# What's the most recent US presidential election where you can't remember who the loser was? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 19, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049 "2015-04-19T17:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/1 "2015-04-19T17:24:13Z")
Just something that popped into my head this morning as a way to stretch the ol’ brain muscles and see what I remember from those AP US History classes back in the day. Without referring to Google, Wikipedia, the encyclopedia, or any resource other than your own memory, how many presidential elections can you go back before you can’t remember who the major party candidate was that came in second? Answer before you read downthread to avoid spoilerizing yourself. For myself, here’s what I came up with before hitting a brick wall at 1944; [SPOILER] 2012: Romney 2008: McCain 2004: Kerry 2000: Gore 1996: Dole 1992: Bush 1988: Dukakis 1984: Mondale 1980: Carter 1976: Ford 1972: McGovern 1968: Humphrey 1964: Goldwater 1960: Nixon 1956: Stevenson 1952: Stevenson 1948: Dewey That’s as far as I made it. I hit a blank on 1944, and had to go to Wikipedia to learn that Dewey was the candidate then as well. [/SPOILER] How far back can you go? ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/2 "2015-04-19T17:36:02Z")
Exactly the same result for me. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/3 "2015-04-19T18:06:34Z")
1. Can’t remember who Hoover beat off the top of my head. Basically quite fuzzy from then back. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/4 "2015-04-19T18:08:38Z")
68 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/5 "2015-04-19T18:30:34Z")
I’m embarrassed to admit it (so \*why \*am I posting?) but I made it all the way back to 2012. I drew a blank on 2008. After that I did OK for a couple decades. The fact I’m revolted by the modern presidential election process certainly helps with my desire to retain this info. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/6 "2015-04-19T18:31:01Z")
I was born in 1963 (and I think that’s a useful thing to know about those answering), so my memory of politics starts with Nixon-McGovern, and it’s solid from then on… Everything before that is history, and some candidates stand out more than others. My thoughts ended up like this: 1968: Lessee, I don’t think Johnson ran, and RFK died so… Humphrey? My uncertainty here almost makes me stop, but I remember the earlier candidates better, so I move on: 1964: Goldwater - Johnson’s “nuke” ad was unforgettable. 1960: Nixon - Debates with Kennedy 1956: Stevenson - Chiefly known in my memory as “that guy who kept losing to Eisenhower,” so I named him for '56 and '52 even though there’s a big foggy blotch about the actual campaigns. 1952: Stevenson 1948: Dewey - Would have gotten this if I’d considered it, but I was sufficiently fuzzy about 1952 that I didn’t try. 1944: I’m sure I’ve heard before that Dewey lost twice, but unless I dredged up that passing reference, I’d have had no clue. As it is, I didn’t try.So, either 1968 or 1952, and hypothetically 1944, or - on a good day - 1940. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/7 "2015-04-19T18:39:28Z")
James Cox, though I did know that FDR was his running mate. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/8 "2015-04-19T18:42:05Z")
Brit here, couldn’t name 1972. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/9 "2015-04-19T19:38:37Z")
I had a go for my own country andfailed at the 2nd fence, guessing Cameron for 2005 ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/10 "2015-04-19T19:50:32Z")
Pretty much the same here. I can vaguely recall 1956 election and “I like Ike” buttons. I know he beat Stevenson. I know but don’t remember it was the same matchup in 1952 and I’ve see the Dewey defeats Truman headline picture enough to recall that one. So 1944 is my first blank. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/11 "2015-04-19T20:37:01Z")
1948 Dewey OK, I see that’s also as far as the OP went. Furthest-back election that registers in my own childhood memory is 1968. ---
**Author:** ![Nelson\_Pike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Nelson\_Pike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nelson_Pike)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/12 "2015-04-19T20:53:35Z")
1. I knew Al Smith was a losing candidate, but I thought he ran in 1924. He ran in 1928 so I missed a chance to improve my result. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/13 "2015-04-19T21:06:31Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > James Cox, though I did know that FDR was his running mate. Same for me (I’m 39). After a bit of thought I got the 1924 loser, while no matter how hard I thought I couldn’t remember Cox. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/14 "2015-04-19T21:09:24Z")
1. In my defense, I was born in '87. I have of course heard of Dukakis, Mondale, McGovern, Goldwater, etc. but attaching them to a specific year and the person they lost to is harder. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/15 "2015-04-19T21:13:54Z")
\ I forgot Hubert; which is especially bad since he was one of my favorites. :smack: Got the others back to 1928 though. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/16 "2015-04-19T21:23:13Z")
Canadian here. Blanked at 1944. ---
**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:** [April 19, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/17 "2015-04-19T21:48:05Z")
1924 or 1928. I wasn’t sure about who Hoover beat in 1928. But I would have guessed Al Smith. I didn’t even have a guess for 1924. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/18 "2015-04-19T21:50:21Z")
American, born 1956. I couldn’t remember who Eisenhower beat without peeking. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/19 "2015-04-19T21:55:42Z")
I wish I could have gone back further, since there were so many good stories. "What’s the difference between Woodrow Wilson and Charles Evans Hughes? " “[a shave](http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Evans_Hughes_cph.3a02236.jpg).” (Nothing new about no real choice) “Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blain. The continental liar from the state of Maine” is just fun to say. The illegitimate child fathered by Grover Cleveland was lost to history, but photographic evidence suggests one descendant to be [Sarah Silverman](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/president-clevelands-problem-child-100800/). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/20 "2015-04-19T22:12:00Z")
I can name all of FDR’s opponents, but I’d need to look them up to make sure I got them in the right order. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049.md?page=2)