Does it blow your mind every Democratic candidate of the past 44 years is still alive?

[they don't love you like i love you]

Kind of impressive, especially as only four Republicans from that timespan still are.

[Samof94]

Kind of impressive, especially as only four Republicans from that timespan still are.

Dole and Romney are the only living candidates who never became President.

[Mexican Wolf]

I am always surprised every time I remember Mondale is still alive (even though he's 4 years younger than Carter, whom I'm never surprised is still alive).

[Lechasseur]

Kind of impressive, especially as only four Republicans from that timespan still are.

Dole and Romney are the only living candidates who never became President.

Well, tbf, the only other GOP nominee after Goldwater's defeat in 1964 who never became President was McCain.

[buritobr]

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

[Del Tachi]

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

Losing use to mean you quietly went away

[Orser67]

Yeah, pretty crazy, I'm not sure if we've ever seen anything quite like it.

Here's a moderately similar one: every Federalist and Democratic-Republican presidential nominee from 1796 to 1820 lived to see the election of 1824.

[Calthrina950]

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

They've certainly kept a very low profile. However, there was a report on 60 Minutes a few years ago about electroconvulsive threapy for patients battling depression. In that report, the Dukakises were interviewed, because Kitty Dukakis (Michael Dukakis' wife), is a patient who receives electroconvulsive therapy as part of her treatment. This is probably the only time that Dukakis has made a notable media appearance in recent years.

And Gore and Kerry were both featured in media reports last year, in the context of the presidential election. Gore appeared in a virtual chat with Biden to offer his endorsement, while Kerry was one of Biden's staunchest supporters in the primaries and actually went to Iowa to campaign on his behalf. He later was one of the speakers at the Democratic National Convention.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

They've certainly kept a very low profile. However, there was a report on 60 Minutes a few years ago about electroconvulsive threapy for patients battling depression. In that report, the Dukakises were interviewed, because Kitty Dukakis (Michael Dukakis' wife), is a patient who receives electroconvulsive therapy as part of her treatment. This is probably the only time that Dukakis has made a notable media appearance in recent years.

And Gore and Kerry were both featured in media reports last year, in the context of the presidential election. Gore appeared in a virtual chat with Biden to offer his endorsement, while Kerry was one of Biden's staunchest supporters in the primaries and actually went to Iowa to campaign on his behalf. He later was one of the speakers at the Democratic National Convention.

FiveThirtyEight and ESPN produced a short documentary about the infamous tank photo-op in 2016, including an interview with Mike Dukakis himself (although I understand that 538 is not exactly a notable media appearance for people who aren't political junkies like us).

I don't know about Mondale, although it should be noted that he had his own late comeback to relevance when he became the Democratic replacement candidate for Senator in Minnesota in 2002 after Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash.

[Samof94]

Kind of impressive, especially as only four Republicans from that timespan still are.

Dole and Romney are the only living candidates who never became President.

Well, tbf, the only other GOP nominee after Goldwater's defeat in 1964 who never became President was McCain.

True, quite true.

[StateBoiler]

Give it 5 to 10 years and Carter, Mondale, and Dukakis will all be dead. Not being morbid, just the youngest is Dukakis who is 87.

Former presidential candidates older than 80:

Dole (born in 1923)
Carter (1924)
Mondale (1928)
Ed Clark-Libertarian (1930)
Dukakis (1933)
Ralph Nader-Green/Reform/Independent (1934)
Ron Paul-Libertarian (1935)
Andre Marrou-Libertarian (1938)
Pat Buchanan-Reform (1938)

For presidents, Carter will die one day soon, and then Clinton, Bush, and Trump were all born in 1946 (so all are 74 now). Biden born in '42, Kerry in '43, Romney in '46, Hillary Clinton in '47, and Gore in '48. Quayle in '47 and Lieberman in '42. Yes, the Baby Boomers and their antecedents really believed in running the world forever (Pelosi born in '40, Hoyer in '39, and Clyburn in '40).

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

I never hear about Gore or Kerry now.

Kerry was one of Biden's staunchest supporters in the primaries and actually went to Iowa to campaign on his behalf.

You can look at the results, a lot of good Kerry's endorsement did Biden in the Iowa Caucus.

Dan Quayle has absolutely disappeared from public life after his 1996 presidential run. He really wasn't even discussed much at George H.W. Bush's funeral. (Saw a post on Facebook last night that said Quayle was elected Vice President in 1988. He's 5 years younger than Biden.)

[Alcibiades]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

[StateBoiler]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Franklin Roosevelt was president for 4+ years longer than anyone else in U.S. history, and Biden is the 1st president born during his term. Truman who served a little less than 8 years in contrast has 3. Eisenhower has none, Kennedy has 1 with Obama.

