In America, we like to wax lyrical about the wonders of our constitution and the wisdom of our founding fathers. But political elections, the way we staff that very same government, have been contentious, and ugly since the beginning. And yet, some presidential elections stand out even amongst all the finger pointing, name-calling, conspiracy theories, and vicious squabbling that defines most elections. Let’s take a look at some of the wildest, most chaotic presidential contests in US history. 

10. 1800

It didn’t take long for the US to run into a serious political crisis that threatened the legitimacy of this whole “self government” experiment. In 1800, political parties were still evolving, and the bitter rivalry between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans set the stage for a chaotic showdown. Mudslinging was the name of the game, with opponents accusing each other of everything from godlessness to tyranny.

Adding to the confusion, the Democratic-Republicans had a factional frenzy of their own. While Thomas Jefferson ran for president, his running mate, Aaron Burr, created a puzzling scenario. The electoral system was also a mess (imagine that), leading to a tie between Jefferson and Burr, and thus disqualifying incumbent President John Adams. As a result, the House of Representatives had to decide the winner, taking an excruciating 36 rounds of voting before Jefferson finally emerged as president. Amid all the turmoil, the 1800 election exposed flaws in the young democracy but also demonstrated its resilience and capacity to evolve. So at least there’s that. 

9. 1824

The presidential election of 1824 is often referred to as the “Corrupt Bargain” election, and for good reason. It was a tumultuous affair involving four major candidates, all from the same party, the Democratic-Republicans. The absence of a clear winner through the electoral process led to the election being decided by the House of Representatives.

The election ended with John Quincy Adams winning the presidency, but the circumstances surrounding his victory were highly controversial. Henry Clay, one of the other candidates, was also the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He used his influence to support Adams, who subsequently appointed Clay as his Secretary of State. Many saw this as a backroom deal, leading to accusations of corruption. This contentious election highlighted the need for a more transparent and equitable electoral system, which eventually resulted in changes to the nomination process and the rise of the Democratic Party.

8. 1860

The presidential election of 1860 took place at a time of intense sectional tensions between the North and the South, primarily over the issue of slavery. The Democratic Party (then representing southern white conservatives, and dominated by pro-slavery interests) was divided, resulting in two separate Democratic candidates running against the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, and John Bell of the Constitutional Union Party.

This ticket splitting led to Abraham Lincoln’s victory, without winning a single Southern state (none of whom even allowed his name on the ballot). Fearing Lincoln, the first president of the abolitionist Republican Party, was a threat to the institution of slavery, South Carolina seceded from the Union just a month after the election results. Over the following months, several other Southern states followed suit, leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America. Lincoln tried to appease the south, even promising not to challenge the institution of slavery where it presently existed, but it was no use. The American Civil War was about to begin. 

7. 1872

The presidential election of 1872 wasn’t the most chaotic or contentious in history. But it had its fair share of drama and intrigue. Incumbent President Ulysses S. Grant sought re-election after his first term in office, marked by his efforts during the Reconstruction period. His main opponent was Horace Greeley, nominated by the newly formed Liberal Republican Party. However, one of the most significant twists in this election was that Horace Greeley, the Democratic and Liberal Republican candidate, actually died before the Electoral College could cast their votes. It didn’t particularly matter since Grant won easily. 

But still, Greeley’s death left the electoral votes in a unique situation, as some electors had already pledged to vote for him. Ultimately, this led to a rather unorthodox Electoral College outcome. Despite the loss of their candidate, Greeley’s electors cast their votes for various other candidates in the electoral process. Ulysses S. Grant still won the election decisively, securing his second term in office. 

6. 1876

The presidential election of 1876 was one of the most disputed and chaotic elections in US history. It featured a contentious battle between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. While Tilden won the popular vote, the electoral votes were mired in controversy. Several Southern states sent double sets of electoral votes, creating a perplexing situation with no clear majority for either candidate.

Amid the turmoil, the Compromise of 1877 emerged as a pivotal moment in American history. To prevent a constitutional crisis and the looming threat of yet another civil war, barely a decade after the first one ended, a political agreement was finally reached. The Democrats agreed to support Hayes as president in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South. This compromise effectively marked the end of Reconstruction, permitting Southern states to regain control over their governments. However, the removal of federal troops also meant the abandonment of civil rights for newly freed African Americans, leading to the institution of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in the South.

5. 1912

The US presidential election of 1912 was an exceptional and chaotic contest featuring four significant candidates: Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Eugene V. Debs. Wilson, a Democrat, eventually emerged victorious, but the campaign was marked by a significant divide within the Republican Party.

The election became a vicious battle of progressive policies and ideologies. Theodore Roosevelt, former President and a Republican, ran as a Progressive Party candidate, splitting the Republican vote in half, slamming the door on his former friend Taft’s reelection chances, and turning the two into bitter, lifelong enemies. This division allowed the Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson, to secure a decisive victory in the Electoral College, while Debs, representing the Socialist Party, earned a substantial number of votes. The election of 1912 led to important reforms and the continued shift toward progressive policies in the United States, marking a significant moment in the nation’s political history.

4. 1972

The US presidential election of 1972 itself wasn’t too nuts. Incumbent President Richard Nixon, a Republican, won reelection overwhelmingly against Democrat George McGovern. Nixon convinced the nation to rehire him after boasting significant accomplishments in foreign policy, including détente with the Soviet Union and the opening of diplomatic relations with China.

