U.S. President Facts That Will Make You See Them Differently

William McKinley thought telephones were stressful and avoided using them, even as the world rushed into the age of instant communication. While most leaders embraced the new tech, McKinley stuck to handwritten notes and face-to-face conversations, insisting the phone felt too abrupt and impersonal.

It’s funny imagining the president ducking a ringing phone like it was some spooky new machine. In a way, it makes him feel surprisingly modern — who hasn’t avoided a call they didn’t want to take? McKinley just took it to presidential levels.