List of Left-Handed Presidents Grows With Barack Obama

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President Barack Obama

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Barack Obama may be the first black president and the third youngest, but he is also one of a growing list of left-handed presidents.

 Four of the last six US presidents--Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton--have been southpaws. That's an unusually high proportion considering that lefties make up just seven to nine percent of the population. In total, six of the last 12 presidents since the end of World War II have been left-handed.

Studies show that having a southpaw in the White House may not be such a bad thing. Some studies indicate that lefties are more likely to have bilateral brain function, which could help them see big-picture issues. Lefties may also have betters verbal skills, something that Obama--a noted orator--has in abundance.

Even if Obama had lost the election, a southpaw would have been sworn in as President today. Obama's opponent during the 2008 election, John McCain, is also left-handed.

Here is a complete list of left-handed presidents:

James A. Garfield
Herbert Hoover
Harry S. Truman
Gerald Ford
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama