Philandering Presidents Trivia

1. Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. What did he do to warrant impeachment?

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: Removed a Cabinet member without Senate approval

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) was the 17th President. He assumed office after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. During his presidency he was impeached for violating the Tenure of Office Act which restricted the president from removing a cabinet member without Senate approval. He was acquitted by a single vote and was allowed to stay in office.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: Whiskey Tax

President George Washington tried to raise money to help pay for the national debt. The whiskey tax affected small farmers the most, and they rebelled against it. They felt they could not pay the tax on their limited income and that the federal government was treating them unfairly.

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: Richard Nixon

President Nixon resigned his presidency rather than face impeachment in 1974.

From Quiz US Presidents and the Women Close to Them

Answer: Grover Cleveland

The 1884 presidential campaign, perhaps the dirtiest in American history, made the 1988 Willie Horton-fest look like a Sunday-school debate. The Republicans tried to bash Cleveland about a premarital affair he had with Ms. Halpin; a child was born to her thereafter, and Cleveland supported the child, though it was clear the child may have been fathered by one of her other suitors. The Republicans had the great misfortune to have as their candidate that exemplar of Gilded Age corruption, James G. Blaine, already well known to the American public as a man notoriously lacking in either scruples or conscience. Cleveland refused to hide or "spin" the Halpin story, and was ultimately rewarded with the presidency.

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Andrew Jackson

In 1791 he married Rachel Robards, not knowing that her divorce from Lewis Robards had not been processed. His opponents seized the opportunity, calling him an adulterer and other unflattering names.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: Teapot Dome scandal

Warren G. Harding (1921-1923) was the 29th President. His presidency was marred with scandals, the most infamous of which was the Teapot Dome scandal. Albert Bacon Hall, Harding's Secretary of the Interior, was convicted of accepting bribes from oil companies. Harding died in office before the investigation took place.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: The Embargo Act of 1807

President Thomas Jefferson's Embargo act was intended to protect US ships from entanglement in the war between England and France. However, it ruined the US economy. People lost their income and businesses and were angry with the government. According to Thomas C. Craughwell in his book "Failures of the Presidents, Jefferson never clearly communicated the reasons for the Embargo Act to his constituents.

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: Jimmy Carter

A bit of a diplomatic faux pas by one of America's less successful presidents, this happened in May 1977 during Carter's only meeting with the British royal family during his presidency. The Queen Mother was (unsurprisingly) not impressed by this breach of protocol.

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Nan Britton

According to Ms. Britton, their affair began in 1916, when she was 16 and he was 51.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: An office was burglarized

Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974) was the 37th President. He was involved in the infamous Watergate scandal which prompted him to resign as President. Watergate was a hotel/office building in Washington, D.C. It served as the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. An office at Watergate was burglarized by men who worked for Nixon's re-election campaign.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: It neither improved American livelihoods nor US relationships with European powers

The War of 1812 was to stop Britain from attacking US ships at high seas, taking the ships' cargo, and using the seized ships in the war against France while forcing American sailors to fight for Britain. By the end of the war none of these goals had been accomplished. It had cost many American lives, its cost had worsened the economy, and created great national debt. Based on information found in Thomas C. Craughwell's book "Failures of the Presidents".

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton was the second president to have been impeached by Congress. Andrew Johnson was also impeached.

From Quiz US Presidents and the Women Close to Them

Answer: Judith Campbell Exner

The Onion's uproarious "Our Dumb Century" has as its 8/29/63 headline, "Kennedy, Giancana Sign Historic Bimbo-Sharing Accord." JFK of course compiled an amazing list of "conquests", but this one may have sparked the most controversy, especially in light of the unusually strong Democratic showing in Chicago in the '60 election. Exner herself has said (in "My Story") that Giancana told her "if it wasn't for me your boyfriend wouldn't even be in the White House."