However, the shadow of the Watergate scandal, in which some of Nixon’s supporters broke into the DNC headquarters to steal information at the Watergate hotel, loomed large over the nation following the election. It was a complex web of political espionage, cover-ups, and illegal activities orchestrated by members of Nixon’s administration. As information regarding the scandal unraveled, it was revealed that while Nixon had not authorized the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, but had participated in efforts to obstruct the investigation. The scandal ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974, making him the only U.S. president to step down from office. 

3. 2000

The presidential election of 2000 was one of the most controversial and longest-lasting, as well as the closest contest, in American history. The major candidates were Republican George W. Bush, governor of Texas and son of former President George H.W. Bush, and Democrat Al Gore, the sitting vice president under Bill Clinton. 

The most significant and contentious issue of this election was the vote recount in the state of Florida. Florida’s electoral votes were crucial for both candidates, and the outcome was so close that it hinged on literally 537 votes. Yes, you read that right – 537 votes would decide the leader of the free world. Legal battles ensued over the recount process, with the Florida Supreme Court ordering a recount of disputed votes. The US Supreme Court, in the landmark case Bush v. Gore, intervened to stop the recount, effectively awarding Florida’s electoral votes and the presidency to George W. Bush. This decision was highly controversial and remains a subject of debate, with some critics arguing it was a politically motivated decision. George W. Bush won the Electoral College while losing the popular vote, making him the fourth president in US history to do so. 

2. 2016

The 2016 US presidential election was a historic contest in many regards. On one side, there was Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State and first woman to be nominated for president by a major party. On the other side, the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, a real estate mogul and reality TV star, who had never held public office. Nobody thought an outrageous candidate like Trump, who had a knack for making offensive comments and unforced errors, had any chance against a seasoned statesman like Clinton. 

But then Trump won the Electoral College, securing the presidency, while Hillary Clinton garnered more of the popular vote. This outcome led to ongoing debates about the US electoral system and raised questions about foreign interference, specifically Russian efforts to influence the election. More notably, an era of norm-shattering democratic backsliding and ever-intensifying political polarization followed, with global headlines being dominated by Trump and members of his administration for years. 

1. 2020 

The 2020 US presidential election was a momentous event, marked by one of the most chaotic backdrops since the 1864 election during the Civil War. There was of course the raging Covid-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter protestors following the murder of George Floyd, and fallout from the first impeachment of   incumbent Donald Trump following an extortion scheme to dig up dirt on Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden. 

When the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won in November, Trump and his team continued insisting, without evidence, that the election had been rigged — something his supporters lapped up with their “stop the steal” chants when the votes were still being counted and the rapid proliferation of related conspiracy theories after the race had been called for Biden. After Trump’s attempts to overturn the election both via the courts and by illegally pressuring officials in swing states to do so unilaterally, his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, leading to five deaths, Trump’s second impeachment (he was acquitted once again), and global concern about the state of American democracy.

Ever since Richard Nixon got busted for the whole Watergate affair, presidential scandals have become depressingly normalized. Reagan had Iran-Contra. Clinton had his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Biden plagiarized, and Trump seemed to commit an impeachable offense every 48 hours for four years straight, and that wasn’t even counting the guy’s personal life. But in all the chaos, multiple other historical affairs involving US presidents have been forgotten or swept under the rug. Let’s take a look at a few long-lost presidential affairs from yesteryear…

10. The Petticoat Affair

The Petticoat Affair, also known as the Peggy Eaton Affair, was a serious social and political scandal during Andrew Jackson’s administration in the early 1830s. At its core was the marriage of Peggy Eaton, a young widow, to John Henry Eaton, a prominent politician and close friend of the President.

The scandal erupted due to the social snubbing Peggy received from Washington’s elite. Many of the cabinet members’ wives, led by Floride Calhoun (wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun), ostracized Peggy Eaton because of rumors about her allegedly improper conduct before her first husband’s death.

President Jackson, empathizing with Peggy’s predicament and drawing from his own experiences with his late wife Rachel, staunchly supported the Eatons. The scandal led to a reshuffling of Jackson’s cabinet, known as the “Kitchen Cabinet,” as several members, notably Vice President Calhoun, resigned over the issue.

9. The Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal was another serious political scandal that unfolded in the early 1920s, during Warren G. Harding’s presidency. This one centered on the secret leasing of federal oil reserves, including the Teapot Dome in Wyoming and other locations in California, to private oil companies without competitive bidding.

Albert B. Fall, the Secretary of the Interior, played a central role in the scandal. He accepted bribes and loans from private oil companies in exchange for granting them lucrative leases to exploit the reserves. Harry Sinclair and Edward Doheny were prominent figures involved in this scandal, representing Sinclair Oil Corporation and Pan American Petroleum respectively.

The scandal came to light as investigations were conducted, revealing the corruption and bribery that had taken place. Fall became the first Cabinet member in US history to be imprisoned for crimes committed while in office. The Teapot Dome Scandal tarnished Harding’s administration and eroded public trust in the government, emphasizing the need for transparency and ethics in public office.

8. The Credit Mobilier Scandal

The Credit Mobilier scandal was a classic case of 19th-century American corruption, featuring intrigue, kickbacks, and even a railroad or two. Back in the late 1860s, during the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, the Credit Mobilier construction company was formed. Sounds innocent enough, right? Well, not quite.

See, the insiders of Credit Mobilier were also high-ranking officials of the Union Pacific Railroad, which was awarded the contract for building the eastern portion of the railroad. Here comes the twist: Credit Mobilier drastically overcharged the government for the construction, making huge profits while Uncle Sam footed the bill. To keep things hush-hush, they generously greased the palms of various politicians with company stock at a bargain. A bribe disguised as a stock option — now that’s an innovative financial maneuver.

