# Presidential Mnemonic **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821 "2001-02-09T18:12:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/1 "2001-02-09T18:12:55Z")
There is a mnemonic for the US Presidents where the first letter of each word is a President’s initial. It starts “When A Joke Made Me A Joker …” for Washington Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe Adams Jackson … It goes on from there to at least the first Roosevelt. Does anyone know the full version? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/2 "2001-02-09T19:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jebert \* > \*\*There is a mnemonic for the US Presidents where the first letter of each word is a President’s initial. It starts “When A Joke Made Me A Joker …” for Washington Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe Adams Jackson … It goes on from there to at least the first Roosevelt. Does anyone know the full version? \*\* Never heard of it before. But as I was waiting for the post to open, I started composing one…“while a jumping marmot makes apple jelly, Victor helps the process through family planning. Bob looks jaded, grasping his green and checkered handkerchief. Can marmots really tread water? Hardly…” I’m tired. And is it easier to remember a 43-word essay than the names of the presidents? And for Msties, this is beginning to sound like “hey everyone, let’s pitch in 'n get cracking here in Louisiana…” ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/3 "2001-02-10T12:19:41Z")
I don’t remember the whole thing, but I ran across one in a book several years ago on the same page as a dandy little ditty for the English monarchs: “Willie Willie Harry Stee / Harry Richard Harry Three…” (John is apparently left out 'cos he was evil, but I rather think the reason is because the only way Richard and John will fit into the meter leaves a mildly racy result.) All I can remember of the presidential mnemonic is "Lincoln just gasped, “Heaven guard America”, which gets me through the first twenty years of the Civil War just fine. Of course, I’ve actually memorized the order of the Presidents _and_ their terms of office so a mnemonic is no use to me. But then I’m a freak like that. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/4 "2001-02-11T09:13:34Z")
OK, this sort of thing tends to not make any sense, but it does have the advantage of the first _two_ letters of each mnemonic word are significant. Sometimes more, if not all. Feel free to adjust to taste: Wally Adams jeered Mady Monroe’s admirer, jazzed vamp Harrietta Tyler, poked Taylor Fillmore, pinched Buck Lincoln’s joiner, grabbed Hazel Garfield’s artificial cleavage, harrassed McKinley Roosevelt, tangled Will Harding’s cockle, hobbled Rose Truman’s eight Kennedy johnsons, & nibbled fondly Carrie Reagan’s bulbous cliton, but… he wasn’t such a tough guy after all. Hmm, we’re missing a Garfield, right? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/5 "2001-02-11T15:25:36Z")
The Jewish Girl’s Guide to Fellatio: With Any Jewish Man, Monica Away! Just Vacuum His Penis. The Protestant Boy Loves Jewish Girls Hungrily Gobbling Crank. Hard Core Mormons Refuse To Watch. Hindus Can Hardly Restrain Themselves! Every Knob Job Necessitates Finding Correct Religious Behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/6 "2001-02-11T15:40:52Z")
Hrm. I just realized that the above mnemonic leaves out some presidents who came into office via the vice presidency. Sorry. Back to the drawing board. ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/7 "2001-02-11T15:46:19Z")
And Clinton, ironically. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/8 "2001-02-11T16:48:45Z")
**Revised, to include those Presidential Superstars: Tyler, Arthur, and Fillmore** The Jewish Girl’s Guide to Fellatio: With Any Jewish Man, Monica Away! Just Vacuum His **Tyler-ized** Penis. The **Fundamentalist** Protestant Boy Loves Jewish Girls Hungrily Gobbling **At his** Crank. Hard Core Mormons Refuse To Watch. Hindus Can Hardly Restrain Themselves! Every Knob Job Necessitates Finding Correct Religious Behavior. Any revisions or suggestions would certainly be most welcome. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-mnemonic/53821/9 "2001-02-11T17:44:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Green Bean \* > …Every > Knob > Job > Necessitates > Finding > Correct > Religious > Behavior. > Any revisions or suggestions would certainly be most welcome. Thank you. \*\* To add the last two: Crank it, Bubalah! I probably misspelled that, but you know what I mean.