10 US Presidents who loved to party

When we were kids, we were led to believe that our Presidents were the most moral, upright men in the country, basically the Pope in a suit and an American flag pin. Our presidents presumably went about their days talking to statesmen, signing bills, and at the end of it all, went back to the White House for a nice night with the wife and kids. Right? Nope. If hindsight has told us anything it’s that our presidents were hardly boy scouts all the time. In fact, a few of them were guys that we’d probably love to party with for a night (but just one, because it would probably get weird after that.) Here are 10 former presidents that really enjoyed a good rager.

1 James Buchanan

Okay, so the guy has been consistently ranked by historians as one of America’s worst-ever presidents. This is likely due to the fact that he was probably ripped 80% of the time he was in office. Buchanan was also the one and only president to remain a bachelor. With no wife or kids to keep him straight, he was free to indulge in his hedonistic lifestyle as much as he wanted. He was known to buy ten-gallons of whiskey every Sunday. TEN GALLONS. Oh you belong to a beer pong league? That’s nice.

2John F. Kennedy

Jack himself. One of our most beloved commanders-in-chief. While there are very few first-hand accounts of his partying, you only need to look at the company he kept for proof. JFK was a friend of Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack who performed at fundraisers. Even better, Kennedy has been linked to a years-long love affair with starlet Marilyn Monroe. The modern equivalent of that would be if Barack Obama hung out with the Gossip Guys and dated Angelina Jolie on the side. On top of all that, we should not forget that at his core JFK was just another Irish guy from Massachusetts.

3Martin Van Buren

The 8th president, Van Buren was a renowned drinker whose nickname “Blue Whiskey Van” pretty much speaks for itself. Van Buren was said to have such a high tolerance that he never seemed drunk. The best part is that he stood at an unimposing 5’6. You know that little dude at parties always doing keg stands and shotgunning beers, but never seems to go down? That’s Martin Van Buren. You never want to mess with guys like that.

4John Adams

If we had our way, that HBO miniseries based on Adams’ life would have been a lot more fun. As a 15 year-old at Harvard University, Adams reportedly had beer and bread for breakfast. In addition to that, Adams was an avid smoker who started at age 8 and didn’t quit until he was in his 70s. Despite these habits, John Adams lived to be 90 years old when old age finally did him in. Forget Sam, John Adams is a true party legend.

5 Bill Clinton

Did you think you were going to get through this list without Slick Willy? The man has had a political career spanning over 20 years and still managed to woo his fair share of women. The list (allegedly) includes former Miss America Elizabeth Ward, Gennifer Flowers, and a certain White House intern. But even beyond that, it’s quite obvious that Clinton loved to have a good time. Whether it was playing saxophone on Arsenio, or talking about his past drug usage on MTV, Clinton was always ready to get down with, and for, the American people.

6Ulysses S. Grant

The true characteristic of a partier is someone that can find time to celebrate in any occasion. Grant was known to drink and smoke all day while commanding Union troops in the Civil War. It was said that during the Battle of the Wilderness Grant smoked 20 cigars from sunrise to sunset. A die-hard drinker til the very end, Grant was actually revived from his deathbed after being given brandy. To be honest, we’d be kind of afraid to party with a guy like that.

7 Franklin Pierce

Despite being one of the lesser-known presidents, Pierce’s drinking habits have ensured that his memory will live on. He often found himself bored of his presidential duties and turned to alcohol for entertainment. After not being elected for a second term, Pierce was heard to have said “There is nothing left to do…but to get drunk.” Isn’t that what most people do when they retire anyway?

8 Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson, one of the most beloved presidents in history has flown under the partying radar. But what many folks don’t know is that Jefferson was alleged to have self-medicated with opium. Apparently, he loved the stuff so much that he had a garden of opium poppies growing at the Monticello. Who knew that Jefferson was one of the earliest hippies? You think they even had jam bands back in the early 1800s?

9 Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Do not let the wheelchair fool you. This is the guy that kicked it so hard with fellow notorious drinker Winston Churchill that they would be feeling the aftermath for days afterwards. His drinking was so ingrained in his political style that he made martinis for Joseph Stalin at the Tehran Conference. Oh, let’s not forget this is the guy that repealed Prohibition. Every night should begin with a cheers to good old FDR.

10 George W. Bush

Yep, good ol’ Dubya himself. During his tenure, political opponents and protesters would point to his DUI arrest and supposed former cocaine addiction as proof that he was unfit to lead the country. But no matter what you think of the guy, you have to admit he was probably a blast to party with. This is the same guy who stole a Christmas wreath from a hotel, the guy who asked a female guest at a family cocktail party “So what’s sex life after 50 anyway?” If you can’t crack a smile at that, you have no soul.

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