America Supporter

43 — George W (Walker) Bush

Dubya From the Texan pronunciation of ‘W’, this originated as a family nickname to distinguish him from his father
43, B43 or Bush 43,2 Bush the Younger,3 Bush II,4 and Bush fils5 All used to distinguish George W Bush from George HW Bush
Bushie6 Also used to refer to wife Laura
Shrub7 Coined by Molly Ivins George W Bush is notably shorter than his father; and a little bush is a shrub
Shrubya, a combination of Shrub and Dubya5
Temporary8 Bush’s nickname in Skull and Bones, never altered by Bush
King George (II)9 Based on comparisons to George III of the United Kingdom, who is often known to Americans simply as “King George” for his association with the American Revolution The “II” may refer either to Bush’s being a successor (though not directly) to a father with the same name (the “first George”) or to a misconception that George III was the first English king with that name, thus making Bush the “second”
Uncurious George10 or Incurious George11 or Spurious George 12 Comparing him with the monkey character Curious George
AWOL Bush1314 Often rendered as aWol Bush: referring to an alleged period of unauthorized leave of absence by Bush during his Vietnam War service in the Texas National Guard
The Decider and The Decider-In-Chief15 From remarks Bush made about Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on April 18, 2006
The Commander Guy16 17 Bush gave himself this nickname on May 2, 2007, saying “My position is clear - I’m the commander guy”
The Velcro President18 A contrast to the “Teflon” nicknames given to Reagan and Clinton; most scandals appear to “stick” to Bush

edit 42 — Bill (William Jefferson) Clinton (name at birth: William Jefferson Blythe III)

Bill19 Generally went by his first name during his time in office and was only formally called ‘William J Clinton’ or ‘William Jefferson Clinton’
The First Black President20 Coined by Chris Rock,citation needed later used by Toni Morrison, in reference to Clinton’s noted support from and rapport with African Americans
The Comeback Kid21 Coined by press after strong second place showing in 1992 New Hampshire Primary, following polling slump due to Gennifer Flowers revelation
Slick Willie22 Coined by Paul Greenberg, Editorial page editor, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, in 1980 in his return to govern Arkansas
Teflon Bill23 Similar to “Teflon Ron” for Ronald Reagan: because none of the scandals afflicting his administration seemed to stick to him personally
Bubba2425 Nickname that suggests association with the Southern United States
The Great Prevaricator26 A re-use of a nickname previously given to Ronald Reagan, which was itself a parody of Reagan’s “Great Communicator” nickname

edit 41 — George H W (Herbert Walker) Bush

Poppy27 Family nickname used within his personal circle rather than publicly
Bush 412 Bush the Elder 28 and Papa Bush29 Only applied to him after his son became president, in order to distinguish between the two of them
The Résumé Candidate 30 An expression which suggests that he had a good record of public service but lacked popular appeal
The Wimp President31 Given to him by Newsweek in 1988 In June 1991, Bush remarked that he would “never forgive” the magazine for their insult
Old Read My Lips32 Commemorating his 1988 election pledge: “Read my lips — no new taxes!”, which he failed to keep

edit 40 — Ronald (Wilson) Reagan

The Gipper33 After his role as George “The Gipper” Gipp in the film Knute Rockne, All American Gipp’s exhortation to his teammates to “Win one for the Gipper” came in useful during Reagan’s election campaigns
The Great Communicator34 As much an attempt by media pundits to account for Reagan’s electoral success as a compliment
The Great Prevaricator35 A less-complimentary play on his “Great Communicator” nickname
Dutch36 Because of his “Dutch-boy” haircut when he was a youth
Bonzo37 From his role in the film, Bedtime for Bonzo Reagan played Prof Peter Boyd, opposite Bonzo the chimpanzee
Ronnie Raygun38 Joking reference to the “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative
The Teflon President39 or Teflon Ron40 Because none of the scandals during his administration seemed to stick to him

edit 39 — Jimmy (James Earl) Carter (Jr)

