TIME's US Presidential Palm Readings: from Obama to Kennedy!
JULY 22, 2008
The 2017 update for this project involving 14 US presidents is avialable here:
Hand shape variations in 14 US presidents!
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from Obama back to Kennedy! |
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Earlier this year TIME presented a photo essay of the hands of the last 9 US presidents (from Lyndon Johson to Barack Obama) and they asked expert palm reader Robin Gile to assess the palms of the presidents - without knowing which hand belonged to which president!
HandResearch.com presents the results PLUS a more advanced photo session... including the hands of John F. Kennedy!
Author: Deirdre van Dyk + Robin Gile | Photos + statistical research: Martijn van Mensvoort
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: long palm shape;
- Both hands: long finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: low set, normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: second phalange of thumb is 'waisted';
- Both hands: dissociated head line (head line is not attached to life line);
- Both hands: strong sun line.
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"A Good Awareness of Theater"
"The curve of this head line shows the most imagination and creativity," says Giles. "The little finger, the way it's so straight, shows he's very honest. He's the most visual, with a good awareness of theater. The gap between the beginning of the head line and the life line show that he's a very independent thinker - he can't just be told things, he has to prove it to himself. The curve of his thumb, and the fleshy tip, shows that he remains constant - he's a good starter and a good finisher."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF BARACK OBAMA (1961-?), SHORT SUMMARY:
After a short career as a community organiser in Chicago, he worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and thought constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004.
Obama served three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, and he served as the junior United States Senator from Illinois from January 2005 to november 2008 when he won the election for the US presidency.
A hundred days into his Presidency, Obama has already signed an order to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp within a year and has set a timeframe for ending U.S. combat operations in Iraq. After pushing through a gargantuan economic stimulus package, he is trying to shore up Detroit and Wall Street, scolding bankers for taking large bonuses at the same time their companies are asking the government for funds. We'll see where he takes us.
• PsychoDiagnostic Chirology - Barack Hussein Obama
• Barack Obama: 'the hand of power'
• Barack Obama is the 7th left-handed US president!
• The fist bump: Barack Obama's sporty greeting
• Palm reader Gary Markwick about Barack Obama's hands
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: square palm shape (fleshy, large mount of moon);
- Both hands: short finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: high set, short index finger;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: strong, dynamic thumb;
- Both hands: second phalange of thumb is 'waisted'.
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"An Idealist"
"The straightness of his little finger says he's very honest," Gile says. "The length and shape of his ring finger shows he's good at making calculated bets. I would guess this is Clinton. He shows real leadership in his heart line. This is as close to an idealist as I see in this selection. He tries to make the best of things, circumstances and people. He's got more heart than head. And the angle of the thumb shows he's not very adaptable. The strong life line - which contrary to popular belief, doesn't indicate length of life, but quality and determination - shows this person won't quit. His career is his life."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF GEORGE W. BUSH (1946-?), SHORT SUMMARY:
Bush is the eldest son of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush.
Since his graduation at Harvard Business School in 1975, Bush worked in his family's oil businesses. In 1984 he became chairman of his company. Since 1988 he had been involved in his father's US presidency election campaigns.
In 1994 he became Governor of Texas. In 2000 he was elected as US president, and in 2004 he ran successfully for re-election.
Known for valuing loyalty, Bush pushed through the No Child Left Behind Act and had very high approval ratings after the Sept. 11 attacks, but left office after two terms with with some of the lowest ratings in history, having starting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and witnessing the financial system implode at the end of his watch.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: normal palm shape (large mount of Venus);
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: second phalange of thumb is 'waisted';
- Both hands: strong sun line;
- Right hand: fate line (vertical palm line) connected to life line (thenar crease);
- Left hand: double head line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"Presence and Charm"
"This man is adequate - not inspiring, but efficient," says Gile. "He holds on to past failures too strongly, as indicated by the hollow in his palm, and doesn't move on. His little finger curves away from his hand, showing that he had high expectations of himself, so high they are probably unrealistic. His index finger shows that he has presence and charm. He's probably good at getting a room full of people to do what he needed them to do. But the curve of his thumb, and lack of padding on top tells me he's not a good finisher."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF BILL CLINTON (1946-?), SHORT SUMMARY:
After Oxford, Clinton attended Yale Law School and obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1973.
