Unconstitutional Third Terms

Here’s an amusing parallel tying together a number of world leaders from Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post: “When you Google the phrase “unconstitutional third term,” you get references to a rogue’s gallery of strongman leaders — Vladimir Putin, Alberto Fujimori, Olusegun Obasanjo, Islam Karimov, Hugo Chávez — who in recent years at least have flirted with the idea of holding on to power beyond statutory limits. Now the name Bill Clinton pops up, too. It may be unfair to Hillary Clinton, but the prospect of her husband’s return to the White House — albeit not as president but as prince consort, which would not violate the Constitution — has inevitably become a campaign issue, and it’s beginning to work against her.” The only one Robinson forgot is Argentinean President Nestor Kirchener, whose wife Cristina recently rotated into the chair of the presidency. Maybe Putin is starting to look good in comparison – at least he doesn’t sleep with Medvedev…