Vice-Presidents of the US

As you know, Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice-President of the US (while Joseph Biden is the 46th President).

Here we see pictures of all 49 Veeps:

Many of the faces would be unfamiliar, unless they went on to become President.

This helps you to keep track:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vice_presidents_of_the_United_States

Here is an expanded version of the above collage:

See the heading, which states that a woman of color

Would have been a slave until Andrew Johnson’s time (1865; he succeeded Lincoln as President)

Could not vote until Calvin Coolidge’s time as VP (1921-23)

Had to attend a segregated school until Richard Nixon’s time as VP (1953-61)

And could not have her own bank account until Spiro Agnew’s time (1969-73), when Nixon was President.

Though it should also be pointed that both of Ms Harris’s parents first came to the US in the 1950s and 60s.

Also note: Walter Mondale, who was Jimmy Carter’s deputy in 1977-81, died recently at the age of 93. Carter is the longest-lived President, who is now over 96.

The Carter-Mondale pair lived for over 40 years after their terms concluded in 1981.

Thomas Marshall, Woodrow Wilson’s deputy in 1913-21, was known for his dry sense of humour:

“Marshall was known for his quick wit and good sense of humor. On hearing of his nomination as vice president, he announced that he was not surprised, as “Indiana is the mother of Vice Presidents; home of more second-class men than any other state”. One of his favorite jokes, which he delivered in a speech before his departure for Washington, D.C., to become vice president, recounted a story of a man with two sons. One of the sons went to sea and drowned and the other was elected vice president; neither son was ever heard from again. On his election as vice president, he sent Woodrow Wilson a book, inscribed “From your only Vice”.”

The longest-lived Vice-President was John N Garner (1933-41) who lived to be almost 99. Levi Morton (1889-93) lived to be exactly 96.

Tail Piece: Walter Mondale was probably the only US Vice President to inaugurate a Winter Olympics (in 1980).

The longest-lived US President and other obscure facts

On October 1, 2021 James Earl Carter Jr (born October 1, 1924) became the first US President to celebrate his 97th birthday. On March 22, 2019 he became the longest-living US President when he crossed the mark set by George Herbert Walker Bush.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter#Longevity

More about George Bush Sr here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_state_funeral_of_George_H._W._Bush

He passed one more landmark on October 17, 2019 when his marriage to Rosalynn became the longest-lasting of Presidential unions. (See update at end). They were married on July 7, 1946. They will cross the record of 73+ years of George Bush Sr (again!) which ended with Barbara’s death on April 17, 2018.

However, Rosalynn Carter (born August 18, 1927) is now 95 and has some time to go before she can overtake Bessie Truman (97, 1885-1982) as the longest-lived First Lady. In the past few years, she overtook others such as “Lady Bird” Johnson (94), Betty Ford (93) and Nancy Reagan (94).

There is, however one Vice-President who has lived longer than any President: John N Garner (98, 1868-1967, VP to Franklin Roosevelt in 1933-41).

Joseph Biden (20 Nov, 1942) is the oldest person to become President surpassing Ronald Reagan’s 73+ at the start of his second term in 1985. Donald Trump (born Jun 14, 1946) was so far the oldest to become President for the first time at 70+, just edging out Reagan’s accession in 1981.

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926) continues to break longevity records as the longest-lived British monarch (93+) with the longest reign (67+ years). Her consort Prince Philip died about two months before what would have been his 100th birthday.

As pointed out earlier here, Queen Elizabeth’s reign has seen 14 US presidents (Truman to Biden) and 15 British PMs (including Harold Wilson twice). It is likely that she will see the successors of the present incumbents.

Also: “Significant events have included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees in 1977, 2002, and 2012, respectively. In 2017, she became the first British monarch to reach a Sapphire Jubilee. Next is the Platinum Jubilee in 2022. She is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch as well as the world’s longest-serving female head of state, oldest living monarch, longest-reigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving current head of state. ”

English cricket fans will remember major Ashes victories at home in the Coronation year (1953) as well as the Silver Jubilee (1977).

The durable dictator

You have heard of “Indira is India”. In the same way “Mugabe was Zimbabwe”.

