American Presidents In The Open Water

Photo of President John Kennedy and First Lady courtesy of Jacques Lowe, an internationally renowned photographer and photojournalist who chronicled the presidential campaign and presidency of John Kennedy.

Today marked the 56th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy.

This unfortunate historical fact reminded me about how many American presidents are or were comfortable swimming in the open water.

This list includes President Obama (off Oahu, Hawaii growing up), President John Quincy Adams (in the Potomac River in the early mornings), President Teddy Roosevelt (in the Potomac River during winter), President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (in the White House pool), President Harry Truman (off Key West, Florida), President John Kennedy (Harvard University swim team and off Cape Cod, Massachusetts), President Gerald Ford (Michigan YMCA and Camp David pool), President Ronald Reagan (a lifeguard and member of the Eureka College swim team), and President George Bush (outdoors including off Oahu, Hawaii)…and perhaps others.

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