Presidents Say the Darndest Things Quiz

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

This great retort was made to Stephen Douglas during one of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, in which the two men battled it out for the Illinois senate seat (which Douglas won). Another Lincoln witticism was made when, after being told by doctors that he had variola, a type of smallpox, he stated, "There is one good thing about this. Now I have something I can give everybody."

Answer: Conservative

Roosevelt, the only four-term President, made this statement during a radio address on October 26, 1939. He was a good friend of another witty politician of his time, Winston Churchill of the UK. "It is fun to be in the same decade with you," he wrote in one of many letters to Churchill (who was of course a Conservative himself).

Answer: Jimmy Carter

This famous statement was made during an interview for the November 1976 issue of "Playboy". At the time of the interview, he was Governor of Georgia (the Presidential election hadn't been held yet). The rest of the statement was, "This is something that God recognizes I will do - and I have done it - and God forgives me for it." Carter was one of the few chief executives who was not suspected of having extramarital affairs either before or after his stint in the White House.

Answer: Richard Nixon

He was heard making this statement to H. R. Haldeman, his Chief of Staff - presumably before the Watergate Hearings. Another Nixon gem: "When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal." This, of course, was in reference to his participation in the scandals collectively known as Watergate.

Answer: sick

Taft, the heaviest President and the only one also to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was actually reluctant to enter politics. His first appointment came in 1900, when President McKinley sent him to the Philippines as Chief Civil Administrator. He was made Secretary of War by Teddy Roosevelt in 1907, and nominated to be Roosevelt's successor in 1908.
Another political witticism comes from Rutherford Hayes, who said "Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office seeking".

Answer: Lyndon Johnson

Lyndon Johnson, the 36th President, was known for his "folksy" humor, Texas-sized ego, and legendary persuasiveness. His legacies include many improvements in civil rights and the creation of Medicare.

Answer: Calvin Coolidge

This statement appeared in a newspaper column that Coolidge had written on unemployment. "Silent Cal" was perhaps destined to occupy the Oval Office, as he was born on the Fourth of July, 1872. The taciturn Vermonter was known for his remoteness and frugality, although he had a soft side. He knew several languages, and in his spare time translated Dante's "Inferno" into English.
My favorite Coolidge quote: Reporter: "It isn't likely you'll say anything tomorrow at the fair?"
Coolidge: "No. I am just going as an exhibit."

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Born in Illinois, Ronald Reagan would appear in 53 movies before entering politics, first as Governor of California in 1966. He proved to be a favorite among the people for his humor and charisma, and was noted for his love of jellybeans.

Answer: on the radio

One claim to fame of this likable guy from Michigan was that he was the only person to become President without ever having been elected either President or Vice President. He became VP upon the resignation of Spiro Agnew, Nixon's VP, in 1973, and became President the following year as a result of Nixon's unprecedented resignation. Prior to that he was House Minority Leader.

Many people believed that his pardon of Nixon for any criminal acts cost him the 1976 election.

Answer: Ulysses Grant

Born in Ohio in 1822, Ulysses Grant proved himself to be a better military commander than President. He became known for his leadership of the Union army in the US Civil War, being appointed General-in-Chief in March 1864. Although honest himself, he tended to surround himself with people who were not, which resulted in a less-than-stellar Presidency. Ironically, he died in 1885 shortly after completing his memoirs.

Answer: Warren Harding

And what friends he had! The genial 29th President had made some bad choices in Cabinet members, who embroiled themselves in the scandal known as Teapot Dome. He died of a heart attack in 1923, only halfway through his term.

Answer: General McClellan

That Abe! This statement was supposedly made during a Cabinet meeting on January 10, 1862. It was known by this time that Lincoln was unhappy with the performance of George McClellan (he had appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the Union army in November 1861). On November 5, 1862, Lincoln placed the Union forces under the command of General Burnside, of sideburns fame.

Answer: Woodrow Wilson

The outspoken Roosevelt made this statement about Wilson, former president of Princeton and the only President with a PhD. Another observation from TR: "A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad".

Answer: Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) was another of the chief executives who started out as a war hero. A West Point graduate, Eisenhower distinguished himself in World War II by commanding Operation Overlord, the Allied assault on Nazi-occupied Europe, and later as the first Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe. Upon returning home in 1952, he declared himself a Republican and chose to run for President with a young Californian named Richard Nixon as his running mate.

Answer: John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was famous for his charisma, freshness, and compulsive skirt-chasing. Fellow senator George Smathers once said that he had "the most active libido of any man I've ever known". Another JFK witticism: Kennedy to supporters during the Presidential campaign: "Do you realize the responsibility I carry? I'm the only person between Nixon and the White House".

Answer: Harry Truman

This folksy Missouri native has proven more popular in retrospect than he was during his Presidency, 1945 to 1953. He found himself thrust into the role upon the death of Franklin Roosevelt in April 1945, and was faced with the agonizing decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan.

Answer: General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Zachary Taylor, the twelfth President, became a national hero for his role in the Mexican War. He defeated Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, earning him the nickname "Old Rough and Ready". When, prior to that, Santa Anna surrounded the Americans at Angostura Pass in Mexico and demanded an immediate surrender, Taylor's reply was, "Tell him to go to hell". Taylor's group of about 6,000 then beat overwhelming odds, defeating 20,000 Mexican forces.

A popular favorite, "Old Rough and Ready" was the winner of the 1848 election. Sadly, he died in 1850, serving only 16 months of his term.

Answer: George W. Bush

There are entire websites dedicated to quotes from the United States' 43rd President, this particular one being made in St. Charles, Missouri on November 2, 2000. A couple more Bushisms: "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" and "They misunderestimated me".

Answer: Herbert Hoover

Unfortunately for this Iowan, the 31st President, the stock market crashed during his Presidency in October 1929. Many people unfairly blamed him, helping him to lose the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt. Later, historians reported that Hoover had actually seen the stock market crash coming and had tried to do something about it by attempting to get bankers to stop making loans to brokers who were recklessly encouraging speculation; unfortunately, nobody listened.

Answer: Martin Van Buren

This New Yorker, nicknamed "The Little Magician", was elected Vice President on Andrew Jackson's ticket in 1832, and won the Presidency in 1836. Defeated by William Henry Harrison 1840 for reelection, he ran again unsuccessfully on the Free Soil ticket in 1848. He died in 1862.
A similar view on the Presidency came from James Polk: "With me it is exceptionally true that the Presidency is no bed of roses."