He was effectively the only leader of independent Zimbabwe and did improve the conditions of the common people in the early years of his rule. Later things did not go well and he faced widespread opposition before the armed forces deposed him in 2017, after 37 years in power.

You can read an overview of his life here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49604152

And he features in many lists of durable leaders:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest-living_state_leaders

He is only 98th on this list, as he lived to be 95 years and 195 days.

Many of those higher in this list are little-known or from little-named countries.

The longest-living well known persons here would be

Y Nakasone, PM of Japan in the 1980s, still living at 101+

Perez de Cuellar, PM of Peru and UN Secretary-General, still living at 99+

Prem Tinsulananda, PM of Thailand, lived to be 98+

The Indian duo of Gulzarilal Nanda and Morarji Desai both crossed 99.

Also see this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_state_leaders_by_age

Note Mahathir Mohammad, serving as PM of Malaysia at 94+

followed by Queen Elizabeth 2 at 93+

Robert Mugabe was President until he was deposed at 93+

However, Malawi’s Hastings Banda was President for Life until 1994 when he was deposed at 96+

In contrast, the oldest US President was Ronald Reagan who was 77+ at the end of his second term. The longest lived US President is Jimmy Carter (born Oct 1, 1924 and presently 94+. Earlier this year he overtook George Bush (senior) who lived to be 93+

 

Long-lived US Presidents

George HW Bush lived from 12 Jun 1924 to 30 Nov 2018, thus living for 94 years and 171 days. This makes him the longest lived US President, surpassing the record of Gerald Ford (93/165).

However, another predecessor Jimmy Carter was born on 1 Oct 1924 and is still living. He is 94/61 today. If he lives for about 4 months more, he will surpass Bush’s record.

While on this topic, Donald Trump (at 70/220) is the oldest to take office as President for the first time. However, Ronald Reagan was 73+ when he took office for his second term and 77+ plus when he stepped down.

If Trump is re-elected in 2020 and completes his second term, he will hold these records.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States_by_age#Oldest_living_U.S._presidents

US Presidents: some notes on longevity

First, a picture taken on the occasion of Barbara Bush’s funeral. Note the caustic comments of the writer regarding the prominent absentee:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-golfed-instead-of-going-to-barbara-bushs-funeral-that-was-a-good-thing/2018/04/23/a5930974-4731-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html?utm_term=.587b697c623c

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn were not present either, though that is understandable as they are both above 90.

Barbara Bush was not, however, the longest lived First Lady. She lived to be 92 years 10 months. “Lady Bird” Johnson (94/7), Nancy Reagan (93/8) and Betty Ford (93/3) lived longer.

She was one of two First Ladies whose son became President, and the only one to see her son become President (in 2001). Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams (President in 1797-1801) passed away in 1818 before her son John Q Adams became President in 1825.

The marriage of George Bush Sr and Barbara was the longest-lasting marriage of an US President, at 73 years and 3 months. Next in line are the Carters, married in July 1946 and currently on 71 years 9 months. Rosalyn Carter (born August 1927) is now on 90 years 8 months.

George Bush senior (born June 1924) is the longest-living President at 93 years and 10 months. Next in line is Jimmy Carter (born October 1924), presently on 93 years 7 months.

Bush reached this record only in November 2017 when he crossed the record of Gerald Ford (93 years 5 months, 1913-2006). He is also the last President to have served in World War 2, in a long line going back to JFK and Eisenhower.

An odd coincidence is that 4 successive Presidents (Ford, 1974-1977; Carter, 1977-81, Reagan, 1981-89 and Bush Sr, 1989-93) all celebrated their 93rd birthdays.

Carter has lived longest after his presidential term, which ended in January 1981. He is thus holding the record at 38 years 5 months in June 2019. Next was Herbert Hoover (President in 1929-33) who survived 31 years and 8 months until his death in October 1964.

An older post on similar topics: https://abn397.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/present-and-past-us-presidents/

Update: The information given above was correct up to April 24, 2018. Since then, George Bush Sr passed away on Nov 30, 2018 and more recently Jimmy Carter became the longest living President, having been born on Oct 1, 1924.

If Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are still living in October 2019, theirs will be the longest-lasting marriage of an US President at 73 years 3 months. And he will be the first US President to celebrate his 95th birthday.