How Not to Become President

Ever notice how the vice-presidential candidate of the losing ticket often assumes he is the nation's Anointed One, and tries to assert his entitlement to the oval office four years later? Unfortunately for him, the voters deny him his birthright:

1968 Loser: Edmund Muskie. Ran in 1972 and lost the Democrat nomination to George McGovern

1972 Loser: R. Sargent Shriver. Ran in 1976 and lost the Democrat nomination to Jimmy Carter

1976 Loser: Bob Dole. Ran in 1980 and lost the Republican nomination to Ronald Reagan

1980 Loser: Walter Mondale. Ran in 1984. Received the Democrat nomination and lost the general election to Ronald Reagan.

1984 Loser: Geraldine Ferraro. Did not run in 1988.

1988 Loser: Lloyd Bentsen. Did not run in 1992.

1992 Loser: Dan Quayle. Did not run in 1996.

1996 Loser: Jack Kemp. Did not run in 2000.

2000 Loser: Joe Lieberman. Ran in 2004 and lost the Democrat nomination to John Kerry.

2004 Loser: John Edwards. Running for 2008 Democrat nomination. Looks like he will learn the hard way.

It looks like Geraldine, Lloyd, Dan, and Jack recognized the futility but then Joe and John forgot. Will whoever loses in 2008 try to be president in 2012? Probably.