1912, though Wilson was not a bad candidate
5 Dean 2004
6 Bryan 1896
7 McCain 2000 : he would have saved GOP from the reactionary right
8 Seymour 1868, mostly because Grant was awful
9 Mondale 1980, both because I love him and because I hate Reagan
10 Stevenson 1956, I loved this guy and Eisehower was too old for a second term

[fezzyfestoon]

Paul Tsongas, Steve Forbes (for fun), Howard Dean, Gerald Ford, Thomas Dewey, Nelson Rockefeller, Mitt and George Romney, and maybe a few others I'm forgetting.

[Alexander Hamilton]

What are your Top Ten Failed Presidential Candidates (Primary and General will work)?

Mine:
1. Jerry Brown, 1976 Surprising, I know, but the 1970's Jerry Brown was actually Fiscally Conservative, and Socially Libertarian, today he's just a Neo-Pelosi (What a shame)

2. Howard Baker, 1980 I still like Ronnie, but Baker probably would have been our best President ever had he won.

3. Henry Clay, 1824, 1832, or 1848, A bastard, but a smart bastard.

4. John Q. Adams, 1828, That damn Andrew Jackson never let Adams get any of his agenda out, which would have helped in the long run.

5. John Bell, 1860, I think this guy could have held off the Civil War. I mean the only philosophy he had was to "compromise".

6. William H. Taft, 1912, TR went off the hook on this one. Taft busted more trusts than Teddy himself, and Wilson is still an asshole.

7. Robert Dole, 1996, I still supported Clinton, but I think Dole would have been a decent President.

8. John McCain, 2000, This was the John McCain who hadn't sold himself out to the Religious Right.

9. Nelson Rockefeller, 1964, 1968, Goldwater brought those bible thumpers into the GOP, Rocky definitely wouldn't have done that.

10. Richard Nixon, 1960, He would have been a third term for Eisenhower, Sounds good to me.

Teddy believe in good trusts and bad trusts. Taft had crossed the line, hence the Bull Moose party.
Which should be number one on your list.

[Alexander Hamilton]

1. Teddy Roosevelt (1912)
2. Ross Perot (1992)
3. Mitt Romney (2008)
4. John McCain (2000)
5. Hillary Clinton (2008)
6. Grover Cleveland (1888)
7. Richard Nixon (1960) [no LBJ]
8. Henry Clay (1832)
9. John Quincy Adams (1828)
10. John Adams (1800)

[FloridaRepublican]

1.  George McGovern (1972)
2.  Alf Landon (1936)
3.  Walter Mondale (1984)
4.  Herbert Hoover (1932)
5.  William Howard Taft (1912)
6.  Barry Goldwater (1964)
7.  Jimmy Carter (1980)
8.  Michael Dukakis (1988)
9.  Al Gore (2000)
10.  Bob Dole (1996)

[Alexander Hamilton]

1.  George McGovern (1972)
2.  Alf Landon (1936)
3.  Walter Mondale (1984)
4.  Herbert Hoover (1932)
5.  William Howard Taft (1912)
6.  Barry Goldwater (1964)
7.  Jimmy Carter (1980)
8.  Michael Dukakis (1988)
9.  Al Gore (2000)
10.  Bob Dole (1996)

Not the biggest failures... just who failed that was good.

[LastMcGovernite]

Teddy believe in good trusts and bad trusts. Taft had crossed the line, hence the Bull Moose party.
Which should be number one on your list.

Woah- I was under the impression Taft was to the right of Roosevelt- Taft was many things, but a line-crossing politician opposed to big business, he was not.

[big bad fab]

Nobody has included a big and disappointing failure (and twice, sort of):
Gary Hart.

And Bush Sr, 1992, is of course a big, big failure, as he should have won.

[LastMcGovernite]

1.  George McGovern- 1972, 1984
2.  Hubert Humphrey- 1960, 1968
3.  Henry Clay- multiple times, but I have 1844 in mind.
4.  Morris Udall- 1976
5.  Birch Bayh- 1976
6.  DeWitt Clinton- 1812
7.  John Quincy Adams- 1828
8.  Joe Biden- 1988, 2008
9.  Winfield Scott- 1852
10.  Walter Mondale, 1984

[aaaa2222]

Jerry Brown: A smart dude, got it on both social and economic fronts.
Ross Perot: The best candidate in recent years. Resembles my views on every issue.
Teddy Roosevelt: Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
Henry Clay: My second favourite early 1800's politician, after Jefferson.
Nelson Rockefeller: A socially liberal Republican? Sounds like a Republican vote from me.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

1.  Henry Jackson, 1976
2.  Henry Jackson, 1972
3.  William Jennings Bryan, 1896
4.  Hubert Humphrey, 1968
5.  Lyndon Johnson, 1960
6.  Alben Barkley, 1952
7.  Ted Kennedy, 1980
8.  Adlai Stevenson, 1952
9.  Theodore Roosevelt, 1912
10.  Al Gore, 2000

[Alexander Hamilton]

Teddy believe in good trusts and bad trusts. Taft had crossed the line, hence the Bull Moose party.
Which should be number one on your list.

