first president to visit all 50 states while in office

How Many Presidents Visited All 50 States Before Leaving Office?

By mark mancini | apr 26, 2015.

As you may have read, President Obama raised some eyebrows earlier this month when it was reported that he has only visited 49 out of 50 states since his first term began. The lone outlier? South Dakota.

“We’d always love to have him,” said ex-senator Tom Daschle, who suggested one of the state’s nine Indian reservations for a stop on Obama’s next road trip. Back in 2013, South Dakota’s department of tourism officially invited him over, noting “your wife and daughters have visited Mount Rushmore … now it is your turn.” And  don’t miss John Oliver’s brilliant take on Obama’s neglect of South Dakota (complete with a phony, somewhat NSFW ad).

A little over a week after the comedian’s bit aired, Obama announced that he would indeed be dropping by Watertown, S.D., where he’ll deliver a commencement address at Lake Area Technical Institute. By exploring the great states of South Dakota, North Carolina, Idaho, and Utah this year, Obama will soon become only the fourth sitting president in U.S. history to have set foot in all 50 states.

WHERE THE OTHER PRESIDENTS STAND

FDR would be on this exclusive list, if it weren’t for the fact that Alaska and Hawaii didn’t become states until 1959. Fittingly, the longest-serving POTUS managed to explore—or at the very least pass through—those two territories and all 48 extant states during his twelve-year stint in the White House. 

“Unfortunately,” says archive specialist Jim Armistead of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum , “no one has compiled a list of all the states which President Truman visited while he was in office.” Still, his public papers reveal that at least 40 hosted him at one point during his two terms. Furthermore, Armistead notes that before Hawaii joined the union, Truman stopped there “on his way to Wake Island for a conference with General Douglas MacArthur in 1950.” As for America’s other soon-to-be state, he considered taking an Alaskan vacation during the summer of ‘46, but ultimately opted for a New England getaway instead.

Dwight Eisenhower was technically the first president to serve all 50 states—under his watch, two new stars were added to our flag after Alaska and Hawaii joined the union. But despite that—as well as Eisenhower’s part in the creation of America’s interstate highway system —there were a few states that the 34th president never got around to seeing before he left D.C.

For example, Idaho , which got snubbed by Ike and his successor. In John F. Kennedy’s defense, he did manage a visit to every single state at some point (just not during his tragically-short administration). Next up was Lyndon Johnson, who made time for Idaho as chief executive, but neglected places like North Dakota .

Then came Richard Nixon. One day in 1971 , “Tricky Dick” met with Republican fundraisers at a Delaware estate. As unassuming as this little foray was, it capped a remarkable accomplishment. By crossing Delaware off his list, Nixon had done something that no previous president had—he’d checked out all 50 states while in office, and did so in less than three years.

According to his press secretary Ronald L. Ziegler, Nixon firmly believed in getting out and meeting everyday people—as his travels purportedly demonstrated. “He has done that,” said Ziegler . “I think he will continue to do that.” 

Unfortunately, Nixon’s sudden, scandalous departure didn’t give Gerald Ford much time to work with, and he couldn’t keep the fifty-state visitation streak alive. (Just like Johnson, North Dakota was among those Ford missed). Jimmy Carter also fell short during his one-term presidency, failing to reach such states as South Dakota and Vermont .

Let’s pause here for a moment, because the syrup-scented home of Ben & Jerry’s really deserves a shout-out. Historically, presidential visits to Vermont have been quite scarce. Before Obama was sworn in, three of the previous five commanders-in-chief never came calling on the New England gem. After Carter overlooked it, Vermont went on to become one of only four states that Ronald Reagan passed over (along with Maine, Rhode Island, and Delaware). Even so, the whole quartet voted for him in 1984—and all but Rhode Island had done so in 1980.

George H.W. Bush did in a single term what Reagan couldn’t in two, becoming the first president since Nixon to see every state. Bill Clinton then followed suit, squeezing in his final state just under the wire.

While Clinton was in office, GOP leaders in Nebraska began taking pride in an odd piece of trivia. “We have the distinction,” Governor Mike Johanns gloated at the Republican National Convention in 2000, “of being the only state in the union, I repeat the ONLY state in the union, never visited by Bill Clinton since he’s been president.” Naturally, the conservative crowd went wild. Four months later , Clinton finally showed and shook hands with Johanns himself when Air Force One touched down at the Kearney Municipal Airport.

