At this point, 545 days until 5 November 2024, presidential election day, anything can happen. Time magazine had a comprehensive article on this subject just yesterday. Showcased was the newest ABC-Washington Post survey (taken this past weekend--so before the Caroll win):
- President Joe Biden's job approval hit a career low of 36%.
- 68% of Americans said that he is too old for another term.
- This is the lowest on record for a first-term president a year and a half from the next presidential election.
- Harry Truman 39%
- Gerald Ford 40%
- Jimmy Carter 37%
- Donald Trump 39%
- Honest and trustworthy?
- Biden 41%
- Trumps 33%
- Surprising for Biden to score so low.
- Republicans like Trump more than DeSantis as their presidential candidate, 51% to 25%.
- Only 36% of Democrats want Biden to be their candidate, versus 58% someone else.
- Looking far ahead to 5 November 2024, 44% would vote for Trump, 38% for Biden, with 12% undecided. But these undecideds show a 49%-42% preference for Trump.
- Surprisingly, DeSantis 42% versus Biden 37%, and counting undecideds, 48% DeSantis to 41% Biden.
Well, anyway, this Time article went on to say something surprising. In short, there are polls and there are other polls. So many factors enter into the results. Like, who did the polling? Size of poll. Was the phoning landline or cell?
- Did you know that landline respondents dramatically vote Republican? This ABC-WaPo poll used too many landline calls.
- The ABC-WaPo poll had a tiny survey size.
- This poll was compared to the infamous Roper Poll in 1948 which inaccurately showed Dewey beating Truman.
- In short, ignore this ABC-WaPo poll as anomalous.
- The oldest president the U.S. has ever had was Ronald Reagan at 77. He was not not formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's until he was 83, and passed away a decade later. Did you know the Iron Lady suffered from dementia for 12 years until she died at the age of 87?
- Yes, there is Paul Blya of Cameroon at 90, but:
- The current median age of national leaders is 62. But less free countries average 69.
- 5% are in their 80's. The only other free country elder is 81-year old Hage Geingob of Namibia.
- 13 countries have female leaders, and the median age is 57.
- Oh, about Paul Blya, he has been in power for four decades, and apparently is in good shape. He repealed term limits in 2008, allowing him to serve indefinitely. But there is corruption and is said to have killed 3500 since 2017. Plans to run again.
- The oldest leader of all time is led by:
- #1 Giovanni Paolo Lasaris (right), Grand Master of the Knight Hospitaller, who died in office in 1657 at 97.
- #2 Enrico Dandolo, Dodge of Venice, 1205, 97 or 98.
- #3 Abdul Mornin, Sultan of Brunei, 1885, 97.
- #4 Elizabeth II, Queen of the UK, 2022, 96.
- #5 Hastings Banda, President of Malawi, 1994, defeated in re-election, 96.
- #6 Prem Tinsulanonda, Regent of Thailand, 2016, term ended, 95.
- #7 George Tupou I, King of Tonga, 1893, 95.
- Finally, oldest surviving former leader.
- #1 Khamtai Siphandone (right), President of Laos, 99.
- #2 Tomiichi Murayama, Prime Minister of Japan, 99
- #3 Jimmy Carter, President of the USA, 98.
- #7 Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, almost 98.
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