The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep: The Friday Quiz: Hanging On Like a Soon-to-Be-Lame-Duck G.O.P. Congressman

The shameful lack of activity on this page continues to be evidence of the fact that personal computing time around the Wombat File Editorial HQ* has lately been restricted to only a few minutes a day. Those are generally spent feverishly checking politics news to see if any of the polls have changed. We freely admit to feeling a little bit desperate for a sense of political victory, and we've become fixated on Claire McCaskill's Senate challenge to Jim Talent in Missouri.

But you've come here to forget about the sordid world of politics, right? Well, I'm sorry to report that this week's head-squisher contains a typically indigestible nugget from American political history. Have at it:

The first U.S. President to leave office voluntarily after one term and not run for re-election was succeeded by the first U.S. President never to have before held elected office. Name the two men.

First correct answer (both surnames, in correct order) wins the Diebold "secret code" to ensure your vote is actually recorded by their machines and not just emailed to "karlr@electoralcontrol.gov". No Googling or trying to explain to the telephone poller that even though you've never once voted for anyone other than a Democrat you're really still an Independent. Not only won't they believe you, it won't help you answer the quiz. One guess (at both names) per comment, but comment as often as you like.

*Accounts Receivable, Human Resources, Puppeteering, and Non-Marsupial Animal Control have all, as of last quarter, been fully relocated to our Devil's Tower facility.

Comments

George Washington and John Adams? Or were there elected offices in the colonies that I've forgotten about?

Posted by: art | November 3, 2006 05:47 AM

OK, maybe U. S. Grant was the second one. Preceded by, wow, I don't know, Andrew Johnson (but he was impeached; does this count as voluntarily not running again?). So the order is Johnson, Grant.

Posted by: art | November 3, 2006 05:54 AM

I'm going with John Tyler, on whose front porch I was once introduced to Martin Van Buren's grand-nephew, and James K. Polk.

Posted by: herbivorous | November 3, 2006 08:59 AM

Nope.

Posted by: BT | November 3, 2006 09:25 AM

James Polk went home to die, and was succeeded by Zach "Schecky" Taylor.

Thank you TMBG.

Posted by: boxjam | November 3, 2006 10:09 AM

I'm pretty certain Tyler didn't seek election after his term, but since he wasn't elected to the Presidency in the first place, I guess it wouldn't technically be re-election.

Posted by: herbivorous | November 3, 2006 10:42 AM

God Damn They Might Be Giants. Is there a trivia question they haven't ruined with their playfully informative lyrics???

Boxjam (and the two Johns) are correct. I'd forgotten about that song about James K. Polk.

Taylor's military nickname was "Old Rough and Ready." He died just 16 months into his term. His successor enjoys the odd honor of having been the last U.S. President who was not...what?

Posted by: BT | November 3, 2006 11:20 AM

Well...circumcised. But the fact that his name was "Fillmore" was just coincidence.

Posted by: boxjam | November 3, 2006 11:29 AM

How about, a Republican or a Democrat.

Posted by: herbivorous | November 3, 2006 11:54 AM

If memory serves, Bill, you and I have even seen TMBG do that song live together (it was the first of the second set, where the first set was the entirety of Flood).

Posted by: gavinedwards | November 3, 2006 01:17 PM

Old Rough and Ready... didn't Trojan Condom Company appropriate that nickname?

... who was not Christian?

Gotta go pull some snot out of somebody's nose now. Hit me w/ some non-white boyz next week, Wombat!

Posted by: bootsy3000 | November 3, 2006 01:40 PM

herbivorous takes a few minutes away from new dad-i-tude and picks up the bonus. Fillmore was the last o' the Whigs.

Next week: whiter boys than ever!

Posted by: lewombat | November 3, 2006 11:49 PM

Oh, and if you haven't already, go visit the laura-herbivore Love Child in her virtual home:

http://equatorial.tv/jojo/jojo.html

Posted by: lewombat | November 3, 2006 11:51 PM