Jimmy41 First President to use his nickname in an official capacity He was known as ‘Jimmy Carter’, ‘James Earl Carter’ or ‘James Earl Carter, Jr’ He was never called ‘James Carter’ or ‘James E Carter’
The Peanut Farmer42 or The Peanut President 43 Refers to one of his pre-presidential occupations
The Grin44 For his trademark toothy grin
Cousin Hot45 or Hot Shot46 His nicknames at US Navy officer training school in World War II

edit 38 — Gerald (Rudolph) Ford (Jr) (named at birth Leslie Lynch King, Jr):

Jerry47 Usually, “Jerry” is short for Jeremiah, Jeremy or Jerome, while Gerald or Gerard are normally shortened to “Gerry” For some reason, “Jerry” Ford was an exception to this rule
The Accidental President48 Uniquely, Ford was never elected to the presidency or vice-presidency He was appointed by Nixon as vice-president from the House of Representatives, and inherited the presidency upon Nixon’s resignation He lost his only presidential campaign to Jimmy Carter after inheriting the presidency
Mr Nice Guy49 Because of his clean-cut and non-partisan image
Jerry the Jerk50 Coined by enemy William Loeb, editor of the Manchester Union Leader (New Hampshire) in 1976

edit 37 — Richard (Milhous) Nixon

Dick 51 When he announced his (short-lived) retirement from politics after failing to become Governor of California in 1962, he told the media, “You won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around any more”
Tricky Dick52 (also, Tricky Dickie) Coined by Democratic politician Helen Gahagan Douglas during the 1950 US Senate race in California, in reference to Nixon’s alleged use of dirty tricks during the campaign
The Trickster 53 A variant of “Tricky Dick”
Richard the Chicken-Hearted54 For his refusal to face his Democratic opponent, Hubert Humphrey, in debate during the 1968 election campaign
The Mad Bomber55 Reference to Nixon’s large-scale bombing of Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam during the Vietnam War; this was partly a self-cultivated image, intended to inspire fear in the leaders of North Vietnam (and other countries) in order to achieve a peace agreement on terms favorable to the United States
The Mad Monk56 Given to him by White House aide John Ehrlichman and alluded to in the television series, “Washington Behind Closed Doors” (Paramount, 1977) by the Nixon-equivalent character being named “Richard Monckton”57
Iron Butt58 Law school nickname because he studied so hard
Gloomy Gus59 Another nickname awarded by his fellow students at Duke University Law School, referring to his serious nature

edit 36 — Lyndon B (Baines) Johnson

LBJ60 He liked to be known by this abbreviation, which was used in the slogan, “All the way with LBJ” Coincidentally, when he married Claudia Taylor, who had been nicknamed Lady Bird since infancy, her initials also became LBJ The LBJ theme was taken to extremes when he called his dog, “Little Beagle Johnson”
Landslide Lyndon61 Sarcastic reference to the hotly-disputed 87-vote win that took him to the Senate in 1949
Light-Bulb Johnson62

edit 35 — John F (Fitzgerald) Kennedy

JFK63 Most prominent nickname and abbreviation of his full name
Jack64 Kennedy was usually referred to as either “John F Kennedy” or “Jack Kennedy”, only very rarely as “John Kennedy”
The King of Camelot65 Two weeks after Kennedy’s assassination, his wife, Jacqueline, revealed that the score from the 1960 musical Camelot, had been one of her husband’s favorites to listen to Parallels were then drawn between the “one brief shining moment” of King Arthur’s reign (in the musical) and the mood of idealism and optimism that had characterized Kennedy’s presidency 66

edit 34 — Dwight D (David) Eisenhower (name at birth: David Dwight Eisenhower)

Ike67 Used in the election campaign slogan, “I Like Ike” Nickname pre-dated World War II
The Kansas Cyclone68 His football nickname at West Point

edit 33 — Harry S Truman

Give ‘Em Hell Harry69 At a whistle-stop tour during the 1948 election campaign, someone in the crowd shouted out to Truman, “Give ‘em hell, Harry!” The phrase stuck as a nickname, with the missing comma turning the proposition into an adjective Truman’s oft-cited take on this nickname and his opponents was, “I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell”
Haberdasher Harry70 One of his several pre-presidential occupations
High-Tax Harry71
The New Missouri Compromise72
The Man of Independence73 His home town was Independence, Missouri

