James K. Polk

Analyzing Age Of Democratic Presidential Nominees 1828 To The Present!

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The issue of age has been in the forefront of Presidential politics, as a result of the clear decline in office of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the two oldest Presidents ever elected.

When Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980, just weeks short of age 70 at the Inauguration in January 1981, it was a controversial issue, particularly right after the failed Assassination attempt of March 30, 1981, which clearly had some effect on his health over time, as signs of early Alzheimers seemed evident to many in Reagan’s last two years, including to his son Ron Reagan.

It had been pointed out that Dwight D. Eisenhower, leaving the Presidency in January 1961 at age 70 and three months, had stated that no one older than himself should be President.

But as it turned out, we have now had three “elderly” Presidents in the past half century—Reagan, Trump, Biden.

This issue has caused this author and blogger to conduct research on the age of Democratic Presidential nominees, whether winner or losers of the Presidency, going back to the beginnings of the Democratic Party under Andrew Jackson in the 1828 Presidential Election through the Presidential Election of 2024.

The record shows the following for all Democratic Presidential contenders, including first time for those nominated more than once. Altogether, 36 individuals have been Democratic Party nominees, but only 15 have ever been elected President, including two who first succeeded upon the death of the incumbent President—Harry Truman after Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson after John F. Kennedy.

1828–Andrew Jackson—61
1836–Martin Van Buren–54
1844–James K. Polk–49
1848–Lewis Cass–66
1852–Franklin Pierce–48
1856–James Buchanan–65
1860–Stephen Douglas–47
1864–George McClellan–38
1868–Horatio Seymour–58
1872–Horace Greeley–61
1876–Samuel Tilden–62
1880–Winfield Scott Hancock–56
1884–Grover Cleveland–47
1896–William Jennings Bryan–36
1904–Alton Parker–52
1912–Woodrow Wilson–56
1920–James Cox–50
1924–John W. Davis–51
1928–Alfred E. Smith–55
1932–Franklin D. Roosevelt–51
1945–Harry Truman 60 Upon Succession
1952–Adlai Stevenson–52
1960–John F. Kennedy–43
1963–Lyndon B. Johnson–55 Upon Succession
1968–Hubert Humphrey–57
1972–George McGovern–50
1976–Jimmy Carter–52
1984–Walter Mondale–56
1988–Michael Dukakis–55
1992–Bill Clinton–46
2000–Al Gore–52
2004–John Kerry–61
2008–Barack Obama–47
2016–Hillary Clinton–69
2020–Joe Biden–78
2024–Kamala Harris–60

Of course, age longevity and overall good health is much improved over what it was in the 19th and 20th centuries, but the clear indication is that most Democratic Presidential nominees were under the age of 60 when first nominated for those who had more than one nomination.

Nine of these Democratic nominees were in their 60s, and only Lewis Cass in 1848 (66), James Buchanan in 1856 (65), and Hillary Clinton in 2016 (age 69), were above the age of 62.

And all by himself is Joe Biden in 2020 (age 78)!

So the two oldest Democratic nominees were the last two who ran against Donald Trump, the oldest Republican nominee, although both Clinton and Biden had tried for the nomination of their party when younger, Clinton in 2008 at age 61, and Joe Biden in 1988 at age 46 and again in 2008 at age 66.

Nine of these Democratic nominees were in their 30s and 40s, with the youngest being William Jennings Bryan in 1896 (36) and George McClellan in 1864 (38), and six of the other seven being elected President–James K. Polk in 1844 (49); Franklin Pierce in 1852 (48); Grover Cleveland in 1884 (47); John F. Kennedy in 1960 (43); Bill Clinton in 1992 (46); and Barack Obama in 2008 (47). Only Stephen Douglas in 1860 (47) failed to win the Presidency, and ironically died just four months after the inauguration of his opponent, Abraham Lincoln.

The remaining 17 Democratic nominees were in their 50s, with only five winning the White House—Martin Van Buren 1836 (54); Woodrow Wilson 1912 (56); Franklin D. Roosevelt 1932 (51); Lyndon B. Johnson 1963 upon Succession (55); and Jimmy Carter in 1976 (52).

