The most powerful position in the world, America's Presidency has tested the character of 43 men. Weak or strong, every President has changed history and made a difference.

"Being President is like being a jackass in a hailstorm," said the 36th President, Lyndon Johnson. "You just have to stand there and take it." 

Through history, hundreds of people have sought the office, which is a test of strength, skill, and courage. "We shouldn't elect a President," observed humorist Will Rogers. "We should elect a magician." 

The President has come in all shapes and sizes. Abraham Lincoln (16th) was our tallest, at 6'4", James Madison (4th) our smallest at 5'4", and William Howard Taft (27th) our biggest at 340 pounds. Ronald Reagan (40th) was our oldest, nearly 70 when he started his first term; Theodore Roosevelt (26th) the youngest at 42.

Andrew Johnson (17th) was illiterate until his bride taught him to read and write at age 18. Both Jimmy Carter (39th) and John Kennedy (35th) understood and read 2,000 words a minute. Richard Nixon was an accomplished pianist. Herbert Hoover (31st) loved to fly fish. Calvin Coolidge played the harmonica.

What the President does matters. Teddy Roosevelt, who liked to hunt, once refused to shoot a bear cub. His refusal inspired a political cartoon, which inspired a new toy, named the Teddy Bear. "No President has ever enjoyed himself as much as I have enjoyed myself," he said.

Dwight Eisenhower (34th), after living with all the world watching, thought otherwise: ""Oh, that lovely title, ex-president."

Make the best of your power. Take the rest as it happens.