edit 32 — Franklin D (Delano) Roosevelt

FDR74
The New Dealer75 Referring to the Roosevelt Administration’s “New Deal for the American people”
The Boss76
King Franklin77 For his extensive use of presidential powers in perpetrating the New Deal
That Man in the White House78 Insulting; used mostly by opponents
The Champ79

edit 31 — Herbert (Clark) Hoover

The Hermit Author of Palo Alto80
The Great Engineer and The Great Humanitarian8182 He was a civil engineer of some distinction and when the Mississippi burst its banks in 1927, engulfing thousands of acres of agricultural land, he volunteered his services and did extensive flood control work
Hoo-Yah and Really Damn83 Two nicknames that he picked up while in China
The Chief84
The Grand Old Man85
Herbie86 In the Broadway musical Annie, he is called Herbie by homeless people living in shanties after the stock market crash in the song ‘We’d Like To Thank You, Herbert Hoover’

edit 30 — (John) Calvin Coolidge (Jr)

Silent Cal87 An old story goes that a woman once approached Coolidge and told him that she had bet her friends that she would get the President to say at least three words to her His reply was, “You lose”
Cool Cal88 His re-election campaign used the slogan, “Keep It Cool With Coolidge”
Cautious Cal89
The Sphinx of the Potomac90Suggesting that he was as enigmatic as the mythological creature

edit 29 — Warren G (Gamaliel) Harding

President Hardly91
Wobbly Warren92

edit 28 — (Thomas) Woodrow Wilson

The Schoolmaster in Politics93 or The Professor94 He was a bespectacled academic; compare to Italian Prime Minister (and former President of the European Commission) Romano Prodi’s nickname Il Professore (the professor/schoolteacher)
The Coiner of Weasel Words95 “In 1916, Theodore Roosevelt accused President Woodrow Wilson of “weasel words”, meaning that words from which the original meaning had been sucked”96
The Phrase-Maker97 As an acclaimed historian, Wilson had no need of speech-writers to supply his oratorical eloquence

edit 27 — William Howard Taft

Big Bill98 Taft was a very fat man — the heaviest president ever A poster for his first election campaign showed Taft and his running mate James S Sherman, with the slogan, “Big Bill and Smilin’ Jim — A Winning Combination” He was normally known as ‘William Howard Taft’ or informally as ‘Bill Taft’ He was never called ‘William Taft’ or ‘William H Taft’
Peaceful Bill99
Old Bill100 His nickname at Yale University
Big Lub101 Boyhood nickname
Godknows Taft102 In 1912, reporters asked him, “What is a man to do who is out of work and starving?” His answer (criticized by some people as clueless or heartless) was, “God knows I don’t”103

edit 26 — Theodore Roosevelt (Jr)

Teddy104 He personally disliked this nickname
TR105 He liked to sign communications this way The first president to be known by his initials
Terrible Teddy106
Trustbuster Teddy107 For his anti-trust legistlation He hated this one because he thought it made him sound too radical
The Rough Rider108 He raised and commanded a cavalry regiment nicknamed “The Rough Riders” in the Spanish-American War He was also known as “The Colonel” due to his rank in that war, and preferred this nickname
Roosevelt I109 Given retroactively once FDR had become president
The Cyclone Assemblyman110 Elected to the New York State Assembly at only 23, he campaigned energetically against political corruption and for civil service reform, becoming minority leader within a year
The Hero of San Juan Hill111 He led his Rough Riders up San Juan Hill during the Battle of Santiago de Cuba in 1898
The Lion112
Old Four Eyes113 He was so myopic that he could only function wearing glasses
Theodore the Meddler114 He was too active and legislative a president for some people’s tastes

edit 25 — William McKinley (Jr)

