# Could you be President? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732 "2005-03-29T04:05:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/1 "2005-03-29T04:05:30Z")
Are you “electable”? Just to make it simple, the rule will be if you have any characteristic that no President has ever had it’s a disqualification. First the legal barriers: Are you not an American citizen? Are you not a native-born citizen? Are you less than 35 years old? Have you been living in the United States less than 14 years? Now the obvious ones: Are you a woman? Are you any race other than white? Do you practice any religion other than Christianity? Are you openly gay or bisexual? Some less obvious ones: No President has ever been an only child. A professional degree is good, but no President has ever had any medical degree. People obviously don’t want a President who’s seen them naked. Military service is also a plus, but every President who’s served has been an officer. And you’ve got to bring geography to the ticket. No one’s ever been elected President from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, or Wyoming. So are you in or out? Of course if you’re disqualified for any other reason, do the party a favor and mention if now before we spend a fortune on bumper stickers. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/2 "2005-03-29T04:13:09Z")
Well, I’m unelectable just based on age, but in two years I’ll be unelectable for a host of other reasons: Electable: White Male Straight From Massachusetts Unelectable: Chose to live overseas for a long time (12 years by the time I’m 35). That’s just un-American. Non-christian Non-white wife Only child French name ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/3 "2005-03-29T04:15:43Z")
Unelectable - not an American citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/4 "2005-03-29T04:19:46Z")
Unelectable- Far too young, and no Northern Californian has ever been elected President. ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/5 "2005-03-29T04:22:19Z")
I am a woman, and an only child, but the major impediment would be I am not willing to sell out to the Elite behind the scenes controllers just for fame. ---
**Author:** ![sishoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sishoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sishoch)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/6 "2005-03-29T05:19:56Z")
To be honest, I am a president. Just not President of the United States. I meet all the criteria except that I am from New Mexico. However, I have no ambition for politics, for which everyone should be grateful. Especially me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/7 "2005-03-29T05:23:54Z")
I am too young, an only child, a woman, and an agnostic. I am also a librarian, and therefore dangerous. Plus there might somewhere maybe be naked pictures of me around. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/8 "2005-03-29T05:34:30Z")
**Electable:** White 41 US native-citizen straight **Unelectable:** Female Single Childless (and don’t want any) Opinionated and outspoken Unconventional Major anti-presidential skeletons in my closet that Republicans would have a field day with. Don’t fit clearly in one party or another (pro-choice, but for the right to bear arms, for example) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/9 "2005-03-29T21:57:09Z")
I’m electable only if the public wants a President who will leap out from behind the podium and clobber anyone who asks a stupid question during a public event. 😃 (Yes, that’d be my campaign platform) ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/10 "2005-03-29T22:00:50Z")
Like Large Marge, I’m single, childless (and plan on staying that way), I’m also an only child, a woman, and not at all religious. I’m also not 35, but you know, it’s less than 4 years before that’s stopping me. But really, I just don’t have the patience. You wouldn’t want a President that yells at you and calls you an idiot, would you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/11 "2005-03-29T23:14:38Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I’m electable only if the public wants a President who will leap out from behind the podium and clobber anyone who asks a stupid question during a public event. 😃 > > (Yes, that’d be my campaign platform) I’d vote for you, just to see that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/12 "2005-03-29T23:24:42Z")
If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve. Apart from that, I meet all the criteria. Yay me. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/13 "2005-03-29T23:37:09Z")
Hmm. I’m not 35 but other than that legal bases are covered. I’m a woman that’s an only child, though. Born and raised in Kentucky, which produced Lincoln – but living in WV now, which would be a definite minus. Add to that a couple of skeletons and it’s not happening. I’m surprised there’s never been an only child President. We’re even more responsible and driven than the firstborns 🙂 This’ll please Mom and Dad – I’ll run the country! ---
**Author:** ![KateSmack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7cd45c/32.png) [@KateSmack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KateSmack)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/14 "2005-03-29T23:41:48Z")
less than 35 years old woman Otherwise. I pass. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/15 "2005-03-29T23:45:37Z")
I’m a woman, too young, and bisexual. So probably no go. However, I’m going to be dictatrix (one of these days I should look that up), so I’m not too worried about getting elected. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/16 "2005-03-29T23:52:09Z")
I’m thinking about it now because my criminal record prevents me becoming Prime Minister here and does not appear to be a hindrance there. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/17 "2005-03-30T00:04:03Z")
Black, bisexual woman. Electable perhaps in 2084. Not anytime in my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/18 "2005-03-30T00:11:49Z")
Electable: White Male Natural born citizen Californian Unelectable: Too young (but not forever) Single (also not forever) Athiest Only child ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/19 "2005-03-30T00:12:32Z")
**Electable** : White Straight Male Natural-Born U.S. Citizen Tall Fairly Photogenic and Likeable Summa Cum Laude Law Degree Experience in Civil Service Good Public Speaker **Unelectable** : Only 34 Says Nice Things About Criminals For Money Doesn’t Attend Church and Usually Dislikes Discussing Religion Profligate, Debauched, and Misspent Youth Sleeve Tattoos Late Sleeper Living in Sin With Girlfriend Has Been Photographed Dressed as a Woman ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732/20 "2005-03-30T05:29:30Z")
Hmmmm… Not 35, but will be by 2008. White male, ostensibly Christian, but if they get ahold of church attendence records, I’m sunk (did go to catholic school for 1st-8th grade. Does that help?) MBA degree, just like our current Pres. No criminal record, but no political experience either. Behold your first President from Wisconsin. Brat and beer consumption will be mandatory my America. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-be-president/296732.md?page=2)