The Greatest Presidential Burns in U.S. History

President Obama blew up Twitter thanks to his diss at the SOTU, but he's not the only president to throw down a burn when needed.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Wit is a necessary skill for any politician to have in his or her arsenal. It's even more important when politicians have their eyes set on the biggest seat of them all: the presidency.

Being able to deliver a quick comeback to a political rival can work wonders, in private and on the national stage. It could leave them paralyzed right where they stand, in front of millions of Americans. A good diss could even tip an election in a new direction.

Even when you've won the presidency, you still won't be able to let your guard down. Take President Barack Obama: after Republicans sarcastically applauded him during this week's State of the Union address when he mentioned that he had no more campaigns to run, he dropped his now legendary burn in front of an audience watching on televisions and the Internet all around the country. Humor is the best weapon.

Here are the best burns given by presidents, presidential-candidates, and their running mates.

“Whose shoes do you black?”

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"When they call the roll in the Senate, the senators do not know whether to answer 'present' or 'not guilty.'"

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"You lose."

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"I'm all for it."

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"I am not fit for this office and should never have been here."

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"The General doesn't know any more about politics than a pig knows about Sunday."

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"I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green!"

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"There you go again."

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"I will not make age an issue of this campaign..."

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"Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

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"I don't have any experience in running up a $4 trillion debt."

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"You got that little smirk on your face, you think you're so clever."

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"Rudy Giuliani, there's only three things he mentions in a sentence—a noun and a verb and 9/11."

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"Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well."

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"Lifting whole passages from someone else's speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox."

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"I don't look at my pension, it's not as big as yours."

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"Sometimes the words don't come out of your mouth the right way."

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"We also have fewer horses and bayonets."

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"I won both of them."

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