The Idol of Ohio115
The Napoleon of Protection116 He was keen on protective tariffs
The Stocking-Footed Orator117
The Liberator of Cuba118 Although initially hesitant to go to war with Spain
Wobbly Willie119
The Major120 A reference to his American Civil War rank: used by friends and family rather than publicly

edit 23 — Benjamin Harrison

Young Tippecanoe121 He was the grandson of “Old Tippecanoe”
Grandfather’s Hat122 From the 1888 election campaign song, “Grandfather’s Hat Fits Ben”, which suggested that he was a worthy successor to his grandfather, William Henry
The White House Iceberg123 or The Human Iceberg124 Although he could warmly engage a crowd with his speeches, he was a very cold fish when you met him one-on-one
Kid Gloves Harrison125 He was prone to skin infection and often wore kid gloves to protect his hands
Little Ben126 Although, at 5″6, he was only slightly below average height
The Front Porch Campaigner127 During the 1888 election, he gave nearly ninety speeches from his front porch to crowds gathered in the yard of his Indianapolis home This nickname has been widely but erroneously attributed to William McKinley

edit 22/24 — (Stephen) Grover Cleveland

The Hangman of Buffalo128 As Sheriff of Erie County, New York, which has Buffalo as its county seat, he had personally hanged two men
His Obstinacy129 or The Veto President130 He vetoed more bills than any other president
Uncle Jumbo131
Grover the Good132
The Beast of Buffalo133 Because of false rumors that he was a wife-beater, spread by political opponents during the 1888 election
The Pretender134
The Stuffed Prophet135 and The Elephantine Economist136 Given to him by hostile newspapers during the 1892 presidential election, by which time his weight had gone up to 250 pounds
The Perpetual Candidate137 Because he ran in three successive presidential elections

edit 21 — Chester A (Alan) Arthur

Our Chet138
The Gentleman Boss139 Elegant Arthur140 Prince Arthur141 or The Dude President142 He was renowned for his fancy attire and indulgence in extravagant luxury

edit 20 — James A (Abram) Garfield

The Preacher President143 He was a lay preacher for the Church of Christ
Boatman Jim144 or The Canal Boy145 References to one of his early occupations
The Plow Boy of Ohio146

edit 19 — Rutherford B (Birchard) Hayes

Rutherfraud147 or His Fraudulency148 or The Usurper149 His party machine was alleged to have stolen the 1876 election from opponent Samuel J Tilden
Old Eight-to-Seven150 In the wake of Hayes’ disputed election victory, Congress set up an electoral commission to investigate alleged misconduct by the Hayes camp The commission comprised eight of Hayes’ fellow Republicans and seven opposition Democrats, and it found in Hayes’ favor by eight votes to seven The resulting controversy led to the Compromise of 1877
Granny Hayes151 and Queen Victoria in Riding Breeches152 Hayes neither drank, smoked, nor gambled, and, together with his temperance-supporting wife, “Lemonade Lucy”, maintained a very strait-laced White House — much to the disgust of some members of Washington society
President De Facto153
The Great Unknown154 or The Dark Horse President155 He had been an obscure candidate for the Republican nomination

edit 18 — Ulysses S (Simpson) Grant (name at birth: Hiram Ulysses Grant)

Unconditional Surrender Grant156 His uncompromising demand for unconditional surrender during his victory the Battle of Fort Donelson in 1862 got a lot of favorable publicity He was seen as exactly the kind of determined commander that the Union forces needed The fact that his initials suggested the words “unconditional surrender” led to it being used as a nickname
The American Caesar157 Honoring his role in the Union victory in the American Civil War
The Hero of Appomattox158 A reference to Grant receiving the surrender of opposing General Robert E Lee at Appomattox Courthouse
Useless Grant159 The similarity between ‘Ulysses’ and ‘Useless’ was too tempting for political opponents to miss out on
Sam160 Given to him at West Point because of his ‘Uncle Sam’ initials
The Galena Tanner161 He once ran a tannery in Galena, Illinois This had also been his father’s occupation in Point Pleasant, Ohio

edit 17 — Andrew Johnson

The Father of the Homestead Act 162 For his work in bringing about the Act, which was passed by President Lincoln in 1862
Sir Veto163 For his persistent vetoing of bills
The Tennessee Tailor164 A reference to his original occupation
King Andy165
Andy the Sot166 Johnson acquired this nickname after he tried to give a speech at his inauguration as vice-president in a less than sober state
Old Andy167