Predictably, this cozy arrangement didn’t remain a secret forever. Journalists got wind of it and blew the case wide open, leading to congressional investigations (among those investigated, but ultimately absolved, was Schuyler Colfax, the Vice President to Ulysses S. Grant) and a fair share of public outrage. 

7. The Whiskey Ring Scandal

Ulysses S. Grant was a great general and created the Justice Department to fight the KKK. But as President, he did oversee a lot of corruption. The Whiskey Ring scandal in particular was like a plot twist in a 19th-century political drama, blending tax evasion, bribery, and the allure of whiskey. During the post-Civil War period, the federal government imposed a hefty tax on distilled spirits, a significant source of revenue. However, some distillers and government officials had a different recipe in mind.

In the early 1870s, a group of distillers and government agents conspired to evade taxes by underreporting their whiskey production. The plan was audacious but effective: pocket the tax money that should have gone to the government and ensure friendly faces were placed in key positions to facilitate this scheme. President Ulysses S. Grant’s own private secretary, Orville Babcock, was allegedly implicated in the ring.

The party came to an end when an honest Treasury Department clerk, John McDonald, blew the whistle. The subsequent investigations exposed the ring’s operations, leading to numerous indictments and convictions, including Babcock’s. This scandal not only shed light on the pervasive corruption in the Grant administration but also highlighted the importance of enforcing tax laws and maintaining integrity within government ranks. 

6. Nixon’s Secret Bombing of Cambodia

In the tumultuous era of the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon added a controversial chapter by secretly ordering the bombing of Cambodia. This covert operation, known as the Cambodian Incursion, commenced in 1969. The rationale behind it was to target North Vietnamese supply routes (the Ho Chi Minh Trail) and base areas that extended into Cambodia.

However, Nixon’s decision to conduct these bombings without the approval or even knowledge of the U.S. Congress triggered a storm of legal and moral debates. The executive branch had overstepped its constitutional authority, bypassing the checks and balances system. The lack of transparency only fueled public distrust in the government, already exacerbated by the ongoing anti-war movement.

Furthermore, the Cambodian Incursion escalated the conflict geographically and extended the duration of the war. The bombings also had devastating consequences for Cambodia, destabilizing the region and contributing to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, which later plunged Cambodia into the horrors of the genocide. 

5. Grover Cleveland’s Illegitimate Child

Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, found himself entangled in a scandal involving allegations of fathering an illegitimate child. In 1874, while he was a bachelor and a lawyer in Buffalo, New York, Cleveland supposedly had a relationship with Maria Halpin, a widow. The relationship ended, and Halpin gave birth to a son, Oscar Folsom Cleveland, in 1874. Cleveland, upon learning of the child, took responsibility and provided financial support.

This matter surfaced during the 1884 presidential campaign when Cleveland was the Democratic nominee. His opponents sought to tarnish his image by highlighting this scandal. Instead of denying the paternity allegations, Cleveland admitted to paying child support and acknowledged the possibility of being the father. He managed to weather the storm by being forthright and transparent about the situation, which helped to mitigate the scandal’s impact on his electoral prospects.

In a surprising twist, Cleveland was elected as the 22nd President of the United States. His handling of the scandal showcased his honesty and directness, qualities that appealed to the public. 

4. Warren G. Harding’s Extramarital Affairs 

Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, was involved in a scandalous series of extramarital affairs during his time in office. The guy was known for his charisma and affable demeanor, and clearly used that for some ill-gotten romantic gains. He soon became embroiled in several romantic relationships outside of his marriage to Florence Kling Harding. Notably, he was linked to women such as Nan Britton and Carrie Fulton Phillips.

One of the most infamous affairs was with Nan Britton, which began before Harding assumed the presidency. Britton claimed to have had a long-standing relationship with Harding, resulting in the birth of a daughter named Elizabeth Ann in 1919. Despite the affair’s scandalous nature, it came to light after Harding’s death, tarnishing his posthumous reputation.

Harding’s affairs were a poorly kept secret in political and social circles, but their full extent only came to light years later, helping him survive politically. 

3. Andrew Johnson’s Drunkenness

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was known for his struggles with alcohol and instances of public intoxication. His fondness for getting wasted was embarrassingly evident during his time in the public eye, both before and during his presidency. Johnson’s behavior was often erratic and at times embarrassing, which raised concerns about his ability to govern effectively.

Reports of Johnson’s drinking habits date back to his years in Tennessee politics, where his penchant for alcohol was pretty well-known. This carried into his Presidency, and he was observed inebriated on several occasions during important events. 

Johnson’s alcohol consumption during a time of great national significance fueled criticism and speculation about his fitness for office. But honestly, given how awful he was as President, maybe this shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise. 

2. Nixon’s Enemies List 

Yeah, Nixon had more scandals than just Watergate. During his presidency, there emerged an infamous “Enemies List,” officially titled the “Opponents List.” This list was compiled by aides in the Nixon administration to track individuals whom they perceived as political adversaries or critics of the president and his policies. The list included politicians, journalists, activists, and various public figures who were seen as detrimental to Nixon’s administration.

The list was revealed during the Watergate scandal, which engulfed Nixon’s presidency. It became public knowledge after it was disclosed by Dean Butterfield, a former White House counsel, during Senate hearings on the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up. The revelation shocked the nation, as it indicated a systematic effort to undermine political opponents.

