History: Two Stories

Joe Biden got out of the race. Kamala Harris got in, a legion of Democrats endorsed her, and she raised $50 million in 24 hours. But Harris faces an enigma.

Since 1960 Vice Presidents have run for President seven times.

Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Al Gore all lost. Nixon lost in 1960 but won eight years later. George H. W. Bush won in 1988. Biden won in 2020.

Four of seven times Vice-Presidents ran and lost.

Here’s another piece of history: Arguing, a friend told me, “Look, the Lord saved Trump from an assassin’s bullet. He wants Trump back in the White House.”

I thought a moment. “Did he thank the Lord?”

His lips set. “He said that God saved him.”

“When he said that was he thanking God or saying that means God wants him to be President?”

“Either way God wants Trump.”

The Good Lord did save Trump but seven men who’ve run for president have survived assassination attempts since 1912. Have many won?

A former saloon keeper shot Teddy Roosevelt in the chest when he was campaigning as the Bull Moose Party candidate for president in 1912. The Lord spared Roosevelt – but he lost the election to Woodrow Wilson.

Two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate Harry Truman. They did kill two policeman. The Lord spared Truman – but running for reelection in 1952 he lost the New Hampshire primary and got out of the race.

When Alabama Governor George Wallace ran for president in 1972 an assassin shot him five times. Wallace survived. But lost to George McGovern.

Charles Manson follower ‘Squeaky’ Fromm tried to assassinate Gerald Ford when he ran in 1976. The gun misfired. But in the end Ford lost to Jimmy Carter.

After Frankin Roosevelt was elected an assassin fired five bullets at him, missed Roosevelt, but killed the man beside him. And, of course, John Hinckley wounded Reagan. Both Roosevelt and Reagan were re-elected.

When you hear the words, He survived an assassination. God wants him to be president – it sounds logical. But the Lord’s ways are mysterious. He spared six men but four lost their elections.

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Carter Wrenn

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History: Two Stories

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Joe Biden got out of the race. Kamala Harris got in, a legion of Democrats endorsed her, and she raised $50 million in 24 hours. But Harris faces an enigma.

Since 1960 Vice Presidents have run for President seven times.

Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Al Gore all lost. Nixon lost in 1960 but won eight years later. George H. W. Bush won in 1988. Biden won in 2020.

Four of seven times Vice-Presidents ran and lost.

Here’s another piece of history: Arguing, a friend told me, “Look, the Lord saved Trump from an assassin’s bullet. He wants Trump back in the White House.”

I thought a moment. “Did he thank the Lord?”

His lips set. “He said that God saved him.”

“When he said that was he thanking God or saying that means God wants him to be President?”

“Either way God wants Trump.”

The Good Lord did save Trump but seven men who’ve run for president have survived assassination attempts since 1912. Have many won?

A former saloon keeper shot Teddy Roosevelt in the chest when he was campaigning as the Bull Moose Party candidate for president in 1912. The Lord spared Roosevelt – but he lost the election to Woodrow Wilson.

Two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate Harry Truman. They did kill two policeman. The Lord spared Truman – but running for reelection in 1952 he lost the New Hampshire primary and got out of the race.

When Alabama Governor George Wallace ran for president in 1972 an assassin shot him five times. Wallace survived. But lost to George McGovern.

Charles Manson follower ‘Squeaky’ Fromm tried to assassinate Gerald Ford when he ran in 1976. The gun misfired. But in the end Ford lost to Jimmy Carter.

After Frankin Roosevelt was elected an assassin fired five bullets at him, missed Roosevelt, but killed the man beside him. And, of course, John Hinckley wounded Reagan. Both Roosevelt and Reagan were re-elected.

When you hear the words, He survived an assassination. God wants him to be president – it sounds logical. But the Lord’s ways are mysterious. He spared six men but four lost their elections.

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Carter Wrenn

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