Miscellaneous

Who Needs to Vote; Fate Has Already Decided It

Well, with a 94 percent certainty. Ironically, 538.com has it at 98 percent.

The only thing as big as politics in the D.C. beltway is Redskins football. Political pundits and football fans noticed a trend between Presidential elections and the Redskins results from their last game before voters make their decision.

From 1940 to 2000 if the Redskins won in the week before the election so did the incumbent party. If they lost so did the incumbents.

In 1980 the Vikings played the Redskins with Jimmy Carter looking for a second term in the White House. The Redskins lost to the Vikings and days later Carter lost to Ronald Reagan.

The trend continued up to 2004 when the Packers beat the Redskins. However President Bush went on to win a second term in the White House. Still the predictor has been correct 94.4% of the time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat Washington Monday night, 23-6, so voters will now have to wait and see if Tuesday's election if the predictor makes it 17 out of 18 in 2008.

It certainly helps that the Redskins suck.

Full post as published by Quiz Law on November 04, 2008 (boomark / email).