Pre-1776 8 (the first 7 plus W.H. Harrison)
1776 to 1789 2 (Van Buren, Taylor)
Washington 3 (Tyler, Polk, Buchanan)
J. Adams 1 (Fillmore)
Jefferson 3 (Pierce, Lincoln, A. Johnson)
Madison 0
Monroe 2 (Grant, Hayes)
J.Q. Adams 0
Jackson 3 (Garfield, Arthur, B. Harrison)
Van Buren 1 (Cleveland)
W.H. Harrison 0
Tyler 1 (McKinley)
Polk 0
Taylor 0
Fillmore 0
Pierce 1 (Wilson)
Buchanan 2 (Taft, T. Roosevelt)
Lincoln 0
A. Johnson 1 (Harding)
Grant 2 (Coolidge, Hoover)
Hayes 0
Garfield 0
Arthur 2 (F. Roosevelt, Truman)
Cleveland 0
B. Harrison 1 (Eisenhower)
McKinley 0
T. Roosevelt 1 (L. Johnson)
Taft 2 (Nixon, Reagan)
Wilson 2 (Kennedy, Ford)
Harding 0
Coolidge 2 (Carter, G.H.W. Bush)
Hoover 0
F. Roosevelt 1 (Biden)
Truman 3 (Clinton, G.W. Bush, Trump)
Eisenhower 0
Kennedy 1 (Obama)

[buritobr]

And we have to remember that democratic candidates usually are younger than republican candidates. That's why former democratic presidents survive longer. After the WW2, only in 1948, 1964, 1968, 2004 and 2020 the democratic candidate was older.

[Calthrina950]

Give it 5 to 10 years and Carter, Mondale, and Dukakis will all be dead. Not being morbid, just the youngest is Dukakis who is 87.

Former presidential candidates older than 80:

Dole (born in 1923)
Carter (1924)
Mondale (1928)
Ed Clark-Libertarian (1930)
Dukakis (1933)
Ralph Nader-Green/Reform/Independent (1934)
Ron Paul-Libertarian (1935)
Andre Marrou-Libertarian (1938)
Pat Buchanan-Reform (1938)

For presidents, Carter will die one day soon, and then Clinton, Bush, and Trump were all born in 1946 (so all are 74 now). Biden born in '42, Kerry in '43, Romney in '46, Hillary Clinton in '47, and Gore in '48. Quayle in '47 and Lieberman in '42. Yes, the Baby Boomers and their antecedents really believed in running the world forever (Pelosi born in '40, Hoyer in '39, and Clyburn in '40).

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

I never hear about Gore or Kerry now.

Kerry was one of Biden's staunchest supporters in the primaries and actually went to Iowa to campaign on his behalf.

You can look at the results, a lot of good Kerry's endorsement did Biden in the Iowa Caucus.

Dan Quayle has absolutely disappeared from public life after his 1996 presidential run. He really wasn't even discussed much at George H.W. Bush's funeral. (Saw a post on Facebook last night that said Quayle was elected Vice President in 1988. He's 5 years younger than Biden.)

Aside from Trump, Carter was the only ex-President who did not attend the inauguration today, due to concerns about his health-and also because they didn't want to expose him to danger with the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing. 2020 could very well be the last election that Carter lives through, and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to die sometime in the next four years, although everyone is hopeful that he will become our first centenarian President.

And I wasn't trying to say anything about how Kerry's appearances in Iowa helped Biden electorally-I was merely noting that he went there to campaign on Biden's behalf. This is one of the few times I've heard about him in the news recently.

[jimrtex]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

[Alcibiades]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

No, I was just presuming so. His father was a state legislator though, so it’s likely he’s always been interested in politics.

[StateBoiler]

2020 could very well be the last election that Carter lives through, and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to die sometime in the next four years, although everyone is hopeful that he will become our first centenarian President.

I'm not hopeful of that as I don't know Jimmy Carter personally and don't know how his certain various ailments fail him. The past 5 years I've seen my grandparents deal with various things on the way to death and prolonging it outward involves a lot of pain. My grandfather never wanted to live to see 90. Cleaning out my grandma's house after putting her in a care home, I grabbed a bunch of VHS tapes to make them digital and saw videos of my great grandmother, his mother, when she was 95, and pretty much couldn't do anything. It made me wonder if that's why he didn't want to live to 90.

[The Mikado]

But I never hear about Mondale and Dukakis in the media. They are quiet. We hear about Gore because of the environment issues and we hear about Kerry because he was secretary of state.

Losing use to mean you quietly went away

For some, yes. You also have cases like Charles Evans Hughes becoming Secretary of State and then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or Adlai Stevenson becoming UN Ambassador, or Hubert Humphrey  reentering the Senate.

[Lechasseur]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

He almost certainly did vote for Truman. In those days you were a Democrat if you lived in or were from the Deep South. Period.