The existence of this list proved how psychotically paranoid Nixon was, and how far he was willing to go to suppress dissent and opposition. 

1.  Andrew Jackson’s Duels 

Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, was involved in several duels during his lifetime. Maybe it shouldn’t be too surprising, since the guy was also known for his fiery temperament and unwillingness to let bygones be bygones in his personal life. 

One of the most infamous duels involving Andrew Jackson took place in 1806 with Charles Dickinson. Dickinson had insulted Jackson’s wife, Rachel, in a published letter. In their duel, Dickinson shot Jackson first, hitting him in the chest near the heart. Jackson, determined to defend his honor, took aim and fired, killing Dickinson. The bullet that struck Jackson remained lodged near his heart for the rest of his life.

Another notable duel was with Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton in 1813. In this duel, both men fired shots but missed, and they subsequently reconciled, forming a lifelong friendship. So that’s nice, we guess. But there really are better ways to make a pal than by failing to murder each other over petty grievances. 

Jackson’s willingness to defend his honor through dueling was a reflection of the societal norms and attitudes of his time, where pers

Becoming the President of the United States isn’t easy. Some people devote years to the pursuit and never make the grade like Lyndon LaRouche, who ran for President 8 times and never succeeded. Others show up once and inexplicably win the day. And while being President is impressive all on its own, a number of Presidents also had other remarkable claims to fame they could make that have followed them throughout history. 

10. Lincoln is the Only President Who Holds a Patent

Around 25% of people in surveys will identify Benjamin Franklin as a past president, despite the fact he never was. But Franklin was a prominent inventor. When you take him out of the presidential pool, the number of actual inventors who have been President shrinks considerably. In fact, only one president has ever had a patent granted in their name, and that was Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln was elected in 1861, but some years earlier, in 1849, he was granted a patent for a device that could be used to buoy vessels over shoals. Patent No. 6,469 was Lincoln’s only patent and came about thanks to a stint working as a ferryman who had to deal with the hassle of getting a vessel over shoals. He ended up stranded twice when his boats ran aground. 

The invention was essentially airbags for a boat. The inflatable devices could be lowered on the sides of a boat, inflated, and used to get the boat over the shoals and back in the water again. Apparently, it was never actually built and there is some doubt about whether it would even work.

9. Teddy Roosevelt is the Only President Confirmed to Have a Tattoo (Sort Of)

Word is that 30% of Americans have tattoos as of 2019. That means, statistically, about 13 Presidents should have had tattoos. Of course, no one was likely to have tattoos back in Washington’s day, but surely at least one President had a tattoo, right? Well, yes. Just one. At least after a fashion.

Though rumors about that both Roosevelts were inked along with Polk, Eisenhower, and even Andrew Jackson, there is only one confirmed presidential tattoo and that belonged to the most hardcore man to ever hold the office: Teddy Roosevelt. 

You can Google it right now and discover no end of articles that claim Roosevelt had his family crest tattooed on his chest. Turns out, that’s not true. It started as a joke in an old humor magazine from 1912. They included doctored photos of a fully tatted-up Roosevelt to sell the joke. 

In fact, Roosevelt did have a kind of tattoo on his chest, but it wasn’t intentional. Ever the man’s man, apparently the President had run afoul of some gunpowder when he was 13 and given himself a gunpowder tattoo across his chest. That’s what you call it when you fire a weapon and hot gunpowder blows back across your flesh, burning its way into you, leaving a permanent reminder. 

8. Martin Van Buren Was the Only President Who Spoke English as a Second Language

Most American Presidents only speak English. That said, there have been a handful of bilingual Presidents over the years as well. A number of early Presidents like John Adams and James Monroe were fluent in French. Both Roosevelts could speak German to some degree, as could Bill Clinton. A few even spoke Latin. But Martin Van Buren was not just the only one who spoke Dutch, he was the only one for whom English was his second language.  

Van Buren’s family was Dutch and though he was born in Kinderhook, New York, he grew up speaking his family’s native tongue and learned English later. His father owned a tavern which, at the time, was essentially the hub of political activity in any given community. People would get together, have a drink, and talk politics, so he would have been exposed from an early age. 

7. Woodrow Wilson Was the Only President With a PhD

When you wade into the waters of “who was the smartest President” you’re going to find a lot of answers and probably a lot of insults. Intelligence, of course, is not as easy to measure as some might think. But we can, at least, compare how educated and accomplished the Presidents were to see how they stack up to one another. And while many had diverse careers and educations and practiced law and other such things, only one President has ever attained a PhD.

Woodrow Wilson, who served from 1913 to 1921, had earned a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. His area of speciality was Political Science, which seems fitting.

A number of Presidents had degrees, but they didn’t stick around for advanced one. Washington earned a surveyor’s license from college but didn’t do a Bachelor’s. Lincoln, Van Buren, Jackson, Fillmore, Taylor, and Cleveland never attended college at all. Truman, McKinley, Monroe and Harrison attended colleges but never finished out their degrees. 

6. James Buchanan Was the Only Bachelor President

We take it for granted these days that a President has a First Lady. When a woman gets elected, if she’s married, it’s likely her husband will be called the First Gentleman. James Buchanan is the only President so far who has thrown this tradition for a bit of a loop as he was the only President ever elected as a bachelor.

He had been engaged years before taking office, but he broke off that engagement shortly before the wedding. During his time in office, he had a “sort of” First Lady in the form of his niece, Harriet Lane. It’s said that she performed many of the same functions as other First Ladies and she became fairly well-liked as a result. 

