Harry Truman as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s VP

Harry Truman’s surprising presidential victory in 1948 is much more famous than his vice presidential candidacy in 1944, but Truman being chosen to replace incumbent Henry Wallace as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s running mate was unexpected in its own right. It wasn’t that FDR changing his Vice President was unprecedented: Wallace himself had replaced two-term VP John Nance Garner for the 1940 election. But Wallace was well established within Roosevelt’s cabinet, having served as secretary of agriculture since 1933, and Roosevelt had even suggested that he wouldn’t run for a third term without Wallace on the ticket.

By 1944, though, FDR was in poor health, and Democratic Party leaders who had disagreed with his choice of Wallace as Vice President in 1940 argued more intently for a different running mate. Perhaps concerned himself about how Wallace’s friendship with Russian mystic Nicholas Roerich left the previous campaign vulnerable to political attack in the form of the infamous “guru letters,” Roosevelt refrained from naming a preferred running mate for 1944. Still, when the first ballot was cast at the Democratic National Convention, Wallace led the pack — though he didn’t secure the number of delegates needed to win the nomination. By the second ballot, Southern states switched their delegates to Truman, allowing him to snare a come-from-behind victory. Years later, Wallace claimed in an article for TIME magazine that the convention leaders had maneuvered the delegates’ switch in favor of their preferred candidate.

Andrew Johnson as Abraham Lincoln’s VP

Andrew Johnson might be the most surprising “balance-the-ticket” candidate in history, since he wasn’t even in the same party as the President he was running with. But in the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln wanted a running mate to represent unity, so he advocated for the Southern Democrat to join the ticket. Despite Lincoln’s popularity, the proposal was met with a level of opposition that is probably not very surprising. When told of Lincoln’s intention for the Republican Party to nominate Johnson, Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens protested, “Can't you get a candidate for Vice President without going down into a damned rebel province for one?”

An opposition Republican National Convention was even called in Cleveland to promote California Senator John Frémont for President, with Union General John Cochrane as his running mate. But the unity Lincoln was seeking was evident in the support Johnson had from moderate Republicans. The Republican Party was temporarily renamed the National Union Party, and when the convention took place, Johnson won the vice presidential nomination.

Elbridge Gerry as James Madison’s VP

By the presidential election of 1812, Elbridge Gerry was nearly 20 years past his intended (and short) retirement from a storied career in government. He had signed the Declaration of Independence, served two stints in the Continental Congress, acted as a delegate in the Constitutional Convention, and was elected governor of Massachusetts. He was also a firebrand who refused to sign the Constitution, and his frequent overall dissent earned him accusations of partisanship; in a 1787 letter to Thomas Jefferson, an unidentified confidant called Gerry a “Grumbletonian” prone to “objecting to [anything] he did not propose.” His perceived failure to rebuke an attempted bribery scheme by French diplomats in 1796 (known as the XYZ Affair) nearly sunk his post-retirement reentry into politics from the outset. And the redistricting bill he signed early in 1812 while governor was derided to the point that the resulting district was referred to as a “Gerry-mander.”

Gerry was not originally looking to join President James Madison’s 1812 reelection bid; he was attempting to win another term as governor of Massachusetts. Besides, Vice President George Clinton was firmly entrenched in the position, having served in the office since 1805 under both Madison and Thomas Jefferson. But then something unprecedented happened: On April 20, 1812, Clinton died at age 72, marking the first time a sitting Vice President had passed away. Two months later, Gerry’s gubernatorial reelection campaign failed, and he appealed to Madison for a federal position due to the poor state of his finances. Since Madison’s first choice to replace Clinton, James Langdon, declined, Madison ended up asking Gerry to join his election ticket. This aligned with the Democratic-Republican’s desire for a Northerner to complement Madison’s Virginia origins. The Madison-Gerry ticket was a success at the polls, and Gerry served as Vice President for two years before also dying in office at age 70. 

William Rufus King as Franklin Pierce’s VP

When William Rufus King was chosen as Franklin Pierce’s running mate for the 1852 election, he became the first U.S. senator to be nominated for Vice President. Pierce hailed from New Hampshire, and the Alabama senator was chosen for the classic “balance the ticket” strategy. At the time, nearly a decade before the Civil War, balancing the ticket meant nominating a VP who was an ardent supporter of slavery — precisely the attitude needed to appeal to the South. 

