The news is full of statements by politicians and everyday citizens which are “disrespectful” of the president. Some people say this has got worse over the last few years. Reading history and historical biography books I recognized that making fun of the president is as old as the institution of the presidency itself.
Here is what they said about John Adams, when he tried to push for an elaborate title for the president:
At the start of Washington’s administration, Adams became deeply involved in a month-long Senate controversy over the official title of the President. Adams favored grandiose titles such as “His Majesty the President” or “His High Mightiness, the President of the United States and Protector of Their Liberties.” The plain “President of the United States” eventually won the debate. The perceived pomposity of his stance, along with his being overweight, led to Adams earning the nickname “His Rotundity.”
And Ben Franklin liked to refer to Adams as “Your Superfluous Excellency.” I am sure His Rotundity had some appropriate answers to Ben Franklin.