5. President Tyler is the Only President to Not Be Buried Under an American Flag

When a President dies, the funeral is typically a big deal. A state funeral is held and people will come from all across the country to pay their respects. When George H. W. Bush died in 2018, world leaders attended and a day of mourning was held. President Bush’s casket, draped with the American flag, was on display during the proceedings. It was similar to every presidential funeral before it with the notable exception of one. 

When John Tyler died, he was the only President in history to be laid to rest under a flag that did not belong to the country he represented. Instead, he was buried under the Confederate flag. There’s a reason Tyler is generally considered one of the worst Presidents in history. 

Tyler is buried at the Hollywood Cemetery, which, despite the name, is located in Richmond, Virginia. His was the only funeral not to be officially recognized in Washington DC. Confederate President Jefferson Davis made the funeral a spectacle and included the Confederate flag across the President’s casket. 

4. Rutherford Hayes is the Only President Revered in Paraguay

You can’t shake a stick without hitting something that was named in honor of Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt and so on. Schools, bridges, parks, roads, you name it. There’s no end to the things named for some of those most iconic Presidents all across the country. But what about beyond the US borders?

One president stands head and shoulders above the others when it comes to appreciation on foreign soil.Rutherford B. Hayes is a legend unto himself in the country of Paraguay. Unlike in America, where just short of nothing is named after Hayes. Paraguay offers up a river, a province, a town and even a soccer team all named in honor of the one-term president.

The reason for the Paraguayan love of Hayes dates back to 1877. After Paraguay had gone to war with Brazil and Argentina, the country had lost huge amounts of land to the other nations. When Argentina tried to claim a chunk of wilderness space, the two countries agreed to forgo an actual war in favor of neutral, third party arbitration. This was before the UN existed, so the countries asked the USA to determine who got the land. President Hayes decided in favor of Paraguay, making him a local hero for years to come. 

3. James Madison was a Tiny Man

You may think of a President as a larger than life character. It helps that some Presidents really were incredibly large. Abe Lincoln was 6-foot-4. Lyndon Johnson and Donald Trump were both about 6-foot-3. But if Lincoln is the tallest (he was), then one of those 46 men has to be the shortest. The smallest President in history was James Madison and appreciating just how slight a man he was takes a bit of time. He was short statured and also alleged to be incredibly light as well.

Official records indicate Madison was 5-foot-4. His weight seemed to hover somewhere around 100 pounds. That would generally be considered underweight for someone of that height. It was also said he was so soft spoken it was hard to hear him when he made speeches. 

2. Ronald Reagan Was the Only President to Wear a Nazi Uniform (in a movie)

In contemporary history, you’d be hard pressed to find a more deservedly hated group than the Nazis. They were terrible in pretty much every conceivable way. Since the end of the war, and even before actually, they’ve also been firmly enshrined in pop culture. They’re almost perfect villains and can be thwarted by any hero without risk of offending people by using them as foils in a story because they’re so terrible no one doesn’t want to see them destroyed. That’s why Captain America has been punching out Nazis since the early 1940s and literally hundreds of films have been made showing other heroes doing the same.

The task of playing a Nazi on film has to be at least a little daunting for actors who don’t want people associating them with hatred but, if we all understand it’s fiction, what’s the harm, right? And maybe that’s why the only President in American history to ever wear a Nazi uniform, at least that we know of, was the one who was acting in a movie. Ronald Reagan once dressed as a Nazi for the movie Desperate Journey back in 1942. 

1. Grover Cleveland is the Only President Who Worked As An Executioner

No one’s first job is ever President. You have to do a lot to get to that point. In fact, you can’t even be President unless you’re 35. So that means every President likely had a handful of jobs before they got to where they were. Some were senators or congressmen, some were lawyers or business people. And Grover Cleveland? He was an executioner.

Before he took office, Cleveland was a lawman in New York. He worked as the sheriff of Erie County and that job also involved doing double duty as the county executioner. The chosen method at the time, and this was in the mid-1800s, was hanging.

During his tenure as sheriff/hangman, Cleveland was responsible for putting two men to death. Both were murderers and both were hung by Cleveland publicly. 

Cleveland was not the only president to take another’s life – many were soldiers before they took office and fought in battles that saw large losses of life. Some, like Andrew Jackson, fought duels. Cleveland was just the only one to do so presumably with a black sack over his head in an official capacity.

Abraham Lincoln developed a reputation for being a politician with integrity, honor, and ethics, which is why he was nicknamed Honest Abe. He was also called The Great Emancipator, for his role in ending slavery. Another example: John F. Kennedy was known simply as JFK, after the initials in his name. It was basic, but instantly recognizable and memorable.

The point is that, even when you are President of the United States, you don’t always get addressed with the esteem that your position should include. Sure, some nicknames are meant to be jovial, even loving, but plenty of others are belittling or just plain weird.

We’ve all heard of Tricky Dick and The Gipper, but here are the stories behind 10 other bizarre presidential nicknames.

10. The Last Cocked Hat

Fashion can be a fickle mistress, even when you are the commander-in-chief. That’s the lesson that James Monroe, fifth President of the United States, learned when he became known as “the Last Cocked Hat.” 

This moniker referenced Monroe’s outdated sartorial choices. Even though he was in office during the 1820s, he still dressed in the manner common during the American Revolution: knee-breeches, white, powdered wigs, and the tricorn hat. The presidents who followed him adopted more modern fashion choices, which is why Monroe was called “the last cocked hat.”

