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April 21, 2009 10:07 PM
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Franklin Roosevelt had polio.
Abe Lincoln had Marfan's syndrome.
Woodrow Wilson had reading and learning problems, especially early in childhood.
Cleveland had an artificial jaw made of rubber.
Taft was deaf. And obese (over 330#).
These impairments are obviously not disqualifiers for public office.
I think that our current society has become very superficial, and intolerant to any signs of weakness, trouble, or unattractiveness.
Sad that this is more of a problem today with television and sattelites. In the days of horses and railcars and newspapers...who cared if your makeup looked good?
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Of course, that was in the pre-TV days, so it's likely a much more difficult proposition now. It might depend on *how* the candidate became disabled. Voters are suckers for a compelling life story.
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That being said, in the future - would "handicapped" people exist. Let's take the blind for example, every day new technologies are being advanced - like some people who have partial vision can have special surgery to make them see. So, let's say we are talking 2030s/2040s - will people be handicapped by then.
Who knows - even a baby might be the president?
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However, I can't see a deaf/mute president signing his speeches. Giving good speeches with good oratory is just too important to the campaign. I think the only way it would happen would be a vice president succeeding to the office.
I also doubt that anyone with one of the drastic nerve ailments, such as the physicist Hawkins has, ever managing to be elected.
But a one-eyed, peg-legged pirate? Anytime now...
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but maybe we should elect a Pirate Wench first?
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If this person is handicapped in a war, it will improve his chances of winning, even more.
Fitting his hips and legs with iron braces, Franklin D. Roosevelt laboriously taught himself to walk a short distance by swiveling his torso while supporting himself with a cane. In private, he used a wheelchair, but he was careful never to be seen in it in public. He usually appeared in public standing upright, supported on one side by an aide or one of his sons.
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Will the United States elect a physically handicapped President in the future?
Imagine seeing the state of union being signed, or the President rolling up to podium to make a speech. For these reasons Americans might not vote for a handicapped leader.
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| April 22, 2009 01:03 AM |
Abe Lincoln had Marfan's syndrome.
Woodrow Wilson had reading and learning problems, especially early in childhood.
Cleveland had an artificial jaw made of rubber.
Taft was deaf. And obese (over 330#).
These impairments are obviously not disqualifiers for public office.
I think that our current society has become very superficial, and intolerant to any signs of weakness, trouble, or unattractiveness.
Sad that this is more of a problem today with television and sattelites. In the days of horses and railcars and newspapers...who cared if your makeup looked good?
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Other Answers (4)
April 21, 2009 10:20 PM
Well, we already did. Four times. FDR spent much of his time in a wheelchair as a result of polio, though he was very rarely photographed in it. Of course, that was in the pre-TV days, so it's likely a much more difficult proposition now. It might depend on *how* the candidate became disabled. Voters are suckers for a compelling life story.
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Voted as best: hartwell
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April 21, 2009 11:31 PM
That's what I thought of, too. FDR. Who are the other three? And pictures, please?
Teddy Roosevelt had asthma as a child didn't he?
Kind of funny. The "landmark" was passed a hundred years ago!
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Teddy Roosevelt had asthma as a child didn't he?
Kind of funny. The "landmark" was passed a hundred years ago!
April 21, 2009 11:52 PM
Fitting his hips and legs with iron braces, Franklin D. Roosevelt laboriously taught himself to walk a short distance by swiveling his torso while supporting himself with a cane. In private, he used a wheelchair, but he was careful never to be seen in it in public. He usually appeared in public standing upright, supported on one side by an aide or one of his sons.
http://www.lib.montana.edu/digital/objects/coll1507/bk14a.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/history1900s/1/0/Z/H/fdr160.gif
http://img.timeinc.net/time/poy2000/images/fdr.jpg
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April 21, 2009 10:44 PM
So long as the "possible" president is capable of becoming a president - it is EXTREMELY likely we will see a president in the future. That being said, in the future - would "handicapped" people exist. Let's take the blind for example, every day new technologies are being advanced - like some people who have partial vision can have special surgery to make them see. So, let's say we are talking 2030s/2040s - will people be handicapped by then.
Who knows - even a baby might be the president?
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April 21, 2009 11:18 PM
It depends upon which physical handicap. We have already had a president in a wheelchair, President Franklin D Roosevelt. We have never had a blind president but there is now an almost blind governor of New York. I can imagine a blind president. However, I can't see a deaf/mute president signing his speeches. Giving good speeches with good oratory is just too important to the campaign. I think the only way it would happen would be a vice president succeeding to the office.
I also doubt that anyone with one of the drastic nerve ailments, such as the physicist Hawkins has, ever managing to be elected.
But a one-eyed, peg-legged pirate? Anytime now...
Source(s):
but maybe we should elect a Pirate Wench first?
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Voted as best: philipy
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April 21, 2009 11:50 PM
As it has done with Franklin D. Roosevelt before, United States will elect a physically handicapped President in the future also. If this person is handicapped in a war, it will improve his chances of winning, even more.
Fitting his hips and legs with iron braces, Franklin D. Roosevelt laboriously taught himself to walk a short distance by swiveling his torso while supporting himself with a cane. In private, he used a wheelchair, but he was careful never to be seen in it in public. He usually appeared in public standing upright, supported on one side by an aide or one of his sons.
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Here is his bio with the quote about polio
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt/
--quote--
In the summer of 1921, when he was 39, disaster hit-he was stricken with poliomyelitis. Demonstrating indomitable courage, he fought to regain the use of his legs, particularly through swimming. At the 1924 Democratic Convention he dramatically appeared on crutches to nominate Alfred E. Smith as "the Happy Warrior." In 1928 Roosevelt became Governor of New York.
--/quote--
and here is an image