edit 16 — Abraham Lincoln

Honest Abe168
The Great Emancipator169 and The Liberator170 For the emancipation of the slaves
The Flatboatman171 In his last year before leaving Indiana for Illinois, he operated a ferry over the Ohio River
The Rail-Splitter172 Because he ran as a third party candidate (the new Republican Party), “splitting” the Whig party and, supposedly, ensuring Democratic victory
The Sage of Springfield173 Lincoln was born in Kentucky and brought up in Indiana: but Springfield, Illinois, had been his home since the age of 23
The Abolition Emperor174 and King Linkum the First175 Criticizing his curtailments of civil liberties during the war of 1861–65
The Uncommon Friend of the Common Man176
The Illinois Ape177 The Original Gorilla178 The Orangutan in the White House179 References both to his supposed backwoods uncouthness and his rough-hewn looks
The Slave Hound from Illinois180 Given to him by William Lloyd Garrison, a radical abolitionist who felt that Lincoln was “soft” on slavery A slave hound was a dog used to hunt down runaway slaves
Father Abraham181 and Uncle Abe182 Lincoln was a kind and friendly man who in his later years came across as avuncular
The Ancient One183 A nickname favored by White House insiders because of his “ancient wisdom”
The Sectional President184
The Tycoon185 For the energetic and ambitious conduct of his Civil War administration
Ignoramus Abe Distory: A Treasury Of Historical Insults by Robert Schnackenberg (c) 2004, p 23

edit 15 — James Buchanan (Jr)

The Sage of Wheatland186 Wheatland was his estate near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Ten-Cent Jimmie187 A reference to his notorious claim during the 1856 election campaign that ten cents a day was enough for a working man to live on188
Old Public Functionary189
Old Buck190 A shortening of his surname
Old Fogey191
The Cannon - A reference to his last name

edit 14 — Franklin Pierce

Young Hickory of the Granite Hills192 “Young Hickory” compared his military deeds (in the US-Mexican War) with those of Andrew Jackson “The Granite Hills” were his home state of New Hampshire
Handsome Frank193 He is said to have found this reference to his good looks acutely embarrassing
The Fainting General194 A sneering reference by political opponents to an incident during a Mexican War battle when an artillery blast blew the saddle off Pierce’s horse and drove the saddle-horn hard into his abdomen, causing him to lose consciousness for a few minutes
The Hero of a Well-Fought Bottle195 Another less than flattering name hurled at Pierce during the 1852 campaign on his lack of military valor and known drinking problem

edit 13 — Millard Fillmore

The Accidental President196 Succeeded Zachary Taylor after the latter died eighteen months into office
The Wool-Carder President197 One of his former occupations
The American Louis Philippe198 Comparing Fillmore’s allegedly luxurious White House lifestyle to that of the contemporary King of France

edit 12 — Zachary Taylor

Old Rough and Ready199 Taylor disdained the luxuries available to a senior officer in camp and field, preferring to “rough it” like the other ranks
Old Zack200
The Hero of Buena Vista201 or Old Buena Vista202 Commemorating his most famous Mexican War victory

edit 11 — James K (Knox) Polk

Young Hickory203 Because he was a particular protégé of “Old Hickory” — Andrew Jackson
The Napoleon of the Stump204 A reference to his formidable oratory skills
Polk the Plodder205 The validity of this nickname was disproved by his foreign policy when he became president
Polk the Purposeful206

edit 10 — John Tyler (Jr)

His Accidency207 He was the first VP to succeed to the presidency by the accident of his predecessor dying
The President without a Party208 Soon after he took office, he so alienated his Whig Party that they disowned him, refused to work with him, his (Whig) Cabinet resigned, and started a riot on the White House lawn
Traitor Tyler209 He was elected as a Whig vice president: but when William Henry Harrison died, it soon became clear that Tyler had no sympathy with that party’s policies

edit 9 — William Henry Harrison

Old Tippecanoe210 Commemorating the first of his two victories over Tecumseh
Granny Harrison211 When Harrison took office in 1841 at the age of 68, he was the oldest man to become President
General Mum212 As in the expression, “keep it mum” Because of his avoidance of speaking out on controversial issues during his election campaign
The Log Cabin Candidate213 The famous Log Cabin Campaign that brought him to the White House contrasted Harrison the tough Westerner with Van Buren the effete patroon In reality, Harrison came from a more privileged background than Van Buren
The Cincinnatus of the West214 Comparing him both to the original Cincinnatus and to George Washington, who was styled “The American Cincinnatus”

