BRIDGET'S GUIDE TO THE GREAT, NOT-S0-GREAT AND DOWNRIGHT ABOMINABLE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS

19) RUTHERFORD B. HAYES

President from 1877-81

Elected President after the tightest and most hotly contested race in US history up to that point. Democrats and Republicans were so at odds over the results of the election that an independent commission had to be formed to count the votes. Even then, there was still controversy when it turned out the commission was made up of seven Democrats and eight Republicans. Hayes won the electoral vote by one vote but was elected with 250,000 fewer popular votes than his opponent.

He signed legislation allowing women to argue before the Supreme Court

The first Siamese cat to show up in America was as a present for the First Day, Lucy Hayes who was a lifelong teetotaller but an unrepentent cat lover.

Hayes was the first President to visit the West Coast.

He started the tradition of the Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn.

He was the first president to have both a telephone and a typewriter in the White House.

He declined to run for a second term.