Whether telling a good joke, making a wry comment, or revealing a self-deprecating observation, Presidents can enhance their interactions with many of their constituencies with humor.
Some might say that a President’s ability to find humor in the maelstrom of daily life in one of the most taxing jobs in the world would be a great gift to possess.
Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, the correspondence of the presidents was the most likely source of such humor. In the most recent 125 years of our history, however, the media and related publicity organizations have been the vehicle to push presidential humor out much further than ever. The advent of radio, television, and the internet has provided an up close and personal look at presidential humor.
Starting in 1924, the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner became one of the predictable venues for presidents to entertain, particularly after 1983 when the format turned to a comedy roast of the president and their administrations. Nearly every president since Calvin Coolidge attended at least one of these dinners.
Let’s revisit some of the funny and wry quotes from our presidents.
Our first one-term president was John Adams (1797-1801). A known curmudgeon, he once said: “No man who ever held the office of president would congratulate a friend on obtaining it.”
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) might have mellowed just a bit as he aged. The hero of the Battle of New Orleans in 1814 and many duels, he later observed: “There is no pleasure in having nothing to do. The fun is having lots to do and not doing it.”
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865), not the most handsome of men, once was accused in a debate of being two-faced. He said in reply: “Honestly, if were two-faced, would I be showing you this one?”
And another one from Mr. Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) was Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration. He took many steps to prepare for possible war, particularly pushing hard for action against Spain in the lead up to the Spanish-American War in 1898. President McKinley, a Civil War veteran, was reluctant to jump into another war. Roosevelt said of McKinley: “He has no more backbone than a chocolate éclair.”
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) was a man of very few words. His reputation for avoiding extended conversations once led a lady seated next to him at a dinner party to say: “Mr. President, I bet my friend that I could get more than two words out of you tonight.” Calvin’s reply: “You lose.”
Harry Truman (1945-1953) spent years in Washington as a Senator and Vice President before taking over due to the death of Franklin Roosevelt. Truman was well apprised of the political potholes to be found around every issue in Washington. He once said: “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”
A famous golfer, Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) had a putting green installed at the White House. After turning over the office to John Kennedy, he was asked how his retirement affected his golf game. He said, “A lot more people beat me now.”
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) conducted memorable televised press conferences that brought out his humorous side. Once when running for president in 1960, he said: “I just received the following telegram from my generous Daddy: Dear Jack, don’t buy a single vote more than is necessary. I’ll be damned If I’m going to pay for a landslide!”
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969) grew up poor in rural Texas. Once elected to Congress, he revealed a consistent streak to desire public praise for his accomplishments. And as president his thin skin occasionally became evident in his comments. “If one morning I walked on top of the water across to Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read: ‘President can’t swim’.”
While not a noted presidential humorist, Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) nonetheless had this wry observation once he departed Washington: “My esteem in this country has gone up substantially. It is very nice now when people wave at me, they use all their fingers.”
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) was a noted source of humorous stories and quips as president. One of his best was: “I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of a national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.”
After a time in office, Bill Clinton (1993-2001) observed that “being President is like running a cemetery. You’ve got people under you and nobody’s listening.”
Being President is serious business. No one wants a comedian in the White House. However, a bit of levity, wry humor, and self-deprecation can go a long way to humanize the president.
Interested in learning more about the presidents? Visit the Carolyn & James Millar Presidential Gallery on the upper level of the Booth Western Art Museum. The gallery features original letters and photographs of every U.S. president. Learn more at www.boothmuseum.org.
