2016 Presidential Hopefuls: Hit The Links!
/Emily Kay does a nice job examining the most stunning Presidential electoral trend of all...pols who play golf in some form, at some point and in some way, stand a better chance of moving into the White House. (Thanks reader Todd.)
• 1980: Ronald Reagan (golfer) defeats Jimmy Carter (non-golfer)
• 1984: Ronald Reagan defeats Walter Mondale (non-golfer)
• 1988: George H.W. Bush (golfer) defeats Michael Dukakis (non-golfer)
• 1992: Bill Clinton (golfer) defeats George H.W. Bush
• 1996: Bill Clinton defeats Bob Dole (non-golfer)
• 2000: George W. Bush (golfer) defeats Al Gore (non-golfer)
• 2004: George W. Bush defeats John Kerry (non-golfer)
• 2008: Barack Obama (golfer) defeats John McCain (non-golfer)
• 2012: Barack Obama defeats Mitt Romney (the anti-golfer)
**Following on this theme, Ron Sirak makes the case that golf can bridge political differences.
No matter where you stand on the political scale -- the left side, the right, or somewhere in between -- the nation now, with so many challenges ahead, needs to find a balance. I'm not smart enough to know where the balance resides, but I am willing to trust that both the Democrats and Republican have people smart enough and noble enough to find it.
Golf gives us a perfect road map to follow. Presidents Eisenhower and Ford were both passionate golfers and they were both Republicans. Presidents Clinton and Obama, both Democrats, share that passion.