In summary, 15 Democrats have been elected President, with 11 of them being in their 40s or 50s, and the only exceptions older are: Andrew Jackson (61); James Buchanan (66); Harry Truman (60) upon Succession; and Joe Biden (78).

So in conclusion, it is clear that the best strategy for the Democratic Party in 2028 is to nominate a candidate ideally younger than 61, or at the most age 64, but with 11 potential nominees being in their 50s in 2028, as compared to 4 between 39 and 49 in 2028, and 4 between 61 and 64 in 2028.

The Total Preposterous And Outrageous “Prager University” Presidential Rankings Survey!

Ronald 20 Comments

The Right Wing Propaganda Organ known as “Prager University”, which is NOT a university, but a well financed attempt to distort the reality of American history, extol the virtues of unbridled capitalism, work against “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion”, and undermine science, has come out with a 2026 Ranking of American Presidents.

Anyone who would believe the virtues or veracity of this listing needs their heads examined, as it is a total distortion of the office of the Presidency to the extreme imaginable!

All Presidents except William Henry Harrison (one month) and James A. Garfield (6 months) are included, but with the decision NOT to include Donald Trump, even though he finished his first term five years ago, but using the excuse that he is presently in office, so not to be placed in the listing for now.

One can be certain when a later version of this so called “Ranking” is published in the future, Donald Trump will end up very high on the list, probably in the top five, based on the crazy order of the Presidents compiled by the propagandists promoting this pure trash of a listing.

So without listing every President, let’s look at the most significant cases of total distortion.

The survey starts off with George Washington Number 1 and Abraham Lincoln Number 2, but after that, the listing goes totally awry.

Ronald Reagan is Number 3, which is a major distortion of reality, but then is followed by, of all people, Calvin Coolidge at Number 4. That is an example of how wacky this survey is, when examined in detail. No one who has any intelligence would rate Coolidge as anything more than in the bottom third of the Presidents.

The rest of the top 10 are in order—Thomas Jefferson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, James Monroe, James Madison, John Adams, and Theodore Roosevelt. Monroe, Madison and John Adams in most cases would be in the middle of the second ten, not the top ten, but otherwise, not terrible, except to put Coolidge above the Founding Father Presidents and Theodore Roosevelt, as well! How crazy can one get?

Harry Truman is rated Number 12, behind Grover Cleveland at Number 11, which seems ridiculous, followed by Andrew Jackson as Number 13 and James K. Polk as Number 15, both who have otherwise collapsed to lower than Number 20 with recent reevaluations that have caused their rapid decline. Ulysses S. Grant is Number 14, higher than the rise he has gained in legitimate rankings.

John F. Kennedy ends up Number 18 and Franklin D. Roosevelt as Number 20, with of all people, William Howard Taft in between as Number 19, clearly totally lacking in reality.

The Two Bushes, HW and W are Numbers 21 and 22, with Bill Clinton behind them as Number 23, followed by the largely unimpressive many Presidents that have been ranked low for many decades in surveys.

But once we reach the 31-42 range, the bottom of the list, we discover Lyndon B. Johnson Number 35 behind Herbert Hoover Number 33, as well as behind Gerald Ford Number 27 and Richard Nixon Number 29. How crazy can one get to come up with such rankings?

And it gets worse, as Woodrow Wilson is Number 37, followed by Barack Obama Number 38, Jimmy Carter Number 39, and then followed by two Presidents who belong in the bottom, Andrew Johnson Number 40 and James Buchanan Number 41. One might be harshly critical of Wilson, who has declined in rankings in recent years, but to put him in the bottom six of all Presidents is preposterous! And placing Obama and Carter in this bottom group is outrageous beyond belief and reality!

But one might ask, well, who is the absolute bottom at Number 42, and it is, unbelievably, Joe Biden! Whether one admires Joe Biden’s Presidency or not, to put him dead last is the height of craziness, not based on facts!

Notice that the three recent Presidents who demonstrated compassion, empathy, common decency and humanity, morals, ethics, and had no corruption—Obama, Carter, Biden—end up in the bottom five of these listings, which is testimony to how disgraceful this listing of Presidents really is!

