THURSDAY THIRTEEN #195

VOTER TURNOUT FOR 

THE LAST 

13 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

I don't understand why so few Americans vote. And yet it's true, an amazing number of us don't bother. The largest turnout in modern times was for Kennedy vs. Nixon in 1960, followed closely by Obama vs. McCain in 2008. But even in those two elections, where voter participation was at an all time high, 37% of eligible voters stayed home. What gives?

1) 1960 -- 63.1% Winner: Kennedy

2) 2008 -- 63% Obama

3) 1964 -- 61.9% Johnson

4) 1968 -- 60.8% Nixon

5) 2004 -- 56.2% George W. Bush

6) 1992 -- 55.2% Clinton

7) 1972 -- 55.2% Nixon

8) 1976 -- 53.5% Carter

9) 1984 -- 53.1% Reagan

10) 1980 -- 52.6%  Reagan

11) 2000 -- 50.4% George W. Bush

12) 1988 -- 50.2% George H. W. Bush

13) 1996 -- 49% Clinton

 

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 To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos. Chick-lit about three very different women -- a perfect housewife, a working mother and a recent transplant from Manhattan. The writing is exceptional. And I'm coming to appreciate one of the characters (the perfect housewife) that I despised at the beginning of the book. Reminds me of the old saw about how every villain is the hero of his own story -- it's all about perspective, isn't it?

• What did you recently finish reading?  Bone Bed, the latest in the Scarpetta Series, by Patricia Cornwell. One of the best in the series in a long, long while. There are things I could quibble with, but why? It was a fun read that took some interesting twists along the way and I enjoyed it.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm feeling very Presidential these days. So I'll either pick up Listening In, the Kennedy White House tapes, or The President's Club.