George W. Bush spent time in a grand total of 49 states before calling it quits. Care to guess which one he spurned? (We’ll give you a hint: it starts with a “V” and rhymes with “croissant.”)

To say that the 43rd president wasn’t a popular guy in Vermont would be a serious understatement. After all, in 2008, two Vermont towns—Brattleboro and Marlboro—approved a nonbinding measure supposedly requiring local police officers to arrest Bush and then-VP Dick Cheney on sight. Perhaps it was for the best that the head of state kept his distance.

clock This article was published more than  8 years ago

Only three presidents have visited all 50 states in office. Until now

President Obama's visit to South Dakota Friday means he'll be able to strike a major item from his bucket list : visiting all 50 states while in office.

The president will travel to Watertown, South Dakota Friday to deliver the commencement address at the Lake Area Technical Institute. And with that visit, he joins a rare club of presidents who have made it to every state in the Union while in office. The others: Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. (Bush's spot in the club is particularly notable since he accomplished the feat before the end of his first and only term.)

Obama, who had yet to visit four states at the beginning of the year, has steadily been checking them off -- Idaho in January, South Carolina in March and Utah in April. That travel has been part of an expressed goal by the president himself to make it to all 50 states before he exits the White House in January of 2017.

[ Obama aspires to visit all 50 states as president .]

(As my colleague Colby Itkowitz  points out , Obama  has visited all 50 states already -- but that tally includes states he visited as a candidate and not as president.)

The White House is already taking something of a victory lap to commemorate the accomplishment: Pete Souza, the White House's chief official photographer, on Thursday published a photo gallery on Medium featuring one picture from each state visited to date.

Photo gallery of President Obama in 49 states. Tomorrow, it will be 50: http://t.co/4Xe1BjfpXf pic.twitter.com/grNaviAQAa — petesouza (archived) (@PeteSouza44) May 7, 2015

The politics of visiting all 50 states is hard to resist analyzing: all four of the final states that were left on his list are deep, deep red and didn't vote for him in either 2008 or 2012. Last year, Gallup tracked the president's average approval rating  in South Dakota at just 32 percent, with 62 percent disapproving. His supporters will be quick to point out he's visiting them anyway.

(Here it's also worth remembering that former president George W. Bush notably visited every single state before leaving the White House except Vermont, incidentally home to a heavy -- if symbolic -- push to impeach him.)

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a Republican, welcomed Obama's visit to the Mount Rushmore State and doesn't seem at all bitter about it being last: "The president has clearly saved the best for last, and we welcome him to our great state,” Thune said.

U.S. Presidents

Richard nixon.

37th president of the United States

Richard Nixon was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California . Unlike many presidents who came before him, he came from a family that often struggled against sickness and poverty. Two of his four brothers died by the time Nixon was 20. He paid for his education at nearby Whittier College by working long hours in his father’s grocery store. 

After he graduated from law school at Duke University in North Carolina , he returned home to be a lawyer. Back in southern California, Nixon met his future wife, Thelma "Pat" Ryan, when they acted together in a local play. Not long after that, he served as a noncombat naval officer from 1942 to 1946 during and after World War II.

GETTING INTO POLITICS

After the war ended, Nixon won seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946 and the U.S. Senate in 1950. By then, his opponents were calling him "Tricky Dick" because of what they called the "dirty tricks" (he was accused of illegal campaign funding and spreading false rumors about his political opponents, among other things) he used to get elected. He became Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president from 1953 to 1961. He lost the 1960 presidential race to John F. Kennedy and the 1962 California governor’s race before finally being elected president in 1968.

PRESIDENTIAL VICTORIES

In the White House at last, Nixon focused on protecting the environment and reducing crime in the United States. Internationally, he improved relations between the United States and China , becoming the first U.S. president to visit that country while in office.

During Nixon’s presidency, the United States was involved in what was known as the "space race," or a competition against the former Soviet Union, now Russia , to see who could land a person on the moon first. As part of a mission authorized by Nixon, U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. ( Read about the first moon landing .)

