POTUS by Height

One of the most scientific ways of predicting who will win in American Presidential Elections is to measure the heights of the two leading candidates.  For some rather incompetent reason I had been convinced that sitting President Barack Hussein Obama was taller than just about everyone, but he isn't.  His wife, Michelle, is extremely tall.  Obama just has that tall skinny look that gives the impression that he's super-tall.  He's 6'1" 1.85m.  Actually, my husband, at least at his tallest, was the same height as Obama.

Americans are an extremely superficial nation.  They go for image, and for Americans height gives the appearance of leadership and intelligence.

For some dumb reason, I kept thinking that Obama was taller than Mitt Romney.  But then I saw them standing side-by-side in their first debate.

Back in the race? Republican candidate Mitt Romney puts on strong performance at first presidential debate on Wednesday.

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Photo credit: AP

While you're at it, read Ruthie Blum's review of the first Obama-Romney debate.



And why do I want to know how tall Mitt Romney is? It's because the taller candidate usually wins. There was a very close vote between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy who were both the same height. If Nixon had been taller, there's a good chance that his sensitivity to the heat and lack of sweat guards wouldn't have had kept him from the presidency in 1960. It was that close.

Mitt Romney is 6'2" 1.88m which is a full inch taller than Obama.

While voters consider more than physical stature when they get to their polling stations—at least we hope they do—data suggests that height does play a factor. Since 1789, the taller candidates have triumphed in 58 percent of U.S. presidential elections, and what’s more, they’ve won the popular vote 67 percent of the time. There’s even a term for this phenomenon: “the Presidential height index.”

What's amazing is that FDR's height was winningly impressive, though he mostly sat.  His use of crutches built up his shoulders, giving the impression of physical power, even though he had to be lifted in and out of cars.  The journalists of the time purposely kept those pictures from the American public.

Now, does that mean that policy plays such a small role in how Americans choose for whom to vote?  Yes, it could be.  Most voters, black, white, yellow, red or whatever do consider color important.  A very large percentage of the Obama voters voted for him because of his color.  They love the idea that "a Black man can be elected President."  Nu, what does that make them? They chose whom to vote according to color/race.  For sure they are no different than those who will only vote for a White person.  Yes, that makes them racist.

For Romney to defeat Obama, Americans must stop voting by color and look carefully at the candidates, their experience, policies etc. 

Good luck America and good luck world.