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Franklin Roosevelt

He was busted when his wife found some love letters written from Lucy Mercer, her social secretary, to her husband.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: Nicaragua

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) was the 40th President. During his second term he was involved in the the Iran-Contra affair. The Reagan administration was accused of selling arms to Iran to help fund rebels in Nicaragua. Though the President denied any direct involvement, his popularity level dropped as a result.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: It was a humanitarian disaster that involved misguided views and politics

President Andrew Jackson believed that native tribes (in this case the Cherokee) and white settlers could not coexist and share land. He thought removing Cherokees to land west of the Mississippi would protect state rights and protect the natives' way of life as well. Thousands of native people were forced to leave. Many, possibly thousands died. It betrayed an earlier treaty and was a humanitarian disaster that caused shame for the US government for ever. Based on information found in Thomas C. Craughwell's book "Failures of the Presidents".

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: Ulysses Grant

Though apparently not involved himself, Grant used his power to keep others who were guilty in graft scandals from going to jail. During his presidency there were additional scandals regarding the gold market and its manipulation and illegal reconstruction deals.

From Quiz US Presidents and the Women Close to Them

Answer: Lemonade Lucy

Poor Rutherford B. Hayes! He ended up winning a crooked election (through no real contrivance of his own), he gets at best a historical footnote for having ended military reconstruction of the South (a plank arguably forced on him), and the pundits seem to remember him most because of his marriage to a woman who wouldn't let anyone drink at White House affairs (though wise guys used to smuggle in booze in oranges!). In this historical (lack of) regard, Hayes is second only to the lamented James A. Garfield, who (as the great comedian Robert Klein has pointed out) is remembered only for having been "shot by a disappointed office-seeker."

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Judith Exner

She was also noted for 'dating' Sam Giancana, the Mafia godfather.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: The President was sued for sexual harassment

Bill Clinton (1993-2001) was the 42nd President. A former employee of his named Paula Jones sued him for sexual harassment. Monica Lewinsky was named during the investigation as someone with whom Clinton was alleged to have had an affair.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: He sent 200 federal soldiers to end the strike

Pullman was a railroad king, who was accused of building railroads for the rich and mistreating his laborers. The Pullman Strike was intended to rectify working conditions and raise pay. It escalated into a violent riot in which federal troops fired on civilians. Based on information found in Thomas C. Craughwell's book "Failures of the Presidents".

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: Warren Harding

The Teapot Dome Scandal involved the illegal leasing of naval oil reserves to private companies.

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Lyndon Johnson

He personally chose his secretaries, with attractiveness being the main qualification. 'I can't stand an ugly woman around', he was quoted as saying.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: World War I

Mexico had a lot of revolutionary leaders at the time, and Germany and England favored a different Mexican leader than the US. The political tension and intrigues caused by these differences helped prepare the ground for the US eventually backing backing Britain, France and their allies against Germany in the First World War. Based on information found in Thomas C. Craughwell's book "Failures of the Presidents".

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: journalist

She was also a former Miss Arkansas.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: "Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa?"

Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President, is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms: (1885-1889) and (1893-1897). While campaigning for his first term, Cleveland was reported to have fathered an illegitimate child. As a result, hecklers would shout "Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa?" during campaign rallies. Cleveland admitted to the claim and won the presidency anyway.

From Quiz Presidential Blunders

Answer: He thought they were communists and criminals threatening law and order

In 1932, homeless and impoverished veterans and their families built a shantytown near the White House. They wanted government help during the Great Depression, and Congress granted them financial help. However, the president vetoed it, mistakenly believing them to be communists and criminals threatening the American way of life. He sent troops into the shantytown to clear out the occupants and burn down the dwellings, and civilian casualties and injuries ensued. Based on information found in Thomas C. Craughwell's book "Failures of the Presidents".

From Quiz Those Scandalous Presidents

Answer: George H W Bush

'Broccoligate' caused many broccoli farmers to get unhappy when George H W Bush stated that he hated it. However all was forgiven, when with good humor President Bush accepted a truck load of the stuff at the White House.

From Quiz Philandering Presidents

Answer: Thomas Jefferson

The affair supposedly began in 1768, when Jefferson was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

From Quiz The Dark Side of The White House

Answer: Bay of Pigs

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) was the 35th President. Shortly after beginning his term, Kennedy approved a plan to invade Cuba in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro. Plans for the invasion were originally conceived by the Eisenhower administration. The invasion was a failure and over 1,000 Cuban exiles were captured.

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Last Updated Oct 18 2025 5:48 AM

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