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Myth of Presidential Drinking [Infographic]
What follows helps dispel the myth of 'presidential drinking' – in turn this infographic proves US presidents are a positive role model when it comes to avoiding alcohol. Please read with joy!
The Myth of Presidential Drinking via Rehab4Alcoholism.com
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About this infographic
Now that Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us we thought it a good time to conducted research examining the popularity of different alcoholic beverages amongst US presidents. The research reveals the overwhelming ‘myth’ of heavy presidential drinking.
Drink popularity
The research reveals whiskey was the most popular alcoholic beverage amongst US presidents. In order of popularity, whiskey was followed by wine, beer and then champagne, cider and then gin.
The myth of presidential drinking
The research we undertook reveals the majority of US presidents were moderate drinkers at best. 19% of presidents were completely teetotal. The research thus reveals the ‘myth’ of heavy presidential alcohol use. Many Americans believe their past leaders were heavy drinking hard men. In reality, most US presidents chose to drink very little alcohol. Many elected to drink no alcohol whatsoever.
We feel this research strengthens US presidents’ image as positive role models, particularly for America’s youth. Our research and resulting infographic send out a simple message to young people: if you wish to get ahead, you must elect not to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. The World Health Organisation says around 3 million deaths occur each year due to alcoholism, or around 6% of all global deaths. Therefore, we feel it is important to cast aside any notion that US presidents were heavy drinkers.
Research data
The below table includes data not included in the infographic due to space limitation. We include a ‘drink-o-meter’. This meter grades how much alcohol each president drank. Teetotal presidents scored 0 out of 5 whilst heavy drinking presidents scored 5 out of 5.
| President | Year of Presidency | Favourite Drink | Drink-o-meter |
| George Washington | April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797 | Whiskey | 2 out of 5 |
| John Adams | March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 | Cider | 2 out of 5 |
| Thomas Jefferson | March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809 | Wine | 2 out of 5 |
| James Madison | March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817 | Champagne | 1 out of 5 |
| James Monroe | March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| John Quincy Adams | March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Andrew Jackson | March 4, 1829 – March 4, 1837 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| Martin Van Buren | March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841 | Whiskey | 5 out of 5 |
| William Henry Harrison | March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| John Tyler | April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845 | Champagne | 1 out of 5 |
| James K. Polk | March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Zachary Taylor | March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| Millard Fillmore | July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Franklin Pierce | March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 | Whiskey | 5 out of 5 |
| James Buchanan | March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 | Wine | 5 out of 5 |
| Abraham Lincoln | March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| Andrew Johnson | April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 | Whiskey | 2 out of 5 |
| Ulysses S. Grant | March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877 | Whiskey | 3 out of 5 |
| Rutherford B. Hayes | March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| James Garfield | March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 | Beer | 1 out of 5 |
| Chester A. Arthur | September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885 | Wine | 3 out of 5 |
| Grover Cleveland | March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889 and March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 | Beer | 5 out of 5 |
| Benjamin Harrison | March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| William McKinley | March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| Theodore Roosevelt | September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909 | Teetotal | 1 out of 5 |
| William Howard Taft | March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913 | Teetotal | 1 out of 5 |
| Woodrow Wilson | March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| Warren G. Harding | March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| Calvin Coolidge | August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Herbert Hoover | March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Franklin D. Roosevelt | March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 | Whiskey | 2 out of 5 |
| Harry Truman | April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower | January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 | Whiskey | 1 out of 5 |
| John F. Kennedy | January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 | Cocktails | 1 out of 5 |
| Lyndon B. Johnson | November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969 | Whiskey | 2 out of 5 |
| Richard Nixon | January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 | Wine | 3 out of 5 |
| Gerald Ford | August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 | Gin | 2 out of 5 |
| Jimmy Carter | January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| Ronald Reagan | January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 | Wine | 1 out of 5 |
| George H. W. Bush | January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 | Beer | 1 out of 5 |
| William Clinton | January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 | Beer | 1 out of 5 |
| George W. Bush | January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 | Teetotal | 0 out of 5 |
| Barack Obama | January 20, 2009 – | Beer | 1 out of 5 |
| Global Avg = 1.5 out of 5 | |||
| Avg in 1800s = 1.86 | |||
| Avg in 1900s = 1.22 |