Then he became professor at the University of Arkansas.
But since 1972 he had been involved with a job in the McGovern campaign for the state Texas.
In 1976 Clinton was elected Arkansas Attorney General, and he was elected Governor of Arkansas in 1978, making him the youngest governor in the country at age thirty-two.
Later he became a member of the New Democrat wing of the Democratic Party, and he headed the moderate Democratic Leadership Council in 1990 and 1991.
Clinton won the 1992 presidential election. In 1996, Clinton was re-elected and became the first member of the Democratic Party since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second term as president.
Clinton could well be bitter about his time in the White House, which included him getting impeached (and acquitted) for lying - not about reasons for starting a war, but about some extra-marital hanky panky. Although he left office after two terms without achieving one of his biggest goals, i.e., universal health insurance, he did push through NAFTA, welfare reform and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
He left office with an approval rate of 66%, the highest end of office rating of any president since World War II. Later he created the "William J. Clinton Foundation" to promote and address international causes such as treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS and global warming.
• The hand of Hillary Clinton!
• The real Hillary Clinton - polarizing hands!
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: normal palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long, but low set, ring finger;
- Both hands: normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: strong thumb;
- Right hand: fate line (vertical palm line) connected to life line (thenar crease);
- Both hands: Sydney line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"The Most Alpha of All the Hands"
"This man is outgoing, but not necessarily charming or witty," says Gile. "But his presence is felt. This is the most alpha of all the hands. He has a high degree of eccentricity. I think he's pretty ruthless. I bet this is Bush Sr. I could see this guy running the CIA."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF GEORGE H.W. BUSH (1924-?), SHORT SUMMARY:
Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Bush became the youngest naval aviator in the US Navy at the time.
He served until the end of the war, then attended Yale University where he graduate in 1948. Afterwards he moved his family to West Texas and entered the oil business, becoming a millionaire by the age of 40.
Bush senior became involved in politics soon after founding his own oil company.
Bush was indeed head of the CIA from 1976 to 1977. In 1988, Bush launched a successful campaign to become US president. His four years as President spanned the first Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He was shaken by the Iran-Contra scandal - where he was accused of arranging to trade arms for hostages in Iran, but denied any knowledge of the effort - and lost his bid for reelection after getting slammed for breaking his oft-repeated campaign promise 'Read my lips: No new taxes."
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: square palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: normal set, short index finger;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: 'waisted' second phalange of thumb.
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"The Most Earth-y of the Lot"
"This person is constitutionally stronger than most, because the head line and heart line are almost one line," says Gile. "He's the most earth-y of the lot, but he's stubborn. He has a hard time shifting gears or taking on a new stance. He's not attached to ostentatious consumerism. I bet he's the sort of man who would say, "Let me lease a good car. It doesn't have to be a Cadillac."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF RONALD REAGAN (1911-2004), SHORT SUMMARY:
He began a career in filmmaking and later television, making 52 films (largely B-movies) and gaining enough success to make him a household name.
Reagan served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and later spokesman for General Electric (GE); his start in politics occurred during his work for GE.
In 1967 he became Governer of California. In 1981 he became US president, and in 1985 he was re-elected.
The former actor was Chief Executive during the booming '80s, a time marked by profligate spending and Wall Street excesses. (Sound familiar?) Nicknamed "the Great Communicator" for his oratorical skills, he was a calming presence after the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger and is credited with helping to bring down Soviet communism.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: square palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: high set, normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio' (long ring finger + high set normal index finger);
- Both hands: strong, long thumb;
- Both hands: fate line (vertical palm line) connected to life line (thenar crease);
- Right hand: strong sun line;
- Both hands: Sydney line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"Lacks Flexibility"
"This man is tough, rigid, unyielding and stubborn," Gile says. "The ability to compromise doesn't appear to be a strong aspect in this hand. He's got the gift of intuition, but he's not the most intuitive of this set. He's aware of the environment around him, but that sensitivity to it doesn't make him change course. I would say he's controlling and lacks flexibility."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF JIMMY CARTER (1924-?), SHORT SUMMARY:
Prior to becoming president, Carter had a career in the navy.
