to wonder why Obama isn't running for president

[TheoriginalLEM]

just that really.

he seems like the best man for the job

[Owllady]

Next you'll be telling me back the future wasn't a documentary
I met Christopher Lloyd in a dream, he said it was all true

[lertgush]

Also it's worth bearing in mind that most US presidents operate with what in the UK would be a hung parliament. The US House and Senate are both currently controlled by Republicans. Imagine David Cameron being Prime Minister, but the House of Commons and House of Lords both having a Labour majority. Now imagine him actually getting anything done. For 6 of his 8 years as president this has been the situation for Obama.

[SylviaWrath]

Franklin D. Roosevelt served four terms

No, he served 3 terms and three months of the fourth. Harry Truman served almost all of the fourth term.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

And people don't realise that the Clinton running now is a different Clinton who was president previously?

I find it bizarre that anyone could be so oblivious to what goes on in the world.

[Northernlurker]

I watch the news at the moment and wonder who would be ill-informed enough to vote for trump. And now having read this thread I know.......

You guys know there was more than one Kennedy brother right?

[lurked101]

You may have heard him described as a useless President, but by very partisan reports..

He's extremely popular right now, and you know popular enough to win two terms, bring in Obamacare against hard opposition, economic growth, low unemployment, you know all those things Bush didn't manage.

Big grins tonight at some of the mumsnet collective.. who are we dealing with on the site? Certainly makes coming here for advice a much smaller prospective!

[Nicky333]

Oh dear me.

[RudeElf]

8 years in that job is likely to be enough stress to do you the rest of your days. He'll probably skip out of the place without a backwards glance.

[LineyReborn]

The Bush / Clinton stuff was deadpan humour.

[lorelei9]

Where is OP?

I feel like Obama is Marmite, everyone I speak to loves him or hates him, no In between. Guess OP loves him.

Must rewatch West Wing at some point.

[RudeElf]

I too am a bit shocked about the bush and clinton confusion. Two bushes, two clintons. Its not Bill in a wig.

[SylviaWrath]

George Washington did 3 terms

No he didn't. The very fact that he didn't seek re-election at the end of the second is why there was always an unwritten rule that the presidency was for no more than 2 terms. Only a few ever tried it (Ulysses Grant and Teddy Roosevent, thats all) and only one ever served more than 2 terms, and that was FDR. After that the unwritten rule was made law, in 1951.

[lostincumbria]

Imagine David Cameron being Prime Minister, but the House of Commons and House of Lords both having a Labour majority.

I'm imagining that very thing.

Then I'm imagining the Queen abseiling into Parliament to sort out the constitutional predicament.

Then Marty McFly bursts in and shouts "Nobody puts Boris in the corner."

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

I reckon if Martin Sheen ran for president he would get elected in a landslide.

[RortyCrankle]

[lostincumbria]

You guys know there was more than one Kennedy brother right?

Shut the front door!

[Tangfastics]

It's not Bill in a wig

omg, Stop!!!

[CakeNinja]

So George Bush and George Bush are different people?

This has me doing and alternately! How old are you?!

[fatherpeeweestairmaster]

This is why we label our kings and queens very carefully in the UK. Think of the confusion with all the Georges, one after another.

[ThomasRichard]

Mouth literally hanging open...

Did none of you ever watch The West Wing?!

[Owllady]

They'll be got in Doris trumpson in next

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

I am not sure I find it entirely (a) surprising or (b) concerning that some British people don't know all that much about the political leaders and constitutional ins and outs of a foreign country. Yes, America is a superpower, etc etc, but fundamentally a lot of it doesn't necessarily have a huge impact on life in Britain. Anyone know how Angela Merkel came to power? Or Francois Hollande?

I can guarantee you that a microscopic percentage of Americans know who the UK prime minister is, or how s/he is elected, or how the parliamentary system works...

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Or can even locate England on a map........

[lertgush]

lostincumbria you made me ROFL :-)