During the election, however, King was ill with tuberculosis, and was unable to campaign. He spent much of the race seeking a cure in Cuba, and was still there when he and Pierce were elected. As he was not able to travel back to Washington, D.C., in time for their inauguration, Congress needed to pass special legislation in order for King to be sworn in abroad, making him the only Vice President to have ever been sworn into office outside the U.S. 

Thomas Marshall as Woodrow Wilson’s VP

On the surface, Thomas Marshall’s nomination as Woodrow Wilson’s Vice President seems fairly straightforward. As the governor of Indiana, he was the popular leader of what had been a critical swing state — since 1880, no presidential candidate had won the election without carrying Indiana. But there were a few underlying problems: For one, Wilson did not want Marshall on the ticket, referring to him as “a very small caliber man.” And Marshall himself had a similar attitude toward the vice presidency as Theodore Roosevelt before him. He wryly joked, “Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea; the other was elected Vice President of the United States. And nothing was heard of either of them again.” 

By the time of the 1912 Democratic National Convention, the party was still split on who would serve as Wilson’s running mate. Democratic powerhouse William Jennings Bryan was proposed as a candidate by a delegate from the District of Columbia, but declined consideration in a response speech, and instead advocated for both North Dakota Governor John Burke and Oregon Senator George Chamberlain. Meanwhile, rumors circulated that Wilson himself was delaying the vote in order to persuade Missouri Congressman James Beauchamp “Champ” Clark to be his running mate. The first vote was held at 1 a.m., and resulted in no decision. After nearly an hour of angling and debate, Marshall was finally elected the party’s vice presidential nominee — and even then, he considered rejecting the office due to its inadequate pay.

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The “Camelot” Comparison Came From an Interview With Jackie

Just a week after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Theodore H. White interviewed the grieving First Lady for Life magazine. Jackie’s recollections of the day her husband was killed, and what happened in the aftermath, were published as an “epilogue” of the President’s life. The First Lady reminisced about her husband’s fondness for the musical Camelot, noting that his favorite lines were from the last song in the show, “Finale Ultimo”: “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot / for one brief shining moment / that was known as Camelot.” Jackie went on to say, “There’ll be great Presidents again… but there’ll never be another Camelot again.” Her poignant commemoration of her husband’s presidency contributed to JFK’s enduring legacy as a modern-day hero whose life was cut tragically short.

Robert F. Kennedy Advocated for Civil Rights 

Just like his older brother, Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy was actively involved in politics. He even served as U.S. attorney general when JFK became President. In a May 1961 Voice of America radio broadcast, Bobby envisioned a time when a Black person would be able to “achieve the same position that my brother has as President of the United States.” It was an optimistic prediction in the years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — legislation that Bobby urged his brother to advance — and one that took 47 years to fulfill with Barack Obama’s presidency. Bobby was assassinated just two months after Martin Luther King Jr., but his legacy of civil rights advocacy continues with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights foundation, which was founded in his name just a few months after his assassination in 1968.

Ted Kennedy’s Long Senate Career Started With JFK’s Seat

Edward “Ted” Kennedy was the youngest of Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s nine children, and just as politically ambitious as his older brothers. After JFK won the 1960 presidential election, he resigned from his Senate seat, and Ted wanted the position. However, he wasn’t yet eligible to pursue the office because he was only 28 years old — two years younger than the minimum age to be a senator. JFK asked the Massachusetts governor to appoint family friend Ben Smith to serve as interim senator, a “seat warmer” until Ted was able to run. Ted went on to win the 1962 special election and maintained his place in the Senate until his death in August 2009. Despite family tragedies and the infamous Chappaquiddick controversy, the “Lion of the Senate” represented the state of Massachusetts for 46 years, nine months, and 19 days, making him the fifth-longest-serving senator in U.S. history.