And when his father died in 1953 he resigned his commision and he then took over and expanded his family business in Plains. There he was involved in a peanut farming accident that left him with a permanently bent finger. His farming business was successful, and during the 1970 gubernatorial campaign, he was considered a wealthy peanut farmer
Carter served two terms in the Georgia Senate followed by the governorship of the state of Georgia, from 1971 to 1975.
In 1977 he became US president.
After leaving office, in 1982 [2] Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded "The Carter Center", a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization that works to advance human rights.
Carter was considered the ultimate outsider when he won the election: the peanut farmer comes to Washington. Although his Presidential term was marred by failure to resolve the American hostage crisis in Iran, the former Sunday School teacher succeeded in bringing together the president of Egypt and prime minister of Israel at the presidential retreat in Maryland and securing their agreement on what became known as the Camp David Accords.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: long palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: fate line (vertical palm line) connected to life line (thenar crease);
- Both hands: strong sun line;
- Both hands: Sydney line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"A Good, Clear Mind"
"In theory, this guy would have been a good mechanic because of the bulbous tips on his middle and ring finger," says Gile. "He's got a clear head line, showing a good, clear mind. His thumb is exceptionally long, showing his force of will. He's the kind of man who thinks, 'I know what I want, I know where I want to go.' He's dogged. If you go up against him, he's just going to keep coming at you."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF GERALD FORD (1913-2006), SHORT SUMMARY:
As a student at Michigan University Gerald Ford performed very well in various sports, including: golf, football & boxing. Later, at Yale he accepted an assistant coaching job for football and boxing in 1935.
Ford received a commission as ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1942.
After his career in the navy he become involved with politics.
At University of Michigan, Ford became a member Before ascending to his presidencies, Ford served nearly 25 years (1949-1973) as Representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district, eight of them as the Republican Minority Leader.
In 1974 he became US president.
After Nixon resigned, Ford quickly pardoned his former boss, a controversial and unpopular move at the time. It did, however, help put the Watergate scandal behind the country. A star football player in college, Ford gained a reputation for clumsiness as President, after he was caught on film stumbling and bumping his head on a plane door, among other pratfalls. And in a sign of the Republican's dogged opposition to a Democrat-controlled Congress, he issued more than 50 vetoes in less than three years.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: square palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: long ring finger;
- Both hands: normal index finger length;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: strong, long, dynamic thumb;
- Right hand: Sydney line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"An Eccentric Among Eccentrics"
"Clearly, anyone driven enough to become president is somewhat eccentric, but this, going by the angling out of the little finger, is an eccentric among eccentrics," says Gile. "He's a complicated soul, with a lot mental tension and passion. The long head line - the middle line in the palm - is unusually long, indicating he probably doesn't have an off-switch in his brain. He's a potential insomniac, very detail-oriented and can't stop thinking. The deep hallow in his palm says he hangs on to things and won't let go."
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF RICHARD NIXON (1913-1994), SHORT SUMMARY:
Richard Nixon graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1937 and returned to California to practice law in La Mirada.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the United States Navy and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during World War II. He was elected in 1946 as a Republican to the House of Representatives, and in 1950 to the United States Senate.
He was selected to be the running mate of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the Republican Party nominee in the 1952 presidential election, and Nixon was vice president until 1961.
In 1969 he became US president.
Although the most memorable part of Nixon's presidency may be the Watergate scandal, he established diplomatic relations with China and, after initially escalating the war in Vietnam, wound down U.S. involvement there. Nixon also secretly taped conversations with aides and advisors, and the recordings reveal an intense and paranoid man.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: square palm shape (strong mount of moon);
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: very long ring finger;
- Both hands: normal set, short index finger;
- Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Right hand: short thumb;
- Right hand: strong, long sun line;
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
"The Charisma of a Performer"
"There's a line that rises from the palm to the ring finger, which shows we're talking about someone with the charisma of a performer, " says Robin Gile, co-author of
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Palmistry
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF LYNDON JOHNSON (1908-1973), SHORT SUMMARY:
In 1926, Johnson enrolled in Southwest Texas State Teachers' College, where he graduated in 1930. The college years refined his skills of persuasion and political organization.