This so called “Prager University” Poll is total garbage, and no serious scholar or intelligent citizen would accept the presposterous and outrageous compiling of this propaganda organ, that deserves to be disposed of as extremist and lunatic in nature!

Presidents Day 2026: Need For Updated Assessment, And One Scholar’s Viewpoint!

Ronald 30 Comments

Presidents Day is tomorrow, Monday, February 16, a good time, after a full year of the second Presidency of Donald Trump, and one retirement year of Joe Biden, to reassess rankings of Presidents, particularly recent Chief Executives.

C Span is likely in process of reassessing its rankings of Presidents, last done in 2021, as Joe Biden became President, and Donald Trump became, at the time, a former President who had been defeated for reelection, but mounted an illegal, unconstitutional attempt to overthrow the results of the Presidential Election of 2020 through the US Capitol Insurrection of January 6, 2021.

There can be disagreement over many Presidents and their rankings, but with the reality that in recent years, the following Presidents have seen their stock rise in assessments of scholars, in chronological order:

Ulysses S. Grant
Harry Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Lyndon B. Johnson

At the same time, the following Presidents have seen their stock fall lower in assessments of scholars, in chronological order:

Andrew Jackson
James K. Polk
Woodrow Wilson
Ronald Reagan

In the view of this scholar, author, and blogger, the thought is that the following recent Presidents will be likely to benefit the most in the future in rise in rankings from where they are presently, in chronological order:

Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Barack Obama
Joe Biden

But the debate over Presidential performance will continue, certainly, to be heatedly debated for the long term future.

Trump Lusting For Greenland A Threat To NATO And International Law And Stability, And Must Be Vigorously Opposed!

Ronald 48 Comments

Donald Trump, clearly imperialist oriented, as John Tyler, James K. Polk, and William McKinley were in the 19th century, is lusting for the United States to take over control of Greenland, which has been a territory controlled by Denmark for the past three centuries.

Greenland, primarily ice covered, and having only about 57,000 people, has been an area utilized for defense by both NATO and the United States, but now, Donald Trump is threatening military action if Denmark is unwilling to give up control of Greenland and allowing the purchase of that vast land of significant natural resources, including oil, gas, and rare earth minerals.

The thought that Trump would be reckless enough to destroy the NATO alliance is horrifying, and would only encourage further aggression by Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and neighboring nations that once were part of the Soviet Empire before 1989.

It would also encourage Chinese aggression against Taiwan, and also endanger Japan and South Korea.

The NATO alliance of 80 years would be eviscerated, and six major European nations—Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland—have issued a joint statement condemning any threat to Denmark and its Greenland territory.

However, Stephen Miller, a key Trump advisor, has made it clear that the Trump administration intends to gain control of Greenland, in a threatening and aggressive manner, in an interview on CNN with Jake Tapper.

America is faced with a leader who has become drunk with power and ego, and is ready to upend the international order, that was stabilized after World War II, and has promoted defensive alliances that have succeeded in avoiding another world war for 80 years.

Donald Trump is promoting an international crisis that is totally unnecessary, as Greenland has already had an American military base, and Denmark is not against further American presence, but they are not willing to have America have direct control by purchase, and are outraged, rightfully, by threats of military force, which would destroy NATO!

Trump Advocating “Sphere Of Influence”, Threatening Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, And Greenland!

Ronald 54 Comments

Donald Trump is rapidly emerging as an old style American imperialist, in the mold of John Tyler, James K. Polk, and William McKinley, as he advocates that the United States is entitled to a “sphere of influence”, controlling and dominating the Western Hemisphere, including Latin America and Canada.

After the intervention in Venezuela, and the capture of the President and First Lady, bringing them to the US for prosecution on drug and weapons charges, he is now threatening action against Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and Denmark’s control of Greenland.

In so doing, he is creating a crisis atmosphere, that the Monroe Doctrine, now renamed the “DONroe Doctrine”, allows America to dominate and dictate the future of the nations of the Western Hemisphere.