Woah- I was under the impression Taft was to the right of Roosevelt- Taft was many things, but a line-crossing politician opposed to big business, he was not.

Well, Teddy disagreed. So that's all I'm going to say.

[12th Doctor]

4. John Q. Adams, 1828, That damn Andrew Jackson never let Adams get any of his agenda out, which would have helped in the long run.

Both campaigns leveled some really terrible allegations against one another... the difference was that the things that the Adams people said about Jackson were largely true, whereas the things the Jackson people said about Adams were absolutely false.

[12th Doctor]

And you are mistaken Gio...

Goldwater was very much opposed to the Religious Right.  And I think if Reagan had any clue was the Religious Right would become, he woudl have stayed away from them too.

[JSojourner]

1.  John Kerry
2.  Al Gore
3.  Paul Tsongas
4.  Paul Simon
5.  Eugene McCarthy
6.  Barbara Jordan
7.  Ed Muskie
8.  George McGovern
9.  Bill Bradley
10.  Bobby Kennedy

Honorable mention to Hubert Humphrey, Dick Gephardt, Tom Harkin and Walter Mondale.

As far as Republicans are concerned, I wouldn't vote for them but my admiration for several also-rans runs pretty deep.  These include...

1.  John Anderson
2.  Howard Baker
3.  Amo Houghton (I am not sure if he ran or was just rumored to be running.)
4.  John McCain (2000 only)
5.  George H.W. Bush, 1980
Probably some others I have forgotten. 

[pogo stick]

1) Rudy Giuliani, 2008 I'm a huge supporter of Rudy Giuliani, when hel ost I was devastated, I hated McCain so much at that time

2) Jack Kemp, 1988, 1996 The greatest Preisdent we never had! RIP!

3) Bob Dole, 1996 Good guy, would've been a acceptable president

4) Bobby Kennedy, 1968 I iwsh he never died, he would've been the BEST democrat  to EVER hold the title of president

5) John McCain, 2008 I was really looking foward to a McCain Foreign policy.

6) Joe Lieberman, 2004 I would've never voted for ihm, but he would've made a good president

[President Mitt]

And you are mistaken Gio...

Goldwater was very much opposed to the Religious Right.  And I think if Reagan had any clue was the Religious Right would become, he woudl have stayed away from them too.

You are correct that Goldwater was opposed to them, but whether unintentionally, or intentionally, he started the process where they came in and slowly took control.

[Sewer]

1. Teddy Roosevelt (1912)
2. Robert LaFollette (1924)
3. James Weaver (1892)
4. Eugene Debs (1912)
5. Eugene Debs (1920)
6. Eugene Debs (1908)
7. Eugene Debs (1904)
8. Eugene Debs (1900)
9. George McGovern (1972)
10. Mo Udall (1976)

I like Debs.

[Alexander Hamilton]

4) Bobby Kennedy, 1968 I iwsh he never died, he would've been the BEST democrat  to EVER hold the title of president

You prove your stupidity more and more everyday. Bobby would have been much worse than his classier, more logical, and more experienced brother. Also, what about Presidents such as Bill Clinton and Grover Cleveland and Harry Truman. Do you honestly think Bobby could have had a term anywhere near as good as one of those three. You are in over your head with that statement.

[jeron]

4) Bobby Kennedy, 1968 I iwsh he never died, he would've been the BEST democrat  to EVER hold the title of president

You prove your stupidity more and more everyday. Bobby would have been much worse than his classier, more logical, and more experienced brother. Also, what about Presidents such as Bill Clinton and Grover Cleveland and Harry Truman. Do you honestly think Bobby could have had a term anywhere near as good as one of those three. You are in over your head with that statement.

Erm, Bill Clinton's term wasn't that good.

[aaaa2222]

4) Bobby Kennedy, 1968 I iwsh he never died, he would've been the BEST democrat  to EVER hold the title of president

You prove your stupidity more and more everyday. Bobby would have been much worse than his classier, more logical, and more experienced brother. Also, what about Presidents such as Bill Clinton and Grover Cleveland and Harry Truman. Do you honestly think Bobby could have had a term anywhere near as good as one of those three. You are in over your head with that statement.

Erm, Bill Clinton's term wasn't that good.

I think he was the best president since Johnson, possibly since Kennedy. And possibly the best president for the economy EVER.