PRESIDENTIAL SETBACKS

Nixon entered the White House with a pledge to end the Vietnam War, a war between what was then the two separate countries of North and South Vietnam, in which the United States sided with South Vietnam. But this was more difficult than he thought it would be. In response to tense protests against the war across the United States, Nixon withdrew troops from the region, and the United States officially left the war in 1973. But the conflict continued without U.S. involvement, with fighting spreading to surrounding countries. Two years later, North Vietnam defeated the U.S. ally and took control of South Vietnam, becoming one unified country, Vietnam. Many Americans were angry about the cost of a war the United States did not win: 58,000 U.S. lives and $110 billion since 1956. Many people blamed Nixon for not getting the United States out of the war sooner, even though the war had been going on long before he became president.

Nixon further upset U.S. citizens by using some of the same dirty tricks he was accused of doing as a member of Congress. He and other staff members broke many laws in their efforts to discover embarrassing information about his opponents (a list of more than 40,000 names). They hired people to listen in on phone conversations, silenced helpers with money, spent federal campaign funds improperly, used government records illegally, and filed false tax reports. But Nixon’s biggest scandal was still to come.

THE WATERGATE SCANDAL

In 1972 members of Nixon’s administration hired men to steal files from Democratic Party offices at the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. (They hoped to find secrets there that would help Nixon, a member of the Republican Party, be re-elected later that year.) The burglars were caught, but the investigation didn’t move quickly enough to stop Nixon’s re-election in 1972.

For more than two years, Nixon and others tried to hide their involvement as newspaper reporters and members of Congress led investigations into the break-in. Eventually the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, forced Nixon to release secret tape recordings he had made of his White House conversations. The tapes confirmed that Nixon had lied about his innocence in planning and covering up illegal activities.

On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigned from office. If he hadn’t, he likely would’ve been impeached—or officially charged with misconduct in office—by the House of Representatives. If that had happened, he would’ve faced a trial in the Senate that could have removed him from office.

Nixon’s first vice president, Spiro Agnew, had resigned from office in an earlier, unrelated scandal involving bribery, or promising favors to people in exchange for money. So Nixon’s new vice president, Gerald R. Ford, became president. Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed or participated in as president, sparing him from future legal charges, called indictments.

LASTING LEGACY

After leaving the White House, Nixon moved to New York City, where he lived another 20 years. He later tried to win back people’s respect by writing books about government and policy. In the end, though, his abuses of presidential power became more important than his accomplishments, and many historians call Nixon’s presidency one of the worst in U.S. history. He passed away on April 22, 1994.

• Nixon always wore a suit and dress shoes, even when walking on the beach.

• As a student, Nixon broke into an office at Duke University to check his grades before they were released.

• Nixon was the first president to visit all 50 states while in office.

From the Nat Geo Kids books  Our Country's Presidents  by Ann Bausum and  Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents by Brianna Dumont, revised for digital by Avery Hurt

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Richard M. Nixon

Nixon’s parents were Francis Antony and Hannah Milhous Nixon. Nixon married Thelma Catherine Ryan (Patricia) in 1940. They had two daughters: Patricia and Julie.

Nixon’s presidency began with a strong, successful first term. When he took office the nation continued to be divided over the Vietnam War. Nixon was committed to peace and world stability. He withdrew American troops from Vietnam and ended the draft. Nixon also traveled to China and the Soviet Union, the first U.S. president to do so. While in Moscow Nixon met with Russian leader Leonid Brezhnev and succeeded in negotiating the strategic arms limitations treaty (SALT) to limit nuclear weapons. Nixon was reelected to a second term by a wide margin. However, his presidency ultimately ended in scandal and disgrace. In June of 1972 five burglars were caught planting wiretapping devices in the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Building in Washington, D.C. From the very beginning of the investigations, Nixon vehemently denied any previous knowledge of or association with the Watergate incident. An intensive investigation ultimately revealed that Nixon and most of his appointees had been illegally recording conversations at the White House, the Executive Office Building, and Camp David. These recordings proved that Nixon not only knew about the Watergate burglary, but also participated in its cover-up. Three articles of impeachment were brought against Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and the unconstitutional defiance of its subpoenas. Nixon was advised to resign, and at first he refused. However, learning that he would not win an impeachment trial, Nixon resigned the presidency in a televised address on August 8, 1974. He was the first and only president to have resigned.