And he is clearly willing to threaten Denmark, a NATO ally, over Greenland, so the possibility of war between the US and its NATO allies is not beyond possibility, as horrifying as that is!

And what Trump is doing is encouraging Russia in its war against Ukraine, with Trump clearly willing to abandon Ukraine, who he has been extremely tough on in his dealings with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

And this also will encourage China to move ahead on attacking Taiwan, which it insists is part of the rights of China to control that island nation.

China’s aggressive nature is also a theoretical threat to South Korea and Japan as well.

With the new year 2026 just having begun, a major international crisis is looming, due to Donald Trump’s maniacal goals!

Trump’s Admiration For Presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, And William McKinley! :(

Ronald 27 Comments

Donald Trump has demonstrated a fixation with three past Presidents–Andrew Jackson (1829-1837); James K. Polk (1845-1849); and William McKinley (1897-1901).

All three of these Presidents had accomplishments worthy of being recalled, but all three also had major shortcomings.

Jackson is rated number 21; McKinley number 24; and Polk number 25 in the American Political Science Association Survey in 2024.

Jackson fell 12 points in rank; McKinley 3 points in rank; and Polk 6 points in rank from nearly a decade earlier, in 2015.

In the last C Span Presidential Survey in 2021, Jackson was number 22, down from 18 and 13 in earlier rankings

McKinley was number 14, up from 16 and 15 in earlier rankings.

Polk was number 18, down from 14 and 12 in earlier rankings.

Jackson has had major problems in historical rankings with growing recognition of the “Trail of Tears”, the forcible removal of five Indian tribes from the South to Oklahoma in the 1830s. Also, Jackson was a vehement supporter of slavery, and worked to prevent abolitionists from being able to send their antislavery literature through the US Mail system. The corrupt spoils system began under him, and he was infamous for his terrible temper and killing of a number of people through gun duels. And yet, Donald Trump admires him, and promoted him in the Oval Office during his first Presidential term.

Now, in his second term, Trump has promoted James K. Polk, whose imperialistic bent, “Manifest Destiny” led to more gaining of territory than anyone except Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase. War with Mexico added the whole Southwest, and a treaty with Great Britain divided the Pacific Northwest between Canada and the United States. And Polk promoted slavery, and like Jackson, owned hundreds of slaves

Also, William McKinley has fasinated Donald Trump, with his McKinley Tariff in 1890, when McKinley was in Congress, which led to the “Panic of 1893”, the worst economic downturn until that time frame. And then, McKinley promoted going to war with Spain (Spanish American War), with the US gaining the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, a sphere of influence over Cuba, and separately, annexation of the Hawaiian Islands. So McKinley, just like Polk, was a clearcut imperialist.

Trump and his fixation with tariffs finds McKinley fascinating, despite the truth of the Panic of 1893, and both Polk and McKinley and their imperialistic bent fascinate Trump, with his stated interest in taking back the Panama Canal; making Canada the 51st state; taking Greenland away from Denmark; and wanting US involvement in the Gaza Strip.

Donald Trump Creating International Crises And Disruption Of American Diplomacy!

Ronald 13 Comments

Donald Trump is creating an image that “Might Makes Right” in international affairs, and that presents a disaster for the world!

Trump has said the Russia-Ukraine War must end, and is taking the side of Vladimir Putin, that territory gained from Ukraine since 2014 should be conceded by Ukraine, and that Ukraine cannot be allowed to join NATO in the future.

Trump says Russian troops have been “sacrificed”, and that, therefore, that nation must be able to have its advancements on the battlefield legalized under international law!

Trump is setting up the situation for his own plans to be aggressive in foreign affairs, and claim that American “sacrifices” must be rewarded with the gaining of teritory he has an eye on, including the Panama Canal, Greenland (Denmark), Canada, and the Gaza Strip (Middle East).

We are about to see America become aggressive and imperialistic as it was in the 1840s under President James K. Polk and the 1890s under President William McKinley!

Trump wants to act like the governments of Russia and China, and divide the world into areas of dominance controlled by those two nations and America.

