Holiday Humor: Presidents Can Be Funny Too

Ah, it’s Turkey Day, and while as always there’s bad news, it’s hopefully a day for you to enjoy, try not to argue with your liberal friends or relatives, and eat beyond the point of rationality.

Presidents dominate much of the news cycle, and while those on our side of the aisle can be confusing (much less the often infuriating antics of Democratic commanders in chief), it turns out they can be quite funny, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. Even Barack Obama surprisingly threw out a few good one-liners during his two terms in office.

But let’s start with perhaps my favorite political moment of all time, which was, of course, delivered by none other than Ronald Reagan during a 1984 debate with his Democratic challenger, Walter Mondale. The outgoing president, aged 73, was asked if his age was a problem for the American voter. His answer is one for the ages:

I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I will not exploit my opponent’s youth and inexperience for political purposes.

Mondale’s reaction is priceless:

Reagan was legendary for his jokes. I love this one:

I have given orders to be awakened at all times in the event of a national emergency, even if I am in a Cabinet meeting.

John F. Kennedy, meanwhile, uttered a phrase that Donald Trump, many years later, could probably relate to:

When we came to power, what surprised me the most was to find that the situation was as bad as we said it was.

Honest Abe also had a funny sense of humor. Many husbands can probably relate to this:

I have now come to the conclusion that I must never think of getting married again; and for this reason; I could never settle for someone stupid enough to have me.

He also reportedly joked:

Honestly, if I had two faces, would I show you this one?

Dubya was known as much for his verbal misadventures as for his jokes: he invented words like “badly underestimated” and “strategy”. But he dropped some really good quotes during his tenure:

However, no matter how difficult it gets, I have no plans to become a lame-duck president — unless, of course, Cheney accidentally shoots me in the leg.

He was pretty funny about the whole shootout:

More: Dick Cheney’s funeral got people talking about who was there – and who wasn’t

Watch: Trump’s Hilarious Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon, Gobble and Waddle

Even the often dour Obama got laughs in his day and poked fun at his own massive ego with this one:

If I had to name my greatest strength, it would be my humility. Perhaps my biggest weakness is that I’m a little too genius.

These days we have one of the most thoughtful presidents of all time, a guy who can be hysterically funny but totally brutal in the same sentence. Poor Hillary Clinton, who was criticized during a 2016 debate:

“It’s a really good thing that someone with Donald Trump’s temperament is not responsible for justice in our country,” Clinton said.

“Because,” Mr. Trump replied, “you would be in jail.”

Humor has proven to be a remarkably effective tool for successful presidents. Both Reagan and Trump use this to their major advantage. To me, Reagan wins because, well, he’s the Gipper, but Trump is an awful second. Either way, I hope they brought some laughs over the holidays. Hats off to inspirequotes.com for helping track down some of them.

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