Nixon’s successor, President Gerald Ford, issued to him a “full, free, and absolute pardon [for all federal crimes that he] committed or may have committed or taken part in” as president. Nixon accepted the pardon.

On accepting the Republican nomination for president, Nixon declared, “Let us begin by committing ourselves to the truth––to see it like it is, and tell it like it is––to find the truth, to speak the truth, and to live the truth.” (1968)

“Let historians not record that when America was the most powerful nation in the world we passed on the other side of the road and allowed the last hopes for peace and freedom of millions of people to be suffocated by the forces of totalitarianism. And so tonight––to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans––I ask for your support.” (Address to the Nation on the War in Vietnam; November 3, 1969)

During a televised question-and-answer session with the press, Nixon asserted, “I made mistakes but in all my years of public life I have never profited, never profited from public service. I’ve earned every cent. And in all of my years in public life I have never obstructed justice. . . . I welcome this kind of examination because people have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.” (November 17, 1973)

At This Time

1969: Following an attack on a U.S. plane on April 15, Nixon orders that reconnaissance flights off of North Korea be resumed • Nixon declares the Guam Doctrine, later known as the Nixon Doctrine, which specifies that though the U.S. will continue to recognize its treaty agreements, the U.S. also expects its allies to provide the human resources needed for its own defense • Nixon discloses his program for welfare reform, which includes the Family Assistance Plan • In November Nixon reveals that North Vietnam has rejected the administration’s secret peace offers, and he proposes a plan to withdraw troops slowly and in secret • Nixon signs the Selective Service Reform bill, ensuring that draftees are selected by a lottery system • A Gallup Poll indicates that 70% of those questioned feel that the influence of religion is declining in the U.S • The Woodstock Music and Art Fair is held near Bethel, New York, and more than 300,000 people attend • The Apollo 11 lands its lunar module on the moon July 20, astronaut Neil Armstrong steps on the moon July 21, and the crew returns July 24 • Two Mariner space probes send back pictures of the surface of Mars • 1970: The administration announces that it will seek to end de jure segregation (racial separation that is enforced by law) • Nixon signs an executive order ending occupational and parental deferments for the draft • In June Nixon addresses the nation through television, asking for wage and price restraint • Nixon approves and signs the Postal Reorganization Act, which establishes an independent U.S. Postal Service • In September Nixon meets with Israeli Premier Golda Meir to talk about problems in the Middle East • In a televised address, Nixon proposes a five-point peace plan for Indochina, which includes a “cease-fire in place” and the negotiated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam • Nixon signs the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970, which gives the Secretary of Labor the responsibility of setting workplace safety standards for jobs • Nixon signs a clean air bill that mandates that car manufacturers reduce certain pollutants by 90% • Student protests against the Vietnam War at Kent State University result in four students being killed by the National Guard • The films Paint Your Wagon starring Joshua Logan and True Grit starring John Wayne premiere • The world population in millions totals 760 in China, 550 in India, 243 in the U.S.S.R., and 205 in the U.S. • 1971: Nixon signs a Wage-Price Controls Bill, extending his authority to impose restraints on wages, prices, salaries, and rents to help curb inflation for another year • Nixon signs an Emergency Employment Act, which sets aside $2.25 billion to create public service jobs at state and local levels • In August Nixon declares a 90-day freeze on wages and prices, known as Phase One of his economic program; he announces Phase Two in October • Nixon signs an extension of the Economic Stabilization Act, to provide another year to stabilize the economy • The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington, D.C. • Cigarette commercials are banned from television • 1972: In