Wednesday, July 25, 2007
D.C. residents need not apply
Jay Tea over at Wizbang has come across an interesting coincidence regarding years of federal political experience and who we elect for president:
Add this to the other traditional tendencies, such as no sitting senator has won the presidency since JFK, no Democrat from outside the South since JFK, and no Republican has won since Eisenhower who wasn't from California or Texas.
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"I haven't fully worked out how far back the trend goes, but it seems that when it comes to electing presidents, we tend to choose the candidate with the least Washington experience.
2004: Bush had four years, Kerry decades.
2000: Bush zero, Gore decades.
1996: Clinton four, Dole decades.
1992: Clinton zero, Bush over a decade.
1988 was an aberration, but come on -- it was MIKE DUKAKIS. I recall one political commentator (I think it was Dave Barry) announced that "the union of crazed loners announce they are sitting out this election. They urge anyone who feels enough passion to kill either candidate should seek professional help."
1984: Reagan with four years, Mondale with -- again -- over a decade.
1980: Reagan zero, Carter 4.
1976: Carter zero, Ford decades.
Is this a statistical aberration, or a sign that Americans tend to prefer outsiders and reject career Washington politicians? I'm not sure, but it definitely bodes ill for candidates like Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton (her term as First Lady will count, I think), Christopher Dodd, and John McCain, while encouraging to the likes of Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani, and Mike Huckabee."
Add this to the other traditional tendencies, such as no sitting senator has won the presidency since JFK, no Democrat from outside the South since JFK, and no Republican has won since Eisenhower who wasn't from California or Texas.
Labels: Presidential politics
