A felony conviction for campaign finance law violations. :-)

I don't think we would have an assassination... but I must admit I am so cynical that one would not terribly surprise me.

However, by no means would just the president be enough. You have to keep in mind both the house and the senate are just as much in the pocket of lobbyist as the white house, in fact probably more so. And the president alone can declare war, grant pardons, and not much else.

Also, we have to remember that a lot of Obama's funding, especially early on, came from true grass roots, and was in small units which added up big time. So he's as close to a people's candidate as we've had in a LOOONG time. And yet, even he black, constitutional scholar, the most charismatic public speaker in ~ 40 years, even he is succumbing to our cynical political realities.

If he is not a transformative president who could ever be? Oh I know he passed health care, but how is more spending radically different from the Medicare drug benefit, or any of the other ways both Republicans and Democrats have grown the size of government over the years?

I think $1B is enough to tip the scales for the right candidate, but if everyone knew one candidate was being propped up by a billionaire it would immediately backfire.

I wonder what would happen if some super-wealthy retired philanthropic billionaire with a sense of noblesse oblige decided to donate a vast sum to one extra-special Presidential candidate and if only that billionaire had no ulterior motive.

No way.