Surprising Daily Habits of U.S. Presidents
Being President of the United States leaves little time for anything outside the demands of the office. Nearly every minute of the commander in chief’s day is spent serving the country, be it attending cabinet meetings and press briefings or meeting with foreign leaders. But even with this jam-packed schedule, the 45 people who have served as POTUS found time for their own hobbies and interests. For some Presidents, that meant regular fishing trips or nightly dinners with the first family; for others, it meant something more unusual. Here are some surprising daily habits of former U.S. Presidents.
John Quincy Adams Skinny-Dipped in the Potomac
While serving as James Monroe’s secretary of state prior to his own presidency, John Quincy Adams frequently bathed nude in Tiber Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River that once flowed just south of the White House. In a July 1818 diary entry, Adams wrote that he would wake every morning between 4 and 5 a.m., walk 2 miles over to the creek, and enjoy a swim, sans clothing. Adams continued skinny-dipping in the Potomac during his presidency, swimming between 20 minutes and an hour each day. He did, however, eventually cut back per the advice of his physician, who spent years warning Adams about overexerting himself. But in 1846, 17 years after leaving office, a 78-year-old Adams returned to the Potomac for a final skinny-dip before his death less than two years later.
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William Howard Taft Ate Steak Every Morning
William Howard Taft is notorious for being one of the more portly Presidents in history, so it should come as no surprise that he consumed a substantial breakfast each morning. Taft began each day with a doctor-prescribed workout with a personal trainer in his private quarters, which he followed with breakfast at precisely 8:30 a.m. His usual meal consisted of a 12-ounce steak, plenty of buttered toast, and coffee loaded with large amounts of cream and sugar. You’d never find eggs on Taft’s plate, however, as they were one of the few foods he despised. As Taft got older, he eventually cut back to just a 6-ounce serving of steak for breakfast.
Calvin Coolidge Rode a Mechanical Horse
Calvin Coolidge’s time in office was unique for many reasons. He became President unexpectedly after the death of Warren G. Harding, and he was such a big animal lover that many unusual creatures occupied the White House during his term, including donkeys and raccoons. But one of Coolidge’s more notable quirks was his untraditional take on staying fit and healthy. Coolidge had a mechanical horse installed inside the White House that he rode three times a day in order to lose weight and improve his liver function. After the press caught word of this mechanical horse, Coolidge was teased relentlessly by his fellow politicians. To avoid further ridicule, he switched to an electric vibration machine that purportedly reduced the waistline.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Collected Stamps
Franklin D. Roosevelt had been fond of stamps since childhood, though it wasn’t until the 1930s, during his presidency, that stamp collecting coincidentally took off as a nationwide trend. With stamp fever sweeping the nation, the White House often published photos of FDR admiring and examining his stamps. Roosevelt was said to spend time every single day adding to and looking through his collection, and he even joined stamp clubs, participated in stamp auctions, and sketched out prospective designs.
Harry Truman Enjoyed Vigorous 5 a.m. Walks and Morning Bourbon
A morning stroll is often a relaxing activity, but Harry Truman’s daily strolls were conducted at a rather brisk pace. The 33rd President began every morning at 5 a.m. by putting on a suit and tie and stepping out for a 2-mile walk. But rather than a slow saunter, Truman preferred walking at a rate of about 120 steps per minute, equivalent to the pace of a traditional quick march in the U.S. Army. Upon returning to the White House, the President would down a shot of bourbon — at the advice of his doctor — eat a light breakfast, and begin his work day. Truman also spent many days in his hometown of Independence, Missouri, where he began his morning routine a little later, around 7:30 a.m. Those days would start with a shot of bourbon and a glass of orange juice, followed by a brisk walk around the neighborhood.
John F. Kennedy Smoked Four to Five Cigars Every Day
Some people enjoy a cigar after their wedding or the birth of a child, but cigars were more than an occasional indulgence for John F. Kennedy. JFK famously smoked four to five cigars every day, adding up to more than 4,000 cigars during his presidency alone. His preferred brands included Monticello and Upmann, the latter of which were Cuban cigars. This of course caused an issue when the United States implemented a trade embargo against Cuba in the early 1960s, but Kennedy planned ahead. One day in 1961, he called press secretary Pierre Salinger into his office and instructed him to purchase 1,000 Upmann Petit cigars by the following morning. Salinger went from shop to shop around Washington, D.C., and returned to the Oval Office with 1,200 cigars to satisfy the request. Shortly after, Kennedy signed a ban on Cuban products being sold in the U.S.
Lyndon B. Johnson Held Meetings in the Bathroom
Lyndon B. Johnson was an untraditional politician in many ways, not least of which was his habit of holding meetings with advisers while he was seated on the toilet. This was part of what became known as the “Johnson treatment,” a method of persuasion that relied on flattery, bullying, and other unusual tactics to win political victories. While walking down the hall, LBJ would regularly wander into the bathroom and tell his advisers to follow him inside so the meeting could continue. He even had telephones installed in various White House bathrooms, and also instructed aides to stand outside the shower to hold conversations while he bathed. On many mornings, LBJ began the day by inviting aides into his private bedroom, where he would conduct official business while still in bed with his wife, Lady Bird Johnson.
Ronald Reagan Constantly Snacked on Jelly Beans
Ronald Reagan was a heavy pipe smoker for much of his life, until he decided to quit in 1966 at age 55. In order to help satisfy his oral fixation and kick the habit, Reagan snacked on Goelitz Mini Jelly Beans (which later became Jelly Belly). Reagan was such a devoted fan of these candies that Goelitz sent a 3.5-ton shipment of special red (very cherry), white (coconut), and the newly created blue (blueberry) jelly beans to Washington, D.C., for his first presidential inauguration in 1981. After moving into the White House, Reagan always had jars of jelly beans within arm’s reach, as he snacked on them no matter where he was conducting business. In fact, the President issued a standing order of 720 bags of jelly beans every month — that’s 306,070 individual beans — to be distributed throughout many government buildings in the nation’s capital.