[The Mikado]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

He almost certainly did vote for Truman. In those days you were a Democrat if you lived in or were from the Deep South. Period.

The question is "did Carter cast a vote in 1948," "how would did vote." We know Truman would've been his candidate.

[StateBoiler]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

He almost certainly did vote for Truman. In those days you were a Democrat if you lived in or were from the Deep South. Period.

The question is "did Carter cast a vote in 1948," "how would did vote." We know Truman would've been his candidate.

In 1948 there was a Dixiecrat on the ballot that received 20% in Georgia (more than Dewey got). I doubt Carter voted for Strom Thurmond, but if he did it's not like he's going to tell you.

Learned recently that prior to being elected president in 1868, Ulysses Grant had only ever voted once beforehand, for James Buchanan in 1856.

[jimrtex]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

He almost certainly did vote for Truman. In those days you were a Democrat if you lived in or were from the Deep South. Period.

Carter graduated from Annapolis in 1946, and was married later that year. His oldest son was born in Portsmouth, VA in July 1947. He began his first sub assignment in December 1948. He had a lot of things going on in his life at the time of the 1948 election. It might not have been so easy to vote absentee in Plains, and maybe he didn't register wherever he was in 1948. During seven years in the Navy, he lived in VA, HI, CT, NY, and CA, having children born in the first three (Portsmouth, Honolulu, and New London).

Unless you are his age, you are likely projecting your own experiences in the ease of voting.

[jimrtex]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

No, I was just presuming so. His father was a state legislator though, so it’s likely he’s always been interested in politics.

His father was elected just before he died, and didn't finish the term.

Jimmy Carter recalls his father being virulently opposed to FDR after his price support programs involved slaughtering hogs and plowing cotton under. I can see where that would be considered immoral. Carter recalls the family crowding around the radio to listen to the Republican convention when Alf Landon was nominated in 1936. Carter would have been 12 at the time. Carter's father remained faithful to the state Democratic Party. Carter recalled his father driving his flatbed truck filled with straw and neighbors to rallies and barbecues for Eugene Talmadge in 1932 (Eugene Talmadge was Herman Talmadge's father).

In an era when not everyone owned a car, and radio was fairly recent, it would not be unusual for people to travel to attend a campaign rally.

Sumter County was 40% for Strom Thurmond in 1948, so Jimmy Carter's father might have voted for him.

Incidentally, I found that the USS Pomfret to which Jimmy Carter was assigned to in December 1948 was home-ported in Honolulu. It is possible that Carter would have been traveling to Honolulu in November 1948.

Curiously, Carter's three siblings lived at an average of 56 years, and all died of pancreatic cancer, as did his father who died at 58. His mother did live to 85, but based on family history, being alive at 96 is quite unusual.

[Calthrina950]

A little fact which highlights Carter’s amazing longevity is that he voted for both Harry Truman and Joe Biden for President.

Also, those born in the 1940s have surely got to be the most influential decade cohort in American history - they have basically run the country for the past 30 years, and are still at it. By contrast, it’s now all but certain that there’s never going to be a President born in the 1930s, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely (except if Pence wins in 2024) that there’ll ever be one born in the 1950s.

Is it known for sure that he voted for Truman?

This was when he was in the Navy, and his first shipboard assignment began on December 18, 1948.

Jack Carter was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1947; Chip Carter was born in Honolulu, HI in 1950; and Jeff Carter was born in New London, CT in 1952.

No, I was just presuming so. His father was a state legislator though, so it’s likely he’s always been interested in politics.

His father was elected just before he died, and didn't finish the term.

Jimmy Carter recalls his father being virulently opposed to FDR after his price support programs involved slaughtering hogs and plowing cotton under. I can see where that would be considered immoral. Carter recalls the family crowding around the radio to listen to the Republican convention when Alf Landon was nominated in 1936. Carter would have been 12 at the time. Carter's father remained faithful to the state Democratic Party. Carter recalled his father driving his flatbed truck filled with straw and neighbors to rallies and barbecues for Eugene Talmadge in 1932 (Eugene Talmadge was Herman Talmadge's father).

In an era when not everyone owned a car, and radio was fairly recent, it would not be unusual for people to travel to attend a campaign rally.

Sumter County was 40% for Strom Thurmond in 1948, so Jimmy Carter's father might have voted for him.

Incidentally, I found that the USS Pomfret to which Jimmy Carter was assigned to in December 1948 was home-ported in Honolulu. It is possible that Carter would have been traveling to Honolulu in November 1948.

Curiously, Carter's three siblings lived at an average of 56 years, and all died of pancreatic cancer, as did his father who died at 58. His mother did live to 85, but based on family history, being alive at 96 is quite unusual.

Well, there are outliers to every family. Carter is clearly the outlier in his.