This nickname followed him around for the rest of his life and, although we don’t know how Monroe felt about it, we can at least say that the epithet was still an affectionate one and was never intended to be used in a derogatory manner, which is definitely not the case for all the entries on this list. Speaking of which…

9. Ten-Cent Jimmy

“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

This little gaffe from George W. Bush taught him that when you are President of the United States, everything you say is scrutinized and your political opponents are more than happy to criticize you whenever you put your foot in your mouth. This is especially true during an election when just one flub could cost you the race, as James Buchanan almost found out to his own detriment.

During the 1856 presidential election, Democratic Party candidate James Buchanan drew the ire of the working classes when he said that he thought that ten cents a day represented a fair wage for manual laborers. The Republicans pounced on the opportunity and mockingly referred to Buchanan as “Ten-Cent Jimmy,” a nickname that followed him at rallies throughout the election campaign.

This could have cost Buchanan the election, but he played the slavery card, claiming that each state should decide on its own if slavery should be outlawed or not, whereas his Republican opponent, John C. Frémont, wanted the practice abolished in the entire country. This secured Buchanan the southern vote and won him the election, despite his “Ten-Cent Jimmy” gaffe.

8. Uncle Jumbo

There were quite a few presidents who were well-known for their voracious appetites and prodigious girths. One of them was Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, best remembered for being the only one in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms. In fact, weighing between 260 and 280 pounds during his political career, Cleveland was the second-heaviest US President in history, behind only William Taft. (But, more on him later.)

It is no surprise, then, that Cleveland had gained the moniker “Uncle Jumbo.” However, it seems that the nickname at least came from a place of affection, starting with his nieces and nephews and then extending to his friends and family. Cleveland embraced the name and used it to paint this picture of himself as the friendly, caring uncle, which resonated with the voters and helped him get elected.

7. The Human Iceberg

“The Human Iceberg” sounds like a nickname you would give to an NFL player, or maybe a supervillain, but instead it went to the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison.

Allegedly, this sobriquet was due to his private character, which was frigid, quiet, and stiff, in stark contrast to his lively and engaging public persona. Put Harrison in front of a crowd of 30,000 and he would have no problem capturing and captivating their attention, but place him in a room with just a handful of people and he would struggle to string words together for longer than two minutes.

Critics of Harrison believed the “human iceberg” moniker also suited his presidency since he slowly lumbered through it without any events of note.

6. Big Lub

As we previously mentioned, Grover Cleveland was the second-heaviest president after William Howard Taft, who weighed up to 350 pounds during his time in office. Nowadays, Taft is most famous for being so fat that he once got stuck inside the bathtub of the White House, although that story is likely an urban legend that doesn’t really hold water.

Even so, it is true that Taft was mocked in his time for his size and appetite, often being referred to as “Big Lub.” While you may say that that didn’t sound worse than “Uncle Jumbo,” it was the maliciousness behind the words that made the difference. While “Uncle Jumbo” was a term of endearment for Cleveland from his family, “Big Lub” was a nickname that Taft picked up during his school years and it haunted him all his life, even when he became President of the United States.

At least his wife Nellie had a more affectionate moniker for the portly president. She called him “Sleeping Beauty” because Taft often nodded off at parties.

5. Uncle Corn Pone

While we are discussing hurtful nicknames, we have to include “Uncle Corn Pone,” a moniker reserved for the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. In this case, “corn pone” refers to a rural, unsophisticated person, thus ridiculing LBJ’s southern roots since he was born in Texas. 

But the most upsetting thing about the nickname was who came up with it – none other than the Kennedys. While Johnson served as vice president, JFK and his brothers mocked him by calling him either “Uncle Corn Pone” or “Rufus Corn Pone.” But perhaps even more hurtful was their name for LBJ’s wife, Lady Bird Johnson, whom they referred to as “Uncle Corn Pone’s little pork chop.”

4. The Madman from Massachusetts

Again, the “Madman from Massachusetts” sounds like the kind of nickname that you would use for someone making their way to the ring at Wrestlemania, but instead, it was the moniker given to the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams. 

What did Adams do that got him branded as a madman? Well, he dared question the value of slavery. Initially, Adams deemed slavery immoral, but necessary in order to continue the Union. As the years went on, he blossomed into a full-blown abolitionist who believed that either the South would abolish slavery, or there would be civil war.

As you might imagine, such ideas earned him plenty of enemies, especially south of the Mason-Dixon Line. He narrowly avoided an official motion to be censured for his antislavery agitation back in 1842, when he was still a member of the House of Representatives. He garnered plenty of snubs and even threats on his life for his actions so, in retrospect, being called the “Madman from Massachusetts” was far from the worst thing he had to endure.

3. The Sphinx

Weirdly enough, there were two American presidents who were called “The Sphinx.” The first one is pretty straightforward. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was renowned as a man of few words, so he earned quite a few nicknames that referenced his taciturn demeanor – Silent Cal, Cautious Cal, and, strangest of all, the Sphinx of the Potomac.

The story behind the second nickname is a bit more interesting and it concerns Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only American president to serve three terms, even though he actually won four. The nickname actually has to do with his third, elusive presidential term. In 1939, FDR appeared ready to hang up his boots once his second term would end in 1940, following the presidential tradition of retiring after two turns as commander-in-chief. However, once World War II broke out, there was a lot of speculation that Roosevelt might run for a third term to guide the country through this crisis.

