John Tyler: Flirting with popularity
John Tyler was the first president to ascend from the office of Vice President upon the death of the elected president, had a way with the witty words. “Popularity may aptly be compared to a coquette—the more you woo her, the more apt is she to elude your embrace,” he said in a message to the House of Representatives in 1816.
Franklin Pierce: A slogan for the win
Our 14th president was little-known until he ran on the catchy slogan, “We Polked You in ’44. We Shall Pierce You in ’52,” a reference to 11th President James K. Polk, a fellow Democrat. Even now, this is considered to be one of the ten winningest presidential campaign slogans.
18 thoughts on “The Funniest Jokes Told by 20 U.S. Presidents”
I love Thedore Rosevellts. It’s still true
Teddy Roosevelt once said “God Bless America, death to her enemies”.
I have always loved Harry Truman’s joke “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog”. I can’t help but feel that there’s some truth in that.
Best joke ever told was during the Reagan-Mondale debate. “I will not make an issue, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inexperience “
My favorite is this:
In the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, when Douglas accused Lincoln of being two-faced, Lincoln replied, referencing his homeliness, “Honestly, if I were two-faced, would I be showing you this one?”
LBJ was one of the most down to earth president with a dry wit that could say things that were downright crass in a smoke-filled room of diplomacy.
I like Truman’s “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”
Van Buran
Don’t know if this is exactly considered a joke but certainly a truism. Warren Harding said “It’s not my enemies who keep me up at night; I know who my enemies are, but it is my friends.”
Truman had the funniest joke.
Theodore Roosevelt boxed each morning before he went to work. He was very energetic and he took steps 2 at a time.. Citizens would wait for him to run up the steps.. he once said “God Bless America, death to her enemies.”
James Madison. “I always talk better lying down.”
I questioned the P.S. about Martin Van Buren being the first American born president…..so I checked it out and ALL the presidents before him were born in America. I went back and re-read it to see how I’d gotten it confused. I hadn’t….it clearly says that Van Buren was the first American born president. What gives??
The previous presidents were born while the country was still part of Great Britain, making Van Buren the first president to be born after we became a nation
You’re thinking America as in North America. I believe they’re stating he was the first born in the United States of America, which was not yet a country when the first presidents were born.
My favorite joke and President in this group is Ronald Reagan
You’re thinking America as in North America. I believe they’re stating he was the first born in the United States of America, which was not yet a country when the first presidents were born.
President Truman said “If you become WEALTHY while holding elective office, you are a CROOK”!