James Buchanan, our only bachelor president, no doubt acquired much "red phone" experience as roommate, prior to his election, of our only bachelor vice president, William Rufus de Vane King.

King, v.p. to Democrat Franklin Pierce, had campaigned with the slogan, "We Polked you in '44 and we'll Pierce you in '52".  Andrew Jackson liked to call King "Miss Nancy," because of his fashion predilictions.

King and Buchanan lived together for years, and Buchanan no doubt gained much First Lady-type experience from his access to high-level decision making and events on the world stage.

History has not looked kindly on Buchanan's administration, however, and his tendancy toward triangulation and devisiveness contributed to half of the states starting their own country, and the Dems losing the White House to a one-term Republican senator from Illinois.