Thanks.  You know, questions like that REALLY used to piss me off, but I’ve kind of come around on it and am happy that at least they are asking the question so that I can at least try to explain it. 

Some people aren’t ignorant because they are intolerant; they’re ignorant because no one took the time to explain things like that or answer their questions.  If I was able to spend three sentences helping someone understand their world better, then I feel like I’ve done more than I had ever hoped when I started this blog.

Arab is an ethnicity, not a religion.  Just like it’s possible for Caucasians to be Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, or non-believers, Arabs can be any religion or none at all.  It is their background which makes them Arab, not their beliefs.

No.  I doubt 75% of Americans even know that Sirhan Sirhan assassinated RFK because of Kennedy’s stated support of Israel.  If someone with Sirhan’s background had assassinated a high-profile American politician within the last 25 years, it would probably be used as an example of Arab terrorism.

I think part of the reason it isn’t classified as such is because Sirhan had no ties to terror groups and seemed to act as a lone nut.  Plus, while Sirhan was an Arab born in Jordanian-controlled Jerusalem, he was a Christian, not a Muslim.

Part One:  The Constitution is very blurry when it comes to whether a President who has served two terms (and is thus limited from another term due to the 22nd Amendment) can run as Vice President.  There are different interpretations about it, and it’s never been tested. 

My interpretation is no — a term limited President cannot be elected Vice President.  The 12th Amendment states that “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.”   Since we’re using Clinton as an example, I think that the 12th Amendment would indicate that Clinton couldn’t run for Vice President because — due to the fact that he’s already been elected to two terms as President — he is Constitutionally ineligible to seek the Presidency again.

By the way, President Clinton himself interprets the Constitution that way and doesn’t believe he could be Vice President.

Part Two:  Yes, there was briefly some consideration at the 1980 Republican National Convention to naming Ford as Reagan’s running mate.  Reagan had approached Ford about the VP slot privately before he even locked up the nomination, and Ford declined it, but at the Convention, it became public knowledge, so although he was annoyed about the proposition leaking, Ford seriously considered accepting.

The idea didn’t last long.  When Reagan and his aides had first mentioned it to Ford, it was with a promise that Ford would have significant, extraordinary powers as Vice President — almost a co-Presidency.  At the Convention, Reagan’s people and Ford’s people quickly realized that they couldn’t agree on what Ford’s role would be, so things rapidly fell apart.  It was probably for the best anyway because Ford and Reagan didn’t really like each other.  There had been some bad blood between them since Reagan challenged the incumbent President Ford for the 1976 Republican nomination.

For what?  His legacy has been tarnished since the Persian Gulf War because of his role as Secretary of State during the Bush 43 Administration.  His performance in front of the United Nations in the lead-up to the Iraq War proved that, and I don’t have any sympathy for him because General Powell knew it was wrong, yet he still did it.

If anyone deserves a fifth star, it’s probably General Petraeus.

First and foremost, I would recommend his legendary autobiography, The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant (Book|Kindle), which he finished writing just a few days before he died.

•Many Are The Hearts: The Agony and the Triumph of Ulysses S. Grant by Richard Goldhurst (Book)

•Grant’s Final Victory: Ulysses S. Grant’s Heroic Last Year by Charles Bracelen Flood (Book|Kindle)

•Grant by Jean Edward Smith (Book|Kindle)

•Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won The Civil War by Charles Bracelen Flood (Book|Kindle)

There have been rumblings now-and-then of repealing XXII, but nothing serious.  Even if it was repealed tomorrow the term limits would likely remain applicable to Bill Clinton or George W. Bush, just as President Truman wouldn’t have been term limited by the Amendment because it was ratified during his Presidency.  I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon.

I’m curious to see what’s next for Hillary Clinton.  Obviously, she’s probably looking forward to just resting for a bit.  She’s been going non-stop for decades now — her law career, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the United States, U.S. Senator, leading candidate for President, and now Secretary of State, with no breaks in between.  I’m sure she wants to recharge her batteries, but I just can’t imagine that she’s finished with public service.  I don’t know if she’ll take a shot at the Presidency in 2016 (she’ll be nearly 70 years old), but who knows?  I think she could also be a potential Supreme Court nominee.

A President who has served two terms can run for any office other than President, and in many interpretations, Vice President.  Former Presidents can serve in Congress, but only two have:  John Quincy Adams served in the House and Andrew Johnson served in the Senate.

Over the past century, an unwritten rule has been that former Presidents should not speak out against the incumbent President or take an active role in domestic politics (outside of endorsements or fundraising during campaign years).  It’s a tradition or protocol that is meant to be respectful and well-intentioned in that former Presidents don’t want to make the current President’s job more difficult because they have personal knowledge of how difficult the Presidency truly is.  Unfortunately, it’s tough for us to see a leader like Bill Clinton on the sidelines when we know how capable and useful he might be if he only had a more active role.