The Kennedy Compound Is Still in the Family

In 1928, Joseph and Rose Kennedy bought the summer home they had been renting in Hyannis Port, a village on the Cape Cod peninsula in Massachusetts. The “big house” was renovated and expanded to accommodate their large family, becoming a place for the elder Kennedys to gather with their children and grandchildren. The purchase of two nearby properties, one owned by John and Jackie, the other by Bobby and his wife Ethel, established what came to be known as the “Kennedy Compound.” The 6-acre property remained in the family until 2012, when the main house (which had been Ted Kennedy’s primary residence until his death in 2009) was donated to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Robert Kennedy’s widow, Ethel, still lives in the nearby home she shared with her husband, and the house that once belonged to JFK is now owned by Ted Kennedy’s son Edward M. Kennedy Jr.

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Thomas Jefferson Helped Popularize Macaroni and Cheese 

Around the time he served as U.S. minister to France (1785 to 1789), future President Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The best maccaroni in Italy is made with a particular sort of flour called Semola, in Naples.” Jefferson tasked his private secretary, diplomat William Short, with tracking down a machine for making this dish, which he eventually had shipped to the U.S. The founding father was known for serving “maccaroni” — a term he used to describe all pastas — both with and without cheese to his guests. Jefferson even had his own written recipe for an early form of mac and cheese that was influenced by similar Italian recipes. The spoken and written accounts of those meals led to the dish’s increased popularity throughout the United States.

James Madison Was the Shortest President

Standing at just 5 feet, 4 inches, James Madison — who also weighed only around 100 pounds — was exactly a foot shorter than the tallest U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln (who stood at 6 feet, 4 inches). Madison’s closest presidential rivals in height were Benjamin Harrison and Martin Van Buren, both of whom were a wee bit taller at 5 feet, 6 inches.

James Monroe Was the Third President to Die on the Fourth of July 

In an eerie coincidence, three of the first five U.S. presidents passed away on the anniversary of America’s birth. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, while James Monroe passed away on Independence Day in 1831. On the flip side, Calvin Coolidge was the only president born on the Fourth of July, in the year 1872.

John Quincy Adams Served in Congress Before and After Being President

Only one U.S. president — John Quincy Adams — served in the House of Representatives after being elected commander in chief. Adams served as a senator from Massachusetts from 1803 to 1808, then as president of the United States from 1825 to 1829. He was elected to the House of Representatives shortly after his presidential term, serving from 1831 until his death in 1848.

Andrew Jackson Kept a Giant Wheel of Cheese in the White House

In 1836, President Andrew Jackson received a 1,400-pound block of cheese as a gift from a dairy farmer in New York, which he displayed in the White House for more than a year. Before leaving office, Jackson invited the public to the White House to come take some cheese. A firsthand account recalls men, women, and children hacking away at it until "the carpet was slippery with cheese."

Martin Van Buren Was the First President Born a U.S. Citizen

Unlike the seven presidents who preceded him, Martin Van Buren wasn’t born under the authority of the British crown. Van Buren was born in 1782, several years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and was thus a U.S. citizen for his entire life. While his successor, William Henry Harrison, was also born under British rule, every POTUS since Harrison has been an American citizen from birth.

William Henry Harrison Delivered the Longest Inaugural Address

On a cold, wet day in March 1841, William Henry Harrison refused an overcoat as he delivered his lengthy 8,445-word inaugural address. Harrison died 31 days into his term as President, and while some initially attributed his death to the long, chilly speech, researchers now believe unclean drinking water was the cause of Harrison’s fatal illness.

John Tyler Was the First Vice President to Succeed to the Presidency

John Tyler — notoriously dubbed “His Accidency” — became president upon the death of William Henry Harrison, and served as commander in chief from 1841 until 1845. Tyler was the first vice president elevated to the highest office in the land due to such an event, though he served only the one abbreviated term before being succeeded by James K. Polk.

James K. Polk Oversaw the Greatest Territorial Expansion of Any President

Between 1845 and 1849, America’s 11th president oversaw the largest U.S. territorial expansion of any POTUS. The United States added upwards of 1 million square miles of land during Polk’s time in office, including land that now makes up modern-day Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado.

Zachary Taylor Was Nominated for President Without His Knowledge

At the 1848 Whig Party convention, delegates nominated former military general Zachary Taylor as their candidate for president — and he was eventually elected to the position. However, Taylor wasn’t present at the convention and was nominated without his prior knowledge. He didn’t find out about his own nomination for several weeks, as he initially refused to pay postage on a letter sent his way alerting him of the news.