late February President and Mrs. Nixon arrive in China • A joint announcement, later known as the Shanghai Communique, is released by the U.S. and China, which calls for both countries to normalize their relations and for the U.S. to withdraw gradually from Taiwan • In April Nixon enacts legislation devaluing the dollar • On national television, Nixon announces that he has ordered the mining (spreading of bombs below the water) of North Vietnamese ports and the bombing of military targets in North Vietnam • In May Nixon arrives in the Soviet Union for a summit meeting • On June 17 the police arrest five intruders inside Democratic Headquarters in Washington, D.C.’s Watergate Building––this begins the “Watergate” scandal • In August Nixon declares at a news conference that no one on the White House staff, in the administration, or anyone “presently employed” was involved in the Watergate break-in • Nixon endorses a bill that calls for revenue sharing with the states and grants over $30 billion to state and local governments over a period of five years • Nixon enhances the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the sale and use of pesticides • During the month of October Nixon signs sixty bills, one of which provides more than $5 billion in benefits for the aged, blind, and disabled, while also increasing Social Security taxes • On November 7 Nixon is re-elected in a landslide, and the next day he asks all agency directors, federal department heads, and presidential appointees to resign • Strict measures to prevent hijacking are implemented at U.S. airports • American swimmer Mark Spitz wins a record seven gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Munich • The U.S. military draft is phased out, and entry into the armed forces is now voluntary • 1973: Phase Three of the economic plan is announced, which ends wage and price controls in most industries • On January 27 the Paris Peace Accords are signed by all parties at war in Vietnam • Nixon declares a freeze on all prices for sixty days, with the exception of raw agricultural products and rents • On July 16 Federal Aviation Administrator Alexander Butterfield confirms that a taping system exists in the Oval Office as he testifies before the Senate Watergate Committee • In July Phase Four of the economic program is revealed, in which the freeze is lifted on all foods except beef and health-care products • On July 23 Nixon claims executive privilege and refuses to turn over the subpoenaed tapes to the Senate Watergate Committee • On December 21 Nixon increases Social Security benefits • Fighting breaks out in the Middle East between Arabs and Israelis • An unstable ceasefire remains in force as peace talks begin and break apart several times • The Arab oil-producing countries plan to embargo shipments to the U.S., western Europe, and Japan in retaliation for their support of Israel • The oil embargo triggers an energy crisis in the industrialized world • The U.S. Supreme Court rules that individual states can not prohibit abortions during the first six months of pregnancy • Three American Skylab missions are completed successfully • 1974: In his State of the Union address, Nixon refuses to resign and demands an end to the Watergate investigation • On July 24 the Supreme Court orders Nixon to turn over 64 tapes to the Senate Watergate Committee in an 8-0 ruling • The tapes reveal that Nixon not only knew about the Watergate burglary, but also participated in the cover-up • Three days later three articles of impeachment are brought against Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and the unconstitutional defiance of its subpoenas • On August 8 Nixon resigns the presidency, effective at noon the next day, in a televised address • The following day Nixon leaves for California • Gerald Ford becomes the 38th President of the U.S. • Worldwide inflation contributes to dramatic increases in the cost of fuel, food, and materials • Economic growth slows to almost zero in most industrialized nations • Journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward publish All the President’s Men • Four U.S. Episcopal bishops defy church law and ordain 11 women as priests • The U.S. Mariner 10 satellite transmits detailed pictures of both Venus and Mercury • India becomes the sixth nation to explode a nuclear device • Frank Robinson becomes the first African-American to manage a major league baseball team, the Cleveland Indians

