A president walks into a bar...and gets to crack his own jokes for a change.

Presidential Joke Day is celebrated every year on August 11, and despite how it sounds, it's not a day designated for poking fun at the president (that's the other 364 days). This is a day to salute presidents with a sense of humor.

The holiday was created in honor of an infamous joke cracked by President Ronald Reagan on August 11, 1984.


During a sound check before a Saturday radio broadcast, Reagan said, "My fellow Americans. I'm pleased to announce that I've signed legislation outlawing the Soviet Union. We begin bombing in five minutes."

Reagan was unaware, however, that the feed was live. Word quickly made its way to the Soviets, who put their military on high alert. Those Ruskies never did have much of a sense of humor.

In celebration of Presidential Joke Day, we've compiled some of the funniest presidential quips throughout history. A sampling:

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'" —President Teddy Roosevelt

"Being president is like running a cemetery: you've got a lot of people under you and nobody's listening." —President Bill Clinton

"These stories about my intellectual capacity really get under my skin. You know, for a while I even thought my staff believed it. There on my schedule first thing every morning it said, 'Intelligence Briefing.'" —President George W.

Bush

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