Millard Fillmore Was the Last President Who Was Not a Democrat or Republican

Since 1853, the American presidency has been dominated by politicians who belonged to either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. That trend began after Millard Fillmore, who was a member of the Whig Party during his presidency from 1850 until 1853. The Whig Party dismantled shortly after his term, and the two-party system has dominated ever since.

Franklin Pierce Defeated His Former General to Become President

The presidential election of 1852 was a race between Franklin Pierce and Winfield Scott, two men who served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. Pierce served as brigadier general during the conflict, whereas Scott was commanding general of the entire U.S. Army. Despite Scott’s greater military rank, Pierce emerged victorious during the presidential election.

James Buchanan Was the Only President to Remain a Lifelong Bachelor

James Buchanan was a lifelong bachelor, the only U.S. president who never married. He was engaged at one point, but his fiancée called off the engagement, after which Buchanan was reportedly brokenhearted and vowed not to marry. During his time in office, the president’s niece Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston took on the hostess role usually filled by a First Lady.

Abraham Lincoln Was the First President to Appear on a Coin

In 1909, in honor of his 100th birthday, Abraham Lincoln became the first president to appear on a U.S. coin. The famous side profile bust design, created by engraver Victor David Brenner, is still in use today. Though some have called for the penny to be discontinued thanks to inflation cratering its value, there are still billions in circulation.

Andrew Johnson Was the First President to Be Impeached

After Abraham Lincoln’s death, his Vice President Andrew Johnson took over the highest office in the land. A few years into his presidency, Johnson tested the newly passed Tenure of Office Act of 1867 by illegally firing Lincoln’s former secretary of war, Edwin Stanton. The House impeached Johnson for it, but the president survived removal from office by just one vote in the Senate.

Ulysses S. Grant’s Middle Initial Didn’t Stand for Anything

America’s 18th president was born Hiram Ulysses Grant. His now-famous middle initial “S” was the product of a clerical mistake. Grant was nominated to West Point by Ohio Congressman Thomas Hamer, who accidentally wrote Grant’s name in the application as “Ulysses S. Grant.” The confusion stemmed from the fact that Grant often went by Ulysses, rather than Hiram. The application called for a middle initial, so the confused Hamer added an “S” for Grant’s mother’s surname, Simpson. Despite Grant’s efforts to change the name, the middle initial stuck.

Rutherford B. Hayes Had the First White House Telephone Installed

On May 10, 1877, during Rutherford B. Hayes’ administration, the White House’s first telephone was installed in the telegraph room. Hayes was supportive of this new technology, though rarely received phone calls. However, it was pretty easy to remember how to dial the White House, as its phone number was simply “1” at the time.

James A. Garfield Was the First Left-Handed President

In 1881, James A. Garfield was elected as the 20th president of the United States. The 19 who came before him were all right-handed, making Garfield the first lefty ever to hold the office. Garfield could also be said to be ambidextrous, as he was known to have the ability to write in Greek and Latin with different hands at the same time. Since his tenure, there have been many other left-handers in the Oval Office, including Gerald Ford and Barack Obama.

Chester A. Arthur Owned Approximately 80 Pairs of Pants

Chester A. Arthur was a fashionable president, dubbed “Elegant Arthur” and the “Dude of all the White House residents” by political commentators and cartoonists of the time. He was said to own around 80 pairs of pants, which was considered an extravagance at the time (and even today). Arthur was known for changing his pants multiple times a day, and often wore a tuxedo to dinner.

Grover Cleveland Served Two Nonconsecutive Terms

Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. When Cleveland ran for reelection after his first term in 1888, his opponent Benjamin Harrison won the electoral count despite Cleveland winning the popular vote. Four years later, Cleveland was successful in denying Harrison’s reelection and reclaiming his former role as president.

Benjamin Harrison Introduced Electricity at the White House

Electricity was first installed at the White House in 1891 during Benjamin Harrison’s time in office. Initially, the Harrison family was afraid of flipping any light switches, as they feared being electrocuted. Instead, they tasked electrician Irwin “Ike” Hoover with turning the lights off and on, sometimes resulting in lights burning overnight until Hoover returned the next morning to switch them off.