Did You Know?

Nixon was the first president to visit all 50 states, as well as the first president to visit China and the U.S.S.R.

Nixon’s favorite president was Woodrow Wilson, whom he admired for his efforts to establish world peace. Nixon hung a picture of Wilson in his own office. After his inauguration, Nixon had Wilson’s presidential desk moved into the Oval Office so he could also use it. Nixon apparently was in the habit of working at the desk with his feet resting on it. His heels marred the surface, and a White House aid sent the desk to be refinished while Nixon was traveling abroad. When Nixon returned, he was not happy to see the repairs: “I didn’t order that. I want to leave my mark on this place just like other Presidents!”

In addition to the Watergate Scandal, other controversies damaged Nixon’s administration. Vice President Spiro Agnew was involved in bribery and tax-evasion schemes. He subsequently resigned in October 1973. Nixon’s own personal finances were later scrutinized, and it was determined that he had also been involved in tax evasion and owed more than $400,000 in taxes.

• NixonFoundation.org Research resources and information about the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation in Yorba Linda, California.
• pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/nixon Biographical and career information about Nixon sponsored by PBS.
• MillerCenter.org/president/nixon Biographical information, essays, and access to Nixon’s presidential speeches sponsored by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

Field Trips for Richard Milhous Nixon

Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace Yorba Linda, California NixonLibrary.gov

The twenty-two galleries of the museum memorialize Richard Nixon’s political career. Interactive video and touchscreen technology present the highlights and timeline of important events of his presidency, including the Watergate scandal. On the grounds are the gravesites of Mr. and Mrs. Nixon, which are surrounded by a beautiful English country garden, and the restored 1912 farmhouse where Nixon was born.

[Back to Presidential Fact Files]

With South Dakota trip, Obama has visited all 50 states

President Obama in Florida last month. With his visit Friday to South Dakota, he has visited all 50 states.

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When then-Sen. Barack Obama publicly claimed the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 after a long primary season, there was one blemish — he’d lost the South Dakota primary that day to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama also would lose the state twice in general elections.

That bit of political history, according to the White House, is not what kept Obama from visiting South Dakota during the nearly 2,300 days he’s been president — although he has managed to visit all 49 other states.

Finally, on Friday, Obama became the fourth president to have visited all 50 of the United States, when he delivered the commencement address at a community college here. For the loyal-blue Democratic president and deeply red state, it was a cause for celebration.

Many local residents lined the short motorcade route from the airport to the local high school, some looking as if they’d camped out for hours and others holding welcome signs.

“It’s good to be in South Dakota,” Obama told the commencement crowd.

“I was saving the best for last,” he added. “To the other 49, I hope you take no offense.”

Richard Nixon was the first president to visit all the states, achieving the milestone within his first three years.

It took President Clinton until his final weeks in office to visit No. 50, Nebraska — a trip planned only after he learned he was one short. President George H.W. Bush managed to visit all 50 states in his only term. His son ended his two-term presidency without having set foot in Vermont.

As Obama entered his last two years in office, his itinerary this year conspicuously included other states he’d been absent from during his presidency.

After his State of the Union address in January, he went to Idaho to discuss advanced manufacturing. Just over a month later, he went to South Carolina for a town-hall-style meeting. And in April he stopped in Utah for remarks on the economy.

The common factor: They were all states he’d lost twice in general elections. But the White House prefers to argue that he’s championing ideas that have bipartisan support, and visiting red states to help illustrate that point.

Obama continued that theme in Watertown, promoting his proposal to provide free community college tuition.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) noted that the school Obama visited, Lake Area Technical Institute, has one of the highest graduation and job-placement rates in the state.

“For the young men and women that are at the technical school, this is an experience of a lifetime for them,” said Rounds, who attended as the uncle of a graduate.

[email protected]

Twitter: @mikememoli

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Michael A. Memoli worked in the Los Angeles Times’ Washington, D.C., bureau from 2010-17, where he covered the White House, the 2016 presidential campaign, and national politics based in D.C. (plus a dozen or so swing states in presidential election years). A New Jersey native, he graduated from Loyola University in Maryland.

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Who Knew? U.S. Presidential Trivia

Which president was the first to visit all 50 states? How many presidents died while in office? Put your knowledge to the test and read up on these historical fast facts.

Just 11 weeks remain in the race for the White House. Thousands of Republican Party faithful will gather in New York City next week to nominate George W. Bush as their candidate for a second term as U.S. President. Last month Democrats anointed Massachusetts Senator John Kerry as their party's choice to lead the country. Ralph Nader, meanwhile, leads the list of independent and third-party candidates who are seeking the nation's top political job.

Getting into the campaign spirit, we compiled the following presidential trivia:

How They Measured Up

The smallest President was James Madison (Presidential term 1809-17). The fourth President, Madison stood 5 feet, 4 inches (163 centimeters) tall and weighed less than 100 pounds (45 kilograms).

The tallest President was Abraham Lincoln (1861-65). He stood 6 feet, 4 inches (193 centimeters) tall.

The heaviest President was William Howard Taft (1909-13), who sometimes tipped the scales at more than 300 pounds (136 kilograms) during his tenure. After he became stuck in the White House bathtub, Taft ordered a new one installed. The replacement was big enough to hold four grown men of average size.

The oldest President ever elected was Ronald Reagan (1981-89). The 40th President took office at the age of 69.

The youngest elected President was John F. Kennedy (1961-63), who reached the White House at 43. But the youngest President to ever serve was Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09), who was elected Vice President on a ticket with President William McKinley . In September 1901 a deranged anarchist shot McKinley twice in Buffalo, New York, and Roosevelt assumed the top office at 42.

