Among the oddities that has emerged during the course of the present Presidential election, is that both candidates – John McCain and Barack Obama – are left-handed.
Previously, we translated an Arabic article from Iraq about the phenomenon, and today we have this from France’s Rue 89.
Alluding to the unlikelihood of such a turn of events, Guillemette Faure writes:
“When Obama or McCain move into the White House in January, four of the five last American presidents will have been left-handed. … And if the Supreme Court hadn’t lent a hand to George W. Bush during the recount of votes in Florida in 2000, with the election of Al Gore the five last American presidents would have been left-handed.”
So why is the U.S. so prone to left-handed leaders? Faure speaks to an author of a book on the left-handed, who responds:
“The proportion of left-handed (per country) is directly proportional to the tolerance accorded left-handers. It was 3 percent in early 20th century France. It’s now around 15 percent and in the United States, it’s approaching 25 percent. It [the U.S.] is historically a more permissive country, more concerned with individual rights, which has lifted the stigma from left-handedness much earlier than in our Old Europe.”
By Guillemette Faure
Translated By Kate Davis
July 24, 2008
France – Rue 89 – Original Article (French)
On November 4, Americans will elect the fourth left-handed president since Ronald Reagan. Coincidence?
Barack Obama or John McCain? On November 4, the United States will have a choice between left and left … hand, that is. The two contenders for the White House are both left-handed. Coincidence? In 1992, the three candidates, Bush senior, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot, were all left-handed (and Clinton was elected left-handed person of the year by the international association of left-handed people that year). Ronald Reagan was also left-handed. In other words, when Obama or McCain moves into the White House in January, four of the five last American presidents will have been left-handed.
And if the Supreme Court hadn’t lent a hand to George W. Bush during the recount of votes in Florida in 2000, with the election of Al Gore the five last American presidents would have been left-handed. What’s more, the last two right-handed presidents, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush, quickly lost their hands, arriving at the end of their presidency with popularity ratings at their lowest.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