On this issue, FDR kept his cards close to his vest and said very little in the lead-up to the election. This prompted several newspapers to publish cartoons depicting Roosevelt as the Great Sphinx of Giza, unwilling to share the answer to the “third term question” with anyone else.

Then, on the evening of December 9, 1939, FDR attended the Gridiron Club’s winter dinner as the guest of honor. It included Washington journalists doing skits and poking fun at politicians, and the highlight of the night involved them bringing out an 8-foot-tall statue out of papier-mâché, with Roosevelt as the Sphinx. FDR loved it so much that he asked to keep it after the night was over, and it still sits at a place of honor inside the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

2. His Fraudulency, “Rutherfraud” B. Hayes

We have another twofer here, except this one involves two nicknames for the same president instead of the other way around.

When Rutherford B. Hayes became the 19th President of the United States, he did so under a cloud of controversy. The 1876 election was fraught with dissension because Hayes’s opponent, Samuel J. Tilden, actually won the popular vote. He was leading in the electoral vote, as well, but the race was so close in three states that both parties claimed the win. A special commission was set up by Congress to determine the winner and they declared the election in favor of Hayes, 185 electoral votes to 184.

After Hayes took office, his fiercest critics accused him of striking a “corrupt bargain” to win the presidency and gave him two nicknames to remind him of his undeserving win: “His Fraudulency” and “Rutherfraud B. Hayes.”

1. The Dude President

Without a doubt, the coolest presidential nickname goes to Chester A. Arthur, who was known as “The Dude President.” It’s a little weird how a man who constantly ranks among the most forgettable presidents got such a snazzy sobriquet, but it makes sense since the word had a slightly different meaning back then. 

Arthur didn’t become known as “The Dude” because he put a rug in the Oval Office that really tied the room together. Instead, he gained it due to his love of fashion, fripperies, and the finer things in life. Back then, a “dude” basically meant a “dandy” – a young man completely devoted to the latest styles and fads. 

And Chester A. Arthur was one such man. Tales of his expensive habits became common during his stay in office. He spent over $30,000 in 1880 money just to redecorate the White House and make it more glamorous for his parties. He had a wardrobe full of silk top hats and expensive clothes and shoes imported from Europe that would put any contemporary heiress or fashionista to shame.

Arthur also wasn’t exactly what you would call a workaholic. He was definitely a man who cherished his free time. Unsurprisingly, the “dude” nickname was used derogatorily in his own time, but Arthur didn’t seem to mind too much because he understood the golden rule…the Dude abides.

The United States has had 45 different Presidents up to and including Joe Biden, who is the 46th President. How can he be 46 if there were 45? Because Grover Cleveland was elected to two non-consecutive runs and is considered both the 22nd and the 24th President. That was a first! But it was far from the only Presidential first that is noteworthy. Let’s take a look at some other things pioneered by various Commanders-in-Chief.

10. William McKinley Was the First President to Ride in an Automobile

These days you can see photos online of Presidents driving around in semi-trucks, falling off Segways or flying around in helicopters. But the Office of the President is an old one and dates back to a time when, if the President needed to get to the White House in a hurry, he needed a fast horse.  One President had to be the first to ever actually ride inside an automobile and that was William McKinley.

The 25th President, McKinley was born in 1843 and was elected to office in 1897. Automobiles were extremely new at this time and, in fact, the first patent for a vehicle powered by a gasoline engine dates back to 1886.

The concept obviously caught on and it was in 1899 that McKinley would go for a ride in a Stanley Steamer, driven by Freelan Stanley, one of the creators of the vehicle. McKinley apparently didn’t enjoy the ride at all, said it felt like it was going to explode at any moment, and figured Stanley was a bit misguided if he thought they’d ever replace horses. 

9. Jimmy Carter Was the First President Born in a Hospital

In 2017, under 2% of all US births took place outside of hospitals. It’s just common practice for most people to go to a hospital to have a baby nowadays. Not so in the past, of course, and not every US President was born in the hospital. More surprising is that most US Presidents weren’t and the first President who was born in a hospital is still alive.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President, was born in 1924, in Plains, Georgia. His mother was a nurse and his family was somewhat prosperous but, despite being born in a hospital, his family home had no electricity and no indoor plumbing. The hospital where he was born is still around but, perhaps not surprisingly, it has undergone a name change and today it bears his mother’s name – the Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center.

8. Teddy Roosevelt Was the First President to Ride in an Airplane

McKinley may have been the first President to master motorized travel by land, but the skies belonged to the 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt. Always known as something of an adventurer and an outdoorsman, Roosevelt had the opportunity to take to the air back in 1910 at a time when an airplane was mostly just wings and an engine and had few other amenities like walls or a windshield.

Roosevelt described his flight as “the bulliest experience” he ever had, which seems to mean he felt it was excellent and exciting. The plane, a Wright model A-B, managed to travel about three miles in three minutes which may not seem all that fast by today’s standards but if you’ve never flown anywhere ever than 60 miles per hour is probably the most amazing thing you’ve ever experienced. 

While Roosevelt seemed to love the flight, the pilot Arch Hoxsey pointed out that Roosevelt literally leaned over to wave at the crowd which was probably more risky than it needed to be.

7. Benjamin Harrison Was the First to Install Electricity in the White House

By 1925 only half of the homes in the United States had electricity. Acceptance and implementation was a slow process, and that was at every level. In Washington, 23rd President Benjamin Harrison would be the first to leap into the future by bringing electricity to the White House in 1891. But he never used it.

