They died from diarrhea. I saw it on the same site with the "hanging the dog" fact. I don't know about poor President Polk but I've been thinking all day about Jefferson hanging his dog, and dying from diarrhea doesn't seem so harsh. Why wouldn't he just shoot the dog?

I KNOW! I KNOW!

Mary Todd Lincoln! But I didn't know that she was hanged. Unattractive, sure...but hanged?

This president took office burdened by tragedy. Shortly before his election, he and his wife, along with their only remaining child (two prior children died as infants)were traveling by train when their railroad car toppled off of the tracks. The President-elect and his wife received minor injuries, but their son, age 11, was killed as they watched. It so affected the future First Lady that she did not participate in any White House functions for the first two years of her husband's term.

Who was he?

Franklin Pierce

Bannockburn

Franklin Pierce

you beat me Bannockburn...I knew I shouldn't have answered the phone...lol

[This message has been edited by Pling (edited 02-27-2001).]

Did I stump you on the president who had such rotten luck with his caabinet appointments?

If so...here's another one for you:

This president became quite wealthy as an engineer and held positions all over the world, and served in the Cabinet of two presidents, before being elected. While he began his term enjoying great popularity, he left office with one of the lowest approval ratings ever. He also holds the record for years survived after leaving office.

Who is he?

Herbert Hoover

OK, OK, I'm still determined to eventually stump you. Hmmmmm...
try this one on for size:

Four presidents served without ever having a vice-president (the 25th Amendment, passed in 1967, made the nomination of a vice-president a requirement).

Who were they?

John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland (for his first term)

Oops, it was John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, and Chester Arthur. (I couldn't edit my first answer, for some reason).

You know..you could wait a respectable period of time before replying...so I could picture you pulling your hair out, chewing pencils, frantically searching the internet, calling friends for help, getting paper cuts paging through reference books.......

Which presidents were elected to two terms without ever winning a majority of the popular vote? Hint..there are 3 of them.

Who?

Cleveland
Wilson
Clinton

Re: the disastrous Cabinet appointments and "youthful inexperience," was it Theodore Roosevelt?

What do John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin van Buren, Richard Nixon and George Bush have in common?

?
they all served a term as Vice-President
?

They all were elected to the U.S. presidency after previously serving as U.S. vice-president. Hard to believe that there were only 5.

There were also Harry Truman, who succeeded upon FDR's death, but was later elected in his own right. Also Lyndon Johnson, same way.

------------------
Gunslinger

No..sorry Petaluma...Teddy R. was the youngest Chief Exec ever inagurated up to this time...but think 'inexperienced', 'background did not prepare him for the job', think 'popularity achieved in another arena'

goth4, hundredaire, GS...this is all true, but there are two things that make these guys unique, and not shared with anyone else.....GS, you are getting warm...

he says as he rubbs his hands together with satisfaction and develops a maniacal grin 'cause he's finally stumped somebody, at least for the time being!!! mua ha ha ha ha!!

[This message has been edited by vendome (edited 02-28-2001).]

Oh and, pling, I forgot...you're right about the 'popular vote' question. Then again, pling, what else is new? Be honest, pling...are you using a ouija board or something? Tarot cards?

lol...Vendome...

Which president was the only chief executive to honestly believe that the world is flat?

Which president not only made his own clothes, but also the clothes of most of his Cabinet members?

George Washington ?

first...Andrew Jackson

Sorry, WoolDog....pling got it again.

Which president lost 8 straight elections for various posts before he won the presidency?

And don't forget the name of the guy who'd rather measure your inseam and hem your pants than conduct Cabinet meetings.

Andrew Johnson

You're right, doc, the tailor was Andrew Johnson. I can tell you're gonna be tough to stump. Do you know what John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin van Buren, Richard Nixon and George Bush, and nobody else, had in common?

You might also want to check back to see the question about the president who had such bad luck with his Cabinet appointees. I'll add a new clue.....'think Dwight'