Huckleberries Online

High Noon: Left-Handedness

March 17, 2009 12:02 p.m. • 15 comments

When Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain took the stage for the presidential debates in November, viewers may notice both candidates scribbling notes with their left hands. Such a curiosity has occurred before: In 1992, all three contenders — George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot — were lefties. Six of the 12 chief executives since the end of World War II will have been left-handed: Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Bush number one, Clinton and Obama. (This is a disproportionate number, considering that only ten percent of people in the general population is left-handed.)/Adrianna, Vox Box. More here.

Question: Are you lefthanded?

15 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

jthompson on March 17 at 12:48 p.m.
We were all born right handed. But some of us grew out of it.
joebu on March 17 at 1:03 p.m.
because we’re winners…

I’ve mentioned this before but there seems like there is also a disproportionate number of lefties in Kootenai County, more than any other community I’ve lived or visited. Doug Eastwood from the city parks is one of us, and even had/may still have a “Bill of Lefts” in his wallet showing the inalienable rights, I mean lefts, that all southpaws should have. I can’t remember a one of them, but I was very impressed with his advocacy on behalf of the more ‘sinister’ part of the population.
Mariannel on March 17 at 1:25 p.m.
Yes, and I take GREAT offense when people talk about “left-handed approaches” with disdain. Society needs to be more politically correct on this issue.

In all seriousness, I’m proud to be left-handed, though I remember the early grade school days when teachers looked at us and treated us as if we had a disability.

We showed ‘em, by golly!
Duffer on March 17 at 2:05 p.m.
Yes, I’m predominantly left-handed as I eat and write with it. Other than that, I’m pretty much ambidextrous although I play sports right-handed thanks to my brother.

When I was growing up, the schools had just stopped making lefties use their right hands to write, but unless we cocked our wrist, what we were writing always got smeared.

As all lefties know, we’re the only ones in our RIGHT minds! :)
trishgannon on March 17 at 4:28 p.m.
Two of my three children are left-handed, and I can only hope they will both grow up to be as smart as Marianne Love. ;0)
toadman on March 17 at 4:34 p.m.
Left handed people are statistically more artistic, better problem solvers because of creative thinking, and good in bed.

…well, that last bit is apocryphal.

I’m not left handed. My left hand is pretty much a useless appendage, unable to be used for anything but support for my right hand. Why, then, do people say that I’m artistic?

Weird.
christywoolum on March 17 at 6:08 p.m.
Yes, I am left handed and fortunately had a teacher mom that didn’t force me to write right handed. My favorite paper weight on my desk is the one that says “Left handed Genius”. Wow Toadman…. I am so glad to learn about the statistics of being more artistic, a better problem solver and yeah… that other one too!!!
Me on March 17 at 6:48 p.m.
I’m a leftie too, but do not consider myself artistic at all. When I first started at the company I work for the president, 2 vps and the controller were all lefties, plus quite a few of us others and I thought that was a good sign!

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.