Like so many others, Harrison was mistrustful of the power flowing through the wires in his walls. It’s said his fear of electrocution ensured that, while the White House was wired and good to go, he never touched a light switch during his time there. The Chief Usher at the White House once said that he had to turn the lights on for the President at night and when he came back to work the following morning he’d have to turn them all off again. 

6. Martin Van Buren Was the First President Born an American

It’s somewhat ironic that Martin Van Buren was the first President born an American citizen and also the only President who didn’t speak English as a first language, a pair of curious firsts for the 8th President of the United States. Van Buren spoke Dutch growing up as his family was of Dutch ancestry and didn’t learn English until later.

Van Buren was born in Kinderhook, New York in 1782. Before him, all the previous Presidents had not been American citizens at birth. That’s not to say they were born in England or anything of that nature, they just didn’t technically qualify as American citizens at the time of their birth. For instance, George Washington was born at Popes Creek in what was then the British colony of Virginia. The previous Presidents all had to become American citizens later in life.

5. Andrew Jackson Was the First President to Kill a Man in Anger

Most Presidents have had some kind of military experience in the past. Of the 45 men who have served, 29 have a military background. Because of that, a number of US Presidents have also killed people before in combat situations. It’s not hard to imagine that General George Washington took the life of more than one enemy on the battlefield. And Grover Cleveland, while not a military man, worked in law enforcement and personally hanged men in that capacity.

Of all the Presidents who have personally taken lives, and there are a few, it’s Andrew Jackson who stands out as the first and only to do so out of any official capacity whatsoever. He didn’t kill enemy combatants; he didn’t execute criminals. The man just killed someone in a duel. 

Jackson, the 7th President, had a reputation as a hothead. He was known to be violent and combative and had already amassed a history of dueling when he squared off with Charles Dickinson in 1806.

The two men had a history of animosity already but things got worse when Dickinson accused Jackson of cheating him on a bet and then calling him a coward. The icing on the cake was him accusing Jackson’s wife of being a bigamist which wasn’t actually incorrect since she was not aware that her first husband had not finalized their divorce. Oops 

Dickinson hated Jackson so much he actually published his insults in a newspaper and that was more than the future President could handle. The two met and Dickinson shot Jackson square in the chest. Jackson, for his part, covered the wound and fired his own gun which failed. Then, in a breach of dueling rules, he re-cocked and fired again, killing the man. His own wound was obviously not enough to kill him.

4. John Quincy Adams Was the First President Ever Photographed

Photography dates back to 1826 in France. The first photo with a person in it was taken by Louis Daguerre in 1838. And the first American President to have his photo taken was John Quincy Adams back in 1843.

Word is that Adams thought the photos were hideous but one still managed to survive the experience and ended up in an antique shop in the 1970s. Someone bought it for 50 cents. It went on to sit at the National Portrait Gallery as the first photo of a President ever. Until someone found an earlier one.

Turns out Adams was a bit of a photo fanatic and while that one in the gallery was taken in August 1843, he’d sat for another photo earlier in the year as well. That one went on to sell at auction for over $360,000.

3. John F. Kennedy Was the First President to Pardon a Turkey

Every November when Thanksgiving rolls around you can count on seeing a somewhat official ceremony on TV in which the President of the United States grants clemency to the condemned by pardoning the official Thanksgiving turkey. 

For a time there have been a few stories about where and when this tradition started. It’s been said that Abraham Lincoln was once convinced by his son Tad to spare a turkey that he’d grown fond of but even if that tale is true, it was more of a one off than a tradition of pardoning a turkey. It was also claimed that President Truman came up with the turkey pardon ritual and his own Presidential Library had to release a statement saying that there were no documents to support the idea. 

It seems like the first President to ever officially pardon a turkey and start the annual tradition was John F. Kennedy. It had become a tradition to gift the sitting President with a turkey every Thanksgiving season and in 1963 the Washington Post used the term “pardon” when it detailed Kennedy saying “let’s keep him going” in reference to the turkey that Kennedy apparently felt sorry for. 

2. Dwight D. Eisenhower Was the First President of All 50 States

When someone is the President of the United States, that means they are the leader of all of those united states and any school kid in America should be able to tell you that there are 50 in total. That said, it wasn’t until 1959 when 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office when anyone was actually President of all 50 states.

Arizona had become the 48th state way back in 1912 and that was where the states remained for 47 years. Hawaii and Alaska were not states, they were territories and didn’t count towards the total. But in 1959, Alaska officially became America’s 49th state in January and then Hawaii joined in August of that same year. 

The US has remained a country of 50 states ever since, nearly half a century at this point, but Eisenhower had the distinction of being the first President to claim he was the President of all 50.

1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Was The First and Only President to Be Elected More Than Twice

A President can only serve two terms in office which is expressly stated in the 22nd Amendment. It begins with the line “No person shall be elected to the Office of the President more than twice.” So that’s pretty clear. It’s also why Franklin Delano Roosevelt qualifies as not just the first but the only President who can lay claim to winning more than twice. 

It was 1940 when FDR was elected to his third term in office. Prior to FDR there was no formal rule about serving long term in the office. In fact, there seemed to be an informal understanding that two was enough thanks to George Washington voluntarily passing on the idea of a third term. But as many people have learned throughout history, just because one person chooses to act a certain way, if it’s not a specific rule then someone else will act however they want.

When FDR was elected for a fourth term in 1945, it was pretty clear to some people that something needed to be done. The 22nd Amendment was ratified in 1951, thus ensuring that no future president had the chance of coming dangerously close to emulating what America once considered to be tyranny by allowing one person to continuously rule.