Actually, you can switch out presidents during time of war; however, bush holds FULL POWER to elect to stay until the war is finished. We can also look at history and see that elections have been held many times during wars, both declared and undeclared: 1812 (War of 1812); 1864 (Civil War); 1900 (Philippine-American War); 1944 (World War II); 1952 (Korean War); 1964, 1968, 1972 (Vietnam War); 2004 (Second Gulf War).