It is a repudation of our alliances, including European nations in NATO, and Pacific alliances with Asian nations and Australia and New Zealand.

This is a radical, revolutionary transformation of American foreign policy, diametrically opposite to that pursued by Presidents from Franklin D. Rooevelt through Joe Biden, minus the first four years of Donald Trump!

Lack Of Respect For Kamala Harris By Republicans Based On Race And Gender

admin 22 Comments

It is very clear that Republicans, led by Donald Trump and JD Vance, but including many others, are demonstrating a lack of respect for Kamala Harris, based on race and gender.

The purposeful refusal of Trump, Vance, and other Republicans to pronounce Kamala Harris’s first name correctly is one sign of disrespect that is inexcusable, as that has never happened to any other candidate before now.

Also, the issue of Trump making an issue of Harris’s race identity is an insult, with his claim that he thought she was Asian Indian, until he discovered she was black, an outrageous racist comment, and utilized by other Republicans.

Also, the issue of Harris not having had her own biological children has become an issue, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas Governor and former White House Press Secretary, has just employed that issue as a personal attack on Harris.

The fact that Harris has step children with her husband, Doug Emhoff, and that his former wife is very supportive of Harris as a step parent to her children, is ridiculed.

But it is also an attack on the millions of women who are unable to have children of their own, including by choice, but also by the fact that many are not married or have medical issues that make it impossible to bear children.

To make it out that women without biological children are somehow inferior or to be ridiculed is heartless, when having children or not having them should not be a judgment of them, anymore than the millions of men who do not have children for whatever reason.

It should be pointed out that we have had five Presidents who never had biological children, but were never ridiculed or attacked for that fact. They include George Washington, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and James Buchanan (who never married). Washington, Madison and Jackson had step children since their wives had children with an earlier husband.

Also, Warren G Harding has been proved to have had an illegitimate child out of marriage, and many of the slave owning Presidents before the Civil War are believed to have had slave children, but difficult to prove.

The ultimate point is that race and gender discrimination of any kind is inexcusable in a Presidential campaign or otherwise!

Historic Moment: Joe Biden Drops Reelection Bid And Endorses Kamala Harris For President!

admin 20 Comments

After 24 tortous days, Joe Biden has finally decided to withdraw from the Presidential Election contest of 2024, and has thrown his endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris.

It was a very emotional moment for this author and blogger, when he learned of the news at 2 pm EST today, as he has been a long time fan and supporter of Joe Biden.

But it is the right thing to do, as Joe Biden has produced an exceptional record in his one term in office, and will go down as the most successful one term President since James K. Polk in the 1840s, and a lot more positive than Polk was. But at his age, it was time to move on to the future, knowing he saved democracy by defeating Donald Trump in 2020.

Now it is time to unite around Harris, and make her the 47th President, and the battle is on, against the most evil and corrupt President in American history, Donald Trump, and his dangerous Vice Presidential running mate, JD Vance!

The Nation Needs A New Leader To Stop Donald Trump!

admin 8 Comments

It has been a tormenting three days since the disaster of the Presidential debate.

This author and blogger has been indecisive in his views on what should happen, but as time has passed, the answer has come that the nation needs a new leader to stop Donald Trump.

This is not about Joe Biden, who will go down in history as a superb President, better in one term than James K. Polk, usually said to be the best one term President.

It is about the future of America, and the absolute, dire need to stop Donald Trump from returnning to the White House, as he will destroy the American Republican, democracy, the rule of law, and the Constitution!

The Democratic Party must promote an open convention, and allow any potential Presidential candidate to make his or her case over the next six to seven weeks, and then allow the delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to choose who they wish to be their nominees for President and Vice President.

Joe Biden must recognize the need for change, as to believe that he can conduct the Presidency for the next four years to age 86 is unrealistic, as there has never been a democratically elected world leader at that age in world history!

Winston Churchill retired at age 80, and Biden will be 82 a few weeks after the election, and only Popes, Kings, and dictators such as in Iran presently, have served at later ages.

Joe Biden MUST do what is right for the nation, and he can hold his head high as a statesman by doing the right thing!