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cthulu2016

(10,960 posts) Fri May 25, 2012, 12:39 PM May 2012

Is the the first election (in a long time) where neither candidate served in the military? [View all]

And no, I am not counting The Chimperor's service. Gore was in the military.

Going back election by election... McCain, Kerry, Gore, Dole, Bush I, Bush I, not sure about Mondale, Carter, Carter, McGovern and Nixon, Nixon (probably Humphrey too, don't know), LBJ and/or Goldwater probably, JFK and Nixon, Ike (and probably Stevenson), ditto, Truman, FDR was secretary of the Navy but I don't know if he was in the military...

23 replies

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Is the the first election (in a long time) where neither candidate served in the military? [View all] cthulu2016 May 2012 OP

Unless I missed it, the last election would have been FDR-Dewey - as neither appeared to serve. Drunken Irishman May 2012 #1

An odd match-up, in that cthulu2016 May 2012 #3

LBJ was in Naval Intelligence who, at least on one occasion, reported directly to FDR. AnotherMcIntosh May 2012 #2

The plane he was on had engine trouble and the mission was aborted. Kaleva May 2012 #18

Could he have been on more than one plane at different times? AnotherMcIntosh May 2012 #19

I'd have to check but I believe he was on just one flight. Kaleva May 2012 #22

I, too, am relying upon my memory and discussions with others long before Kerry came on the scene. AnotherMcIntosh May 2012 #23

While I believe that LBJ flew on more than one plane at different times, it reminds me of a story. AnotherMcIntosh May 2012 #21

Romney served in the 1st Vampire Squadron, 2nd Leech Division of the U.S. Walking Bain Corpse. Uncle Joe May 2012 #4

lol treestar May 2012 #7

DUzy .. TBF May 2012 #13

Probably go back to the 30's when military service was not yet seen as the highest calling CBGLuthier May 2012 #5

Interesting thing about that... cthulu2016 May 2012 #8

I think so - Mittens is old enough to have to deal with the draft issue treestar May 2012 #6

I don't think Humphrey was in the military. hifiguy May 2012 #9

HHH tried to enlist but had physical problem which exempted him. WI_DEM May 2012 #12

Reagan just made movies that he couldn't sell tickets for-- lastlib May 2012 #10

He served... popcorn cthulu2016 May 2012 #14

My favorite president thus far, Jimmy Carter, served in the Navy - TBF May 2012 #11

JFK was in the military. RebelOne May 2012 #15

As the OP says of 1960: "JFK and Nixon" cthulu2016 May 2012 #16

If we wanted a war hero DonCoquixote May 2012 #17

It's too bad... Cave_Johnson May 2012 #20