Reasons for the statement I do not choose to run

1 reasons statement

1.1 hope drafted
1.2 desire private life
1.3 honoring two-term tradition

reasons statement

after coolidge’s announcement there debate meant in choice of words. took language definitive statement not willing president longer. others thought hoping drafted party candidate.

hope drafted

some close president took view coolidge looking drafted party 1928 election. vice president charles g. dawes believed “ardently” wanted nomination. commerce secretary herbert hoover, himself considering 1928 election bid, asked coolidge if decision “absolutely conclusive,” , president made no direct reply. 1 of coolidge’s closest friends, senator butler, said of decision, “i not know wants.”

as being drafted party’s candidate, coolidge stated “was determined not have contingency arise.”

desire private life

political cartoon clifford berryman portraying coolidge after statement.

others saw coolidge’s message desire private life. 1924, coolidge decided not run presidency second time. death of son, cal jr., in 1924, took heavy toll on president, led clinical depression. “when died, power , glory of presidency went him,” coolidge later wrote in autobiography. noted term put him in white house longer other man had been there, , ten years more time man should spend there.

also, coolidge took steps make sure not drafted nomination. said, “i not approve circulation of petition, such has been reported in morning press, requesting me run president in 1928. don’t see come it. hope discontinued.” announced in december 1927, “my statement stands. no 1 should led suppose have modified it. decision respected.” informed massachusetts republicans mounting campaign have him win state’s presidential primary, coolidge informed republican state chairman “such action embarrassing me… request not done.”

while language open debate, pointed out language of vermont yankee. yankee language founded on understatement , not overstatement, said publisher charles thompson.

honoring two-term tradition

some feel coolidge honoring two-term tradition set president washington. coolidge held opinion vice president succeeded part of president’s term not violate rule running twice election in own right. tradition continued in 1952 , 1968, when presidents harry s. truman , lyndon b. johnson chose not seek term after disappointing showings in new hampshire primary. both had succeeded presidency after death of predecessors , had been elected once. theodore roosevelt did not run in 1908 after succession presidency in 1901 , election in 1904. however, ran unsuccessfully in 1912, against successor, william howard taft.

within republican party, there talk “no third term tradition” damage coolidge’s, , party’s, chances come election day. led party members calling him not run third term, though scholars feel opinion had little effect on coolidge’s reasoning.