# Help me reassure my daughter with tales of horrible past Presidents **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2016, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171 "2016-11-09T09:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/1 "2016-11-09T09:04:29Z")
When she wakes up in the morning, I’m going to have to tell her that Trump won. And then I’m going to try to reassure her that the country will be OK. I’m thinking my angle is, “Look, we’ve had some pretty horrible Presidents before, and we survived.” Care to contribute some examples? Things like, “Nixon was involved in covering up a burglary that targeted his political opponents.” ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/2 "2016-11-09T09:05:31Z")
Well we somehow survived Obama… ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/3 "2016-11-09T09:10:11Z")
May I suggest you enlist the help of Professor Angelou? Or the words of FDR > [@](#): > > This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/4 "2016-11-09T16:16:52Z")
The president isn’t a king, he has lots of staff and advisers. Regardless of campaign promises Congress holds the power to makes laws, tax, and declare war. There are checks and balances in the legislative, judicial and executive branches of the government. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/5 "2016-11-09T16:31:25Z")
“Buchanan did nothing to stop Southern states from seceding, but Lincoln was able to win the Civil War and reunite the country.” “Grant and Harding both had crooked advisors and Cabinet secretaries, but the republic endured.” We’ve had bad Presidents before; we can get through this one. ---
**Author:** ![Crybaby\_Boobie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crybaby_boobie/32/545_2.png) [@Crybaby\_Boobie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crybaby_Boobie)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/6 "2016-11-09T16:37:38Z")
GWB brought us Obama, so a much worse president should bring us an even better response! ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/7 "2016-11-09T16:38:08Z")
Jefferson repeatedly raped his wife’s sister. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/8 "2016-11-09T17:13:55Z")
Pierce had nice hair and was handsome but was still a disaster. While I’m not optimistic, maybe hair quality is negatively and spray tans positively correlated with the nation’s success. Right…? Populism works in the short term, but hasn’t shown much long term success. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/9 "2016-11-09T17:21:28Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > , “Nixon was involved in covering up a burglary that targeted his political opponents.” Sorry. Nixon paid a price for this. The country knew it was wrong for a political party to break into another party’s headquarters. Now, Trump encouraged Russia to break into his opponent’s headquarters to steal information. Not only did Trump not pay a price for this, he was rewarded by today’s voters. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/10 "2016-11-09T17:28:00Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Well we somehow survived Obama… > [@Crybaby\_Boobie](#): > > GWB brought us Obama, so a much worse president should bring us an even better response! He said _horrible_ presidents. I don’t think that word means what you think it means. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/11 "2016-11-09T17:50:36Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > When she wakes up in the morning, I’m going to have to tell her that Trump won. And then I’m going to try to reassure her that the country will be OK. I’m thinking my angle is, “Look, we’ve had some pretty horrible Presidents before, and we survived.” > > Care to contribute some examples? Things like, “Nixon was involved in covering up a burglary that targeted his political opponents.” Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, was a reverse vampire that fed on the blood of Methodist orphans and meatballs. His pro-robot policies resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and sank hundreds of small Pacific islands into the sea, which woke up Godzilla. The country survived. James Polk, the 11th POTUS, declared war on libraries and shoes. His “eccentric and erratic” personal hygiene habits scuttled at least two major trade deals (and almost started a war, in one case). The country survived. And Millard Fillmore, the 13th POTUS, served his entire term in office while concealing the fact that he was, in fact, a duck who was not wearing any pants. The country survived. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/12 "2016-11-09T18:31:55Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Jefferson repeatedly raped his wife’s sister. WHAT!?!?! ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/13 "2016-11-09T19:32:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, was a reverse vampire that fed on the blood of Methodist orphans and meatballs. His pro-robot policies resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and sank hundreds of small Pacific islands into the sea, which woke up Godzilla. The country survived. > > James Polk, the 11th POTUS, declared war on libraries and shoes. His “eccentric and erratic” personal hygiene habits scuttled at least two major trade deals (and almost started a war, in one case). The country survived. > > And Millard Fillmore, the 13th POTUS, served his entire term in office while concealing the fact that he was, in fact, a duck who was not wearing any pants. The country survived. In all seriousness, Polk is considered one of the best Presidents, the other two not so much. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > WHAT!?!?! Martha and Sally Hemings, half sisters. Obviously their TJ+SH weren’t equal, and coercion could’ve been involved, but I don’t think that there is much evidence either way that it was _forced_. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/14 "2016-11-09T19:38:51Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > In all seriousness, Polk is considered one of the best Presidents, the other two not so much. In all seriousness, the OP requested “Help me reassure my daughter with tales of horrible past Presidents”; I offered three tales. You, OTOH, have offered only dry facts and ZERO tales; your posts in this thread have been a real buzzkill. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/15 "2016-11-09T20:59:19Z")
[This video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m2valF3s84) by Stephen Colbert actually works pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/16 "2016-11-09T21:10:09Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Well we somehow survived Obama… At least Obama didn’t want to eliminate EPA like Trump does ! I am worried what will happen to having clean air ,Trump doesn’t think there is any needs to worry this that is hoax! Trump is insane Obama isn’t ! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/17 "2016-11-09T22:32:02Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > When she wakes up in the morning, I’m going to have to tell her that Trump won. And then I’m going to try to reassure her that the country will be OK. I’m thinking my angle is, “Look, we’ve had some pretty horrible Presidents before, and we survived.” Why teach her to be intolerant? If you do that, you’re no better than him. Surely you should be telling her that the democratically elected president is someone with whom you disagree, but he is the choice of the majority of people and because you live in a democracy, you respect that choice and will give him a chance. And if he doesn’t work out, America will be able to make a new choice in 4 years. Thereby teaching her respect, tolerance, and that people have the right to be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/18 "2016-11-09T22:35:31Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Why teach her to be intolerant? If you do that, you’re no better than him. Surely you should be telling her that the democratically elected president is someone with whom you disagree, but he is the choice of the majority of people and because you live in a democracy, you respect that choice and will give him a chance. And if he doesn’t work out, America will be able to make a new choice in 4 years. > > Thereby teaching her respect, tolerance, and that people have the right to be wrong. I’d say that’s probably the best choice. Don’t scare the kid with scary tales. The problem is that she’s probably teaching her daughter to be nice to others and we now have a president who’s hateful and a bully. I guess just tell her politics can be mean and try to ignore his antics, but it’s likely going to be tough. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/19 "2016-11-09T22:37:56Z")
I don’t know how much you want to tell your daughter, but Harding, Kennedy and Clinton not only cheated on their wives, but (if reports are to be believed) were actually shagging women INSIDE the White House. Nixon kept an “enemies list” and orderd the IRS to harrass the people on it. LBJ [tapped the phones](http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1998/04/three-new-revelations-about-lbj/377094/) of his own Vice President. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171/20 "2016-11-09T22:54:30Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > He said _horrible_ presidents. I don’t think that word means what you think it means. I think you missed that the two posters you were quoting seem to have opposite opinions. **Crybaby Boobie** ’s argument seems to be that GWB (bad) led to Obama (good), therefore Trump (horrible) will lead to Future President X (awesome). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-reassure-my-daughter-with-tales-of-horrible-past-presidents/771171.md?page=2)