# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/21 "2015-04-19T22:43:03Z")
At the risk of boasting, I know all major Presidential opponents stretching back to 1789. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/22 "2015-04-19T22:52:05Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > At the risk of boasting, I know all major Presidential opponents stretching back to 1789. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/23 "2015-04-20T00:06:55Z")
I got as far back as the Eisenhower years. I knew that Stevenson was one of them but had forgotten that he lost twice to Ike. And I remembered Dewey in 48 but had no clue who ran against FDR. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/24 "2015-04-20T02:37:44Z")
Obama vs Romney Obama vs McCain GWBush vs Kerry GWBush vs Gore Clinton vs Dole Clinton vs GHWBush GHWBush vs Dukakis Reagan vs Mondale Reagan vs Carter \<—— first one I could vote in Carter vs Ford Nixon vs McGovern. \<-- took me several beats to remember McGovern’s name Nixon vs Humphrey vs Wallace Johnson vs Goldwater Kennedy vs Nixon Eisenhower vs…uhh… Adlai Stevenson??? **checks internet** YES!!! but when I verified that I saw a spoiler for the previous election (also Ike vs Stevenson) so I don’t think I get to count Ike vs Stevenson I in '52… Truman vs Dewey thanks mostly to memorable Dewey vs Truman headlines before that yeeeeesh, FDR versus some New York Republican I think? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/25 "2015-04-20T03:17:17Z")
1940 for me, but I had to look it up. I was dredging up the name “John Nance Garner” for some reason, but he turned out to be one of FDR’s VPs, not one of his opponents. ---
**Author:** ![CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptainAmerica_1987)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/26 "2015-04-20T03:34:37Z")
We the people are the losers in all the elections ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/27 "2015-04-20T03:54:21Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > We the people are the losers in all the elections And this has nothing to do with the question in the OP or any other post in this thread. You’re receiving a warning for attempting to de-rail a discussion. ---
**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 20, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/28 "2015-04-20T04:13:43Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > 1940 for me, but I had to look it up. I was dredging up the name “John Nance Garner” for some reason, but he turned out to be one of FDR’s VPs, not one of his opponents. He was both. Roosevelt and Garner had some serious disagreements over policy in Roosevelt’s second term and Garner challenged Roosevelt for the 1940 presidential nomination. ---
**Author:** ![orangeapples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@orangeapples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orangeapples)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/29 "2015-04-20T04:19:39Z")
Seventy-Six for me, I blanked on '72’s election. I only got to '96 on the downticket candidates, well '76 if I’m right that it was Dole/Kemp in '96. Edited to fix '96. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/30 "2015-04-20T04:47:02Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > 1. Can’t remember who Hoover beat off the top of my head. Basically quite fuzzy from then back. I was going to say that, then I remembered it, so 1924 for me. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/31 "2015-04-20T05:02:03Z")
1. I couldn’t remember John W. Davis. (though I remember several prior ones) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/32 "2015-04-20T06:14:13Z")
I knew Dewey lost in '44, but I could not remember '40, I think it was some cowboy – or was that Garner? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/33 "2015-04-20T10:58:40Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > At the risk of boasting, I know all major Presidential opponents stretching back to 1789. You an name ALL the opponents of 1860? Or you can name Douglas? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/34 "2015-04-20T11:49:27Z")
I could name 1948 to present in my sleep. 1944 is where I go fuzzy. My first campaign memory was when I was nearly 4 years old in 1960, being hoisted on my dad’s shoulders to see JFK at an airport campaign speech in Michigan. The only thing I recall was that he had sort of reddish hair in my opinion. Then in 1964 in the LBJ landslide, all of us schoolkids were saying “Silver water is okay, but Goldwater, yuck!” ---
**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 20, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/35 "2015-04-20T12:42:45Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You an name ALL the opponents of 1860? Or you can name Douglas? I can name all the opponents in the 1860 election. It’s one of the most important elections in American history. It’s the quiet peaceful elections where one side goes on to easy re-election that get forgotten. I’m sure fifty years from now, most people won’t remember who challenged Reagan in 1984 or Clinton in 1996. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/36 "2015-04-20T13:38:26Z")
1. I knew it once upon a time but drew a blank. And 1944 was kind of guess. 1948 has a famous outcome, and after that the 1952 and 1956 elections lingered in the current events of my lifetime. I wasn’t aware of Nixon as the challenger in 1960 until I was a little older, and from then on everything was part of my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/37 "2015-04-20T15:03:22Z")
Yeah, 1944. Some sacrificial Republican against FDR for his last term. I should know; I’ve read \*\*\*Truman \*\*\*and that election, of course, was a big part of the biography. But it didn’t stick. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/38 "2015-04-20T15:23:09Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You an name ALL the opponents of 1860? Or you can name Douglas? Douglas, Breckinridge, and Bell. I don’t feel myself particularly “knowledgeable” for knowing this-this is just the area of trivia I know a bit about. ---
**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 20, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/39 "2015-04-20T15:46:39Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You an name ALL the opponents of 1860? Or you can name Douglas? I was wondering about this too. I could have named three of four total candidates for that year, missing Bell. Going further back in out history, there was no “major party” ambiguity in the 1824 election: four Democrat-Republican candidates won electoral votes. 1800 would be the most challenging of all for OP purposes, with two Democrat-Republicans and three Federalists winning electoral votes. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-recent-us-presidential-election-where-you-cant-remember-who-the-loser-was/718049/40 "2015-04-20T15:47:44Z")
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