William McKinley Was the First President to Ride in a Car

After taking a reportedly unenjoyable ride in an early automobile called the Stanley Steamer in 1899, President William McKinley is said to have remarked, “Stanley’s overoptimistic, I think, when he says those things will someday replace horses.” Though McKinley was wrong about the future of cars, he left a lasting mark on their history, as his Steamer ride was the first time a sitting president ever rode in an automobile.

Theodore Roosevelt Witnessed Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Procession

When he was just 6 years old, young Theodore Roosevelt witnessed Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession in New York City. On April 25, 1865, the future POTUS gazed down from a second-story window as the late president passed the Roosevelt family mansion on Broadway. A perfectly timed photograph captured the image of two young boys — Teddy and his brother Elliott — looking out from the window that day.

William Howard Taft Also Served as Chief Justice 

President Theodore Roosevelt supported William Howard Taft as his successor in 1908, but their relationship soured, and Roosevelt challenged President Taft for reelection during the 1912 campaign. (Both candidates lost the election to Woodrow Wilson.) Later, in 1921, President Warren G. Harding appointed Taft as chief justice of the United States. Taft preferred the role, once saying, “I don’t remember that I ever was president.”

Woodrow Wilson Was the Only President Buried in Washington, D.C.

Of all the former presidents who have since passed away, only one is buried within the nation’s capital. That former leader is Woodrow Wilson, a native of Virginia, who died in 1924 and was interred at the Washington National Cathedral in the District of Columbia.

Warren G. Harding’s Dog Sat in on Cabinet Meetings

The first White House animal to really achieve celebrity status was President Warren G. Harding’s pup, an Airedale terrier named Laddie Boy, who lived in Washington, D.C., during the Harding administration from 1921 to 1923. On March 5, 1921, one day after taking office, Harding interrupted his first official Cabinet meeting to introduce the dog, who had just arrived from Ohio. After that, Laddie Boy became a regular at Cabinet meetings, and even had his own chair at the table.

Calvin Coolidge Had at Least 29 Pets Living in the White House

Calvin Coolidge practically ran a petting zoo out of the White House. The 30th president kept no fewer than 29 pets during his tenure on Pennsylvania Avenue. There were normal pets in large numbers, but there were some strange ones, too. Among them: a goose named Enoch, a mockingbird, Rebecca and Reuben the raccoons, Ebenezer the donkey, and Smoky the bobcat.

Herbert Hoover Was the First President Born West of the Mississippi River

Herbert Hoover was born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa. Fifty-four years later, he was elected president, becoming the first POTUS born west of the Mississippi River. Hoover remains the only president born in Iowa, though there have been several other presidents born west of the Mississippi, including Harry Truman (in Missouri), Gerald Ford (in Nebraska), and Richard Nixon (in California).

Franklin D. Roosevelt Was the First President to Appear on Television

In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president to appear on television when he attended the New York World’s Fair in Queens. The technology was fairly new at the time, so not many people actually tuned in. Less than a decade later, in October 1947, FDR’s successor, Harry S. Truman, delivered the first televised presidential address, asking Americans to cut back on grain and meat consumption to help a struggling Europe. 

Harry S. Truman Signed a Bill Creating the Air Force

Back in 1907, just four years after the Wright brothers took their first successful flight, a small division of the U.S. Army was established to focus on aeronautics. The Army’s aviation segment grew over the years, serving an important role in both world wars. After World War II ended, President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, formally establishing the U.S. Air Force.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Was Responsible for America’s System of Highways

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed one of the most ambitious public works projects in U.S. history into law, the Federal-Aid Highway Act. This feat of engineering added more than 41,000 miles of roadway across the United States. The interstate system provided both ease of travel for American citizens as well as strategic military benefits.

John F. Kennedy Helped Popularize James Bond

President John F. Kennedy was a fervent early supporter of the James Bond franchise, as he was gifted a copy of the novel Casino Royale while recovering from back surgery in 1954, long before Bond became widely popular. Kennedy was such a fan that during the 1960 presidential campaign, he even invited author Ian Fleming to his house, where the pair discussed foreign affairs. In 1961, shortly after JFK’s inauguration, the new president told reporters that Fleming’s novel From Russia With Love was among his favorite books, causing the James Bond series to spike in popularity.

