Apr 30
The Coolidge Effect
Scientists know this reflex as the “Coolidge Effect.” It earned its name many years ago when [US President Calvin] Coolidge and his wife were touring a farm. While the President was elsewhere, the farmer proudly showed Mrs. Coolidge a rooster that “could copulate with hens all day long, day after day.” Mrs. Coolidge coyly suggested that the farmer tell that to Mr. Coolidge, which he did.The President thought for a moment and then inquired, “With the same hen?”
“No, sir,” replied the farmer.
“Tell that to Mrs. Coolidge,” retorted the President.
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Coolidge most assuredly rocked. He is the Presidnet who responded to a whiny Congressman who complained “Will it EVER stop rainin’?” with “Well, it always has.” And who, when touring a backwoods part of the country, asked, “So, how is Prohibition around here?” On being told by the mayor, who suspected the President wanted a drink, “Oh, about the same as everywhere, I guess,” Coolidge replied, “Excellent.” But my favorite Coolidgism might not be appreciated by the Brits. The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War and the Secretary of State all confronted Coolidge with the impending Entente default on World War Loans, and the British appeals for debt forgiveness. On being told that many British subjects felt America hired their proud soldiers as mercenaries, Coolidge cooly retorted, “Well, they hired the money, didn’t they?”
He had an ideal temperament for the job and disdained micromanagement. I don’t have the exact quote (or the time to look it up), but he was once quoted as saying something like “If there are ten tires rolling down the road, nine of them will go into the ditch before they get to me.”