We can guarantee that America’s next president will be … left-handed.
That’s right (or left). Both Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama are southpaws. Here’s a look back at some of the political lefties — on the right and the left — over the years.
* Only seven of our 43 presidents have been left-handed; however, more than half of those lefties — Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton — served since 1974. Of course, three of those five were Republicans, lest you interpret that as a seismic shift to the left.
* History suggests that society is to blame for the overall dearth of left-handed presidents. Before the 1950s, it was common for parents and teachers to discourage left-hand dominance, believing that being left-handed was a sign of weakness or even wickedness. It wasn’t until the 20th U.S. president, James Garfield, did we get an admitted lefty.
* Bush Sr. and Reagan lived as lefties, but not always: Bush, who played baseball in college, threw left-handed but batted right-handed. Reagan was known to write with his right hand.
* All major candidates on the 1992 presidential ballot were left-handed: Bush, Clinton and Ross Perot.
* So, do left-handed presidents handle their White House duties differently than their more-common righty counterparts? Some studies show that lefties exhibit better language skills, concentration and creativity. On the other hand, those research results are inconclusive; scientists say more work is needed.