Lyndon B. Johnson Held Meetings on the Toilet

LBJ had an unorthodox style of conducting meetings. In fact, sometimes he dragged aides into the bathroom, where he discussed official government business while on the toilet. The president even had phones installed in White House bathrooms so he could take calls while using the facilities.

Richard Nixon Participated in the First Televised Presidential Debate

On September 26, 1960, Richard Nixon went up against John F. Kennedy in the first-ever televised presidential debate. Kennedy was widely deemed the winner due to his charismatic presence on camera compared to Nixon, who refused to wear makeup and appeared visibly sweaty. Though Nixon fared better in future debates, this moment in TV history turned the early tides in favor of Kennedy, who went on to win the election.

Gerald Ford Was a Collegiate Football Star

Gerald Ford was an MVP football player at the University of Michigan, and played with the 1935 Collegiate All-Star football team. Ford turned down offers to play for the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers, instead choosing to pursue his law degree at Yale University, though he did serve as the Yale football team’s assistant coach during his time there.

Jimmy Carter Was the First President Born in a Hospital

Jimmy Carter, born in 1924, was the first U.S. president born in a hospital. All of Carter’s presidential predecessors were born in their parents’ homes, and it wasn’t until the early 20th century that hospital births became common nationwide. However, when baby Carter went home to the family farm, his house lacked plumbing and electricity, so the future president’s upbringing wasn’t quite so modern.

Ronald Reagan Loved Jelly Beans

More than three tons of Jelly Belly jelly beans were brought in for Ronald Reagan’s inauguration on January 20, 1981. The flavors were Very Cherry (red), Coconut (white), and Blueberry (blue), the last of which was made specifically for the event to complete the American flag colors. Why jelly beans? Reagan used them to quit smoking and was known to carry around a jar of the colorful candy.

George H.W. Bush Formalized the Tradition of Pardoning a Thanksgiving Turkey

The tradition of presidents pardoning turkeys has unofficial roots dating as far back as Abraham Lincoln, who’s said to have granted clemency to a Thanksgiving turkey in 1863. While JFK “unofficially” pardoned a turkey in 1963, the tradition was formalized in 1989 under George H.W. Bush, who officially granted a bird a presidential pardon that year.

Bill Clinton Was the Only President Who Was a Rhodes Scholar

Bill Clinton experienced a thorough education, attending the prestigious Georgetown University beginning in 1964. Four years later, just prior to his college graduation, Clinton earned the esteemed Rhodes Scholarship, allowing him the opportunity to study at England’s Oxford University. Upon returning to the states, the future president earned a law degree at Yale Law School.

George W. Bush Once Owned the Texas Rangers Baseball Team

Before his full-time transition into politics, George W. Bush was part of the ownership group of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers from 1989 to 1998. He gave up his leadership role in 1994 upon being elected governor of Texas, but remained invested in the team until it was sold in 1998. Bush ran for president two years later, and was elected in 2000.

Barack Obama Won an Emmy and Two Grammys

Barack Obama not only won a Nobel Peace Prize for his international diplomacy, but he also earned himself an Emmy Award and two Grammys. Obama won his Emmy for narrating the Netflix documentary series Our Great National Parks, and his two Grammys for audiobook recordings of his personal memoirs, The Audacity of Hope and Dreams From My Father. 

Donald Trump Appeared in the Movie Home Alone 2

Before taking office, Donald Trump was a celebrity who made regular appearances in television and film, including a small role in the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In the scene, a young Kevin McCallister — portrayed by Macaulay Culkin — encounters Trump in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel and asks him for directions.

Joe Biden First Sought the Presidency in 1987

America’s current president, Joe Biden, first ran for the nation’s highest office a whole 33 years before he actually proved victorious. Biden was elected to the Senate in 1972 and later ran for president in 1987 at age 44. He ended his campaign after a mere three months, opting to run again in 2008 (albeit unsuccessfully) and 2020, when he was finally elected.

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