10 Presidents Who Won with Less Than 50% of the Vote
A wise man once said, “popularity is overrated,” but when you are the president it certainly to gain the majority of the votes. Unfortunately for many of our previous presidents they stepped into our country’s most powerful role with less than half of our country’s support. Not a ringing endorsement and a heck of a way to start your term as president.
John Quincy Adams - 30.5% of the popular vote in 1824
This election is notable for being the only time since the passage of the Twelfth Amendment in which the presidential election was decided by the House of Representatives, as no candidate received a majority of the electoral vote. This presidential election was also the only one in which the candidate receiving the most electoral votes did not become president (because a majority, not just a plurality, is required to win). It is also often said to be the first election in which the president did not win the popular vote, although the popular vote was not measured nationwide. At that time, several states did not conduct a popular vote, allowing their state legislature to choose their electors.
Top 10 Least Important Presidential Elections
How do we decide which Presidential elections were the least important? We have to acknowledge that any election had some importance, because it chose the United States chief executive for four years. So we need to ask which elections match this statement: “For all the effect the election had on history, we could have skipped it.” Here are my choices, counting down to the most meaningless election in American history:
10. 1924 - Complacency Makes the Choice
The Democrats took 103 ballots at their convention to choose someone to oppose incumbent President Calvin Coolidge, who had succeeded Republican Warren G. Harding when Harding died in office in 1923. The factionalized Democratic Party could not even nominate a candidate capable of exploiting the scandal-ridden Harding Administration. Pre-depression prosperity reigned. The divided, contentious Democrats had no appeal to a complacent nation. The election was notable for one of the century’s strongest third party runs, by Progressive Robert LaFollette, who courted New Deal voter coalitions eight years before Franklin Roosevelt’s first victory.
Top 10 Closest Presidential Elections
In our recent history there have been some very close presidential elections, but elections decided by a small margin are certainly not something new. Throughout our country’s short history we have had more than our fair share of presidential elections that were too close to call. Here are the top 10 presidential elections based on the electoral college votes.
In 1960 John F. Kennedy (D) defeats Richard Nixon (R) by 84 Electoral Votes and won the popular vote by .2%.
The election on November 8 remains one of the most famous election nights in American history. As the early returns poured in Kennedy opened a large lead in the popular and electoral vote, and appeared headed for victory. However, as later returns came in from the Western states, Nixon began to steadily close the gap with Kennedy. It was not until the afternoon of Wednesday, November 9 that Nixon finally conceded the election and Kennedy claimed victory. A sample of how close the election was can be seen in California; Kennedy appeared to have carried the state by 37,000 votes when all of the voting precincts reported, but when the absentee ballots were counted a week later, Nixon came from behind to win the state by 36,000 votes. In the national popular vote Kennedy beat Nixon by just one tenth of one percentage point (0.1%) - the closest popular-vote margin of the twentieth century. Kennedy carried 11 states by three percentage points or less, while Nixon won 5 states by the same margin.
Top 10 Traitors
Some do it for love, some do it for money or politics: these people sold out their countries, their comrades…even their own families…changing the course of history forever. Here is our list of Top 10 Traitors.
10. Guy Fawkes
Guy Fawkes was part of a revolutionary group of Roman Catholics, who plotted to blow up most of England’s aristocracy in 1605. The infamous Gunpowder plot was foiled by authorities who caught Fawkes before he could carry out his murderous intentions: he was apprehended due to his attire of cloak, boots and spurs, a suspicious costume designed to ensure a quick getaway.
Fawkes and his colleagues worked hard at their plot, using a cellar under The House of Lords as their base, and hiding over 1800 pounds of explosives in the small space.
Fawkes and his co-conspirators wished to loosen the influence of the Spanish kingdom on British affairs, feeling that they drained resources from England.
Guy Fawkes believed in his ideals, and he didn’t break, even under torture, refusing to name his comrades until he was sure they had already confessed. He was sentenced to by hung, drawn, and quartered in 1606, but foiled authorities by jumping from the scaffold to his demise at the last minute: even in death, he was crafty and mischievous.
His story is referenced in the film, V For Vendetta. To this day, the rebellious acts of Guy Fawkes are legendary, and the English have a special event each year, Bonfire Night, every fifth of November: it celebrates the failure of his notorious plot.
10 Controversial Magazine Covers
10. Wired (June 1997)
iPray
I personally bought this issue of Wired, being a huge Apple fan, and still have it to this day. The graphical power of this cover is amazing and the desperation of Apple is evident. If you were a computer owner, PC or Apple, this cover was of interest. Depicting the impending death of the biggest brand on the planet, at the time, was bound to stir up trouble. The article inside, “101 Ways to Save Apple,” is great reading especially now that Apple is dominating the creative/tech landscape.
Top 10 Humorous Quotes by President Ronald Reagan
Yesterday’s post on gangster nicknames was a bit on the heavy side, so today we will lighten it up with something more comical. Not many people may realize Ronald Reagan had quite the funny bone and was one of the more humorous Presidents, never taking himself too seriously. Whether you are Republican or Democrat you will surely appreciate these one-liners and quips by good ol’ Ronny.
- “My fellow Americans. I’m pleased to announce that I’ve signed legislation outlawing the Soviet Union. We begin bombing in five minutes.” - joking during a mike check before his Saturday radio broadcast
- “I hope you’re all Republicans.” - Speaking to surgeons as he entered the operating room following a 1981 assassination attempt
- “I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.” - Said many times during his presidency, 1981-1989
- “I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.” - Said during his presidency, 1981-1989
- “Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.”
- “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” - Remarks at a business conference, Los Angeles, March 2, 1977
- “Thomas Jefferson once said, “We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.’ And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.”
- “I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” - during a 1984 presidential debate with Walter Mondale
- “I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.” - The New York Times, September 22, 1980
- “What makes him think a middle-aged actor, who’s played with a chimp, could have a future in politics?” - on Clint Eastwood’s bid to become mayor of Carmel
Want even more humor by our former President. Take about six minutes out of your day and watch the following clips of President Ronald Reagan at his comedic best.