edit 8 — Martin Van Buren

Machiavellian Belshazzar215
Old Kinderhook216 His home town as Kinderhook, New York Possible popularization of “OK”
The Red Fox of Kinderhook217 For his bright red hair and sly ways
The Little Magician218
Little Van219 He was on the small side
Martin Van Ruin220 The financially-ruinous Panic of 1837 took place during his presidency
The Sage of Lindenwald221
The Flying Dutchman222
The American Talleyrand223 Comparing him to the French statesman, Prince Talleyrand, who was considered to be the last word in deviousness

edit 7 — Andrew Jackson

Old Hickory224 During the Creek War of 1813–14, neither illness nor injuries would stop him taking the field to lead his men against the enemy His troops responded by comparing him to hickory, which is among the hardest of woods
The Hero of New Orleans225 Commemorating his victory over a British force in January 1815 during the War of 1812
King Andrew the First226 His far-reaching programs seemed to some people execessive use of presidential powers
Mischievous Andy227
Sharp Knife Given to him by the Creek Indians whom he fought in 1814
The Caped Crusader228 Given to him for being the only President to wear a cape in his Presidential picture

edit 6 — John Quincy Adams

Old Man Eloquent229 Comparing him to a character who featured in the works of the poet John Milton
King John II230 Presumably making his father and predecessor King John the First
Publicola231 Latin name referring to his dedication to public service

edit 5 — James Monroe

The Last of the Cocked Hats232 He still wore a tricorne long after it gone out of fashion
James the Second233 His immediate predecessor, Madison, was also called James
James the Lesser234 The suggestion being that James Madison was the more effective president of the two
The Era of Good Feelings President235 “The Era of Good Feelings” was the period following the War of 1812, during which America became less divided politically, to the extent that the only opponents of the ruling Democratic Republicans, the Federalist Party, went out of existence It was not until resistance to Andrew Jackson’s policies produced the Whig Party that oppositional politics resumed in the United States

edit 4 — James Madison (Jr)

The Father of the Constitution236
The Sage of Montpelier237
Withered Little Apple-John238 So-called by Washington Irving
The Fugitive President239 During the War of 1812, a British army occupied Washington and Madison was forced to flee the White House
Little Jemmy240 or His Little Majesty241 At only 5′ 4″, he was the smallest president ever The average adult male American at the beginning of the 19th Century was about 5′ 8″ — an inch and a half shorter than today

edit 3 — Thomas Jefferson

The Father of the Declaration of Independence242
The Apostle of Democracy243
The Pen of the Revolution244 Complementing George Washington, who was called the “Sword of the Revolution”
Long Tom245 A reference to his height of 6″2-and-a-half
Mad Tom246
The Negro President247 For his victory in the election of 1800, won because of the three-fifths compromise
The Red Fox248 For his red hair and political cunning
The Sage of Monticello249 Monticello was his Virginia plantation
The Moonshine Philosopher of Monticello250
The Man of the People251

edit 2 — John Adams (Jr)

The Duke of Braintree252 A sarcastic reference to his grandiose airs
His Rotundity253 Coined in response to Adams’ suggestion that President Washington be addressed as “His Majesty”; mocks Adams’ size
The Atlas of Independence254
The Colossus of Debate255 Given to him by Thomas Jefferson for his ability to argue a political case
Bonny Johnny256
The Father of the Navy257 He built up the US Navy during his presidency
Old Sink or Swim258 For the speech in which he vowed “To sink or swim; to live or die; survive or perish with my country”
Your Superfluous Excellency259 So called by Benjamin Franklin when Adams was vice president

edit 1 — George Washington

The Father of His Country260
The Sword of the Revolution261
The American Fabius262 For his military strategy during the Revolutionary War
The American Cincinnatus263 Like the famous Roman, he won a war, then became a private citizen instead of seeking power or riches as a reward
The Old Fox264 From a remark made by the British General, Lord Cornwallis, in January 1777
The Sage of Mount Vernon265 Mount Vernon, Virginia, was his family estate
The Farmer President266
The Surveyor President267
His Excellency268 An unofficial title used to honor Washington during his presidency, although he preferred the less exalted “Mr President”