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US presidents – a question of stature

The long and the short of it

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sir, – I liked Pat Wallace’s positive recollection of former US president Jimmy Carter’s visit to the National Museum of Ireland but must quibble at his description of Mr Carter as a “tall man” (Letters, October 21st).

At 177cm (5ft 9½ inches in real money), Jimmy Carter was the second shortest US president since the second World War.

The tallest president on record was Abraham Lincoln at 193cm (6ft 4in). Donald Trump came in third overall at 190cm (6ft 3in) but it’s possible that this was “fake news” and that he was really the “bigliest”.

Most presidential elections in the US have been won by the taller candidate, which is bad news for Kamela Harris (164cm, 5ft 4½ in), who, even with the benefit of the average male to female height ratio of 1.07, would still be looking up to Mr Trump, if only literally. – Yours, etc,

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KEVIN O’SULLIVAN,

Letterkenny,

Co Donegal.