Since 1930 he had been involved in campaigning for other politicians.
Johnson served as a United States Representative from Texas, from 1937-1949 and as United States Senator from 1949-1961, including six years as United States Senate Majority Leader, two as Senate Minority Leader and two as Senate Majority Whip.
Lyndon was vice president from 1961 until 1963.
In 1963 he became US president until 1969.
Famous for his charisma and balderdash, Johnson pushed through the Civil Rights Act, created Medicare and endured growing opposition as he ramped up U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. One of the greatest arm twisters in U.S. politics, he also scared many a reporter and secret service agent as he raced his car around his Texas ranch.
- PLEASE 'CLICK' ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION!!! -
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1 - SOME MAJOR HAND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Both hands: normal palm shape;
- Both hands: normal finger length;
- Both hands: normal ring finger;
- Both hands: normal index finger length;
- Both hands: normal '2D:4D ratio';
- Both hands: long pinky (little finger);
- Both hands: second phalange of thumb is 'waisted';
- Right hand: strong, long sun line;
- Right hand: double head line (!)
2 - [BLIND] PALM READING BY ROBIN GILE:
(Not available)
3 - THE LIFE LINE OF JOHN F. KENNEDY (1917-1963), SHORT SUMMARY:
In September 1936 he enrolled as a freshman at Harvard College - where he graduated 'Cum Laude'.
In the spring of 1941, Kennedy volunteered for the U.S. Army.
After Kennedy's military service as commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 during World War II in the South Pacific, his aspirations turned political.
Kennedy represented Massachusetts's 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat, and in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until 1960.
In 1961 he became US president: he was the second-youngest President (after Theodore Roosevelt), and the youngest elected to the office, at the age of 43.
The president was closely tied to popular culture.
Kennedy came in third (behind Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa) in a Gallup list of the most admired people of the twentieth century.
Today, Kennedy continues to rank highly in public opinion ratings of former U.S. presidents.
Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.
THE HAND OF A US PRESIDENT?
The photos above present the right hands of the last 10 US presidents (from 1961 to 2009)
11 SIGNIFICANT HAND CHARACTERISTICS IN THE HANDS OF THE 10 US PRESIDENTS ARE:
The most common hand features in the presidential hands are:
• 90% - Both hands: low '2D:4D ratio' - [Obama, G.W. Bush, Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson];
• 90% - Both hands: long ring finger - [Obama, G.W. Bush, Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson];
• 80% - Both hands: normal finger length - [Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy];
• 70% - Both hands: long pinky (little finger) - [Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Reagan, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy];
• 70% - Both hands: normal index finger length - [Obama, Clinton, G.H.W. Bush, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Kennedy];
• 60% - Dominant hand: strong, long sun line - [Obama, Clinton, Carter, Ford, Johnson, Kennedy];
• 50% - Both hands: second phalange of thumb is 'waisted' - [Obama, G.W. Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Kennedy];
• 50% - Dominant hand: left (= left-handed) - [Obama, Clinton, G.H.W. Bush; Reagan, Ford];
• 40% - Right hand: fate line connected to life line - [Clinton, G.H.W. Bush; both hands: Carter, Ford].
NOTICE: the percentages above are relatively high, but one should notice that these hand characteristics are also found in large percentages (usually between 10% to 40%) of normal populations.
Some rare but 'remarkable' features:
• 40% - Dominant hand: Sydney line - [Nixon; both hands: G.H.W. Bush, Carter, Ford];
• 20% - Dominant hand: double head line - [Clinton (lefthanded) - left hand; Kennedy (righthanded) - right hand]
NOTICE: the percentages above are rather 'remarkable' because these concern hand characterstics which are usually seen in less than 5% of normal populations.
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Robin Gile ROBIN GILE is a master of the art of palmistry with over 25 years experience in the field. Robin lives in Albuquerque - New Mexico, USA. His website is: www.robingilepalmistry.com, where you can also find another presentation of the TIME article Robin Gile is the author of the book: 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Palmistry '.
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