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Benjamin Harrison (1889-93), the 23nd President, was the first President to attend a baseball game. He saw the Cincinnati Reds beat the Washington Senators 7 to 4 on June 6, 1892.

William Taft started the tradition of the Presidential "first pitch" of baseball season. The event took place on April 4, 1910, during an opening day game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.

Since Taft's first pitch, every President but one has opened at least one baseball season during their tenure. The exception: Jimmy Carter (1977-1981).

John Quincy Adams (1825-29), the sixth President, customarily took a nude early morning swim in the Potomac River.

George Washington (1789-1797), Thomas Jefferson (1801-09), and John Adams (1797-1801) were all avid collectors and players of marbles.

Assassination and Death

Four sitting Presidents have been assassinated while in office: Abraham Lincoln, James Abram Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1897-1901), and John F. Kennedy (1961-63).

Six other Presidents were luckier and survived their assassination attempts: Andrew Jackson (1829-37), Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09), Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45), Harry Truman (1945-53), Gerald Ford (1974-77), and Ronald Reagan (1981-89).

Other Presidents have died while in office:

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• William Henry Harrison (1841), the ninth President, died of pneumonia one month to the day after making—in the snow—the longest U.S. presidential inauguration speech on record.

• Zachary Taylor (1849-50), the 12th President, died in 1850 of an inflamed stomach and intestines just 16 months after he took office.

• Warren Harding (1921-23), who presided over a scandal-plagued administration, died suddenly on August 2, 1923. Medical records suggest Harding battled high blood pressure and died of a heart attack. But rumors at the time claimed Harding either took his own life or was poisoned by his wife, who sought to end Harding's notorious philandering.

• John Adams (1797-1801), the second President, and Thomas Jefferson (1801-09), the third President, both died on July 4, 1826. Calvin Coolidge (1923-29), the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872.

The first President born a U.S. citizen was Martin Van Buren (1837-41). Van Buren was delivered on December 5, 1782, making him the first President born after the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Virginia is the birthplace of the greatest number of Presidents. It boasts eight. Thirty-one states have never claimed a native son as President.

Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to travel abroad while in office; he visited the Panama Canal in 1906.

In 1943 Franklin Roosevelt made the first Presidential flight.

Richard Nixon was the first President to visit all 50 states.

Bill Clinton set a record for the most trips abroad: 133.

Elections and Politics

George W. Bush, the 43rd and current President, lost the popular vote to Al Gore in 2000. Bush is the fourth President to attain the highest office in the U.S. without the backing of the majority of the people. He shares the distinction with John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-81), and Benjamin Harrison.

James Monroe (1817-25), the fifth President, received every Electoral College vote except one. The holdout: a New Hampshire delegate who wanted to preserve the legacy of George Washington, the first and only President elected unanimously by the Electoral College.

Gerald Ford (1974-77) was the only President to serve who was not elected by U.S. voters either as President or Vice President. In 1973 then-President Richard Nixon (1969-74) appointed Ford Vice President after former Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned. When Nixon resigned from the White House on August 9, 1974 (the only President to do so), Ford became President.

Bill Clinton (1993-2001), the 42nd President, was the second President to be impeached. In 1998 Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives but acquitted by the Senate. Andrew Johnson was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1868, but he was also later acquitted by the Senate.

George W. Bush is the second President to follow in the footsteps of his father. George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st President. John Quincy Adams (1825-29), the sixth President, was the son of John Adams (1797-1801), the second President.

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What president visited all 50 states while in office?

According to the information available, President Richard Nixon was the first to visit all 50 states while in office. He achieved this milestone during his previous campaign. Other presidents who have achieved this feat while serving as president include Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

Who was the first president to travel to all 50 states?

The first president to travel to all 50 states was President Richard Nixon. He accomplished this during his previous campaign, making him the first president ever to visit all 50 states.

Who was the first president to visit a foreign country while in office?

The first president to visit a foreign country while in office was President Theodore Roosevelt. He traveled to Panama to inspect the construction of the Panama Canal. This marked the first visit abroad by any President or President-elect.

Who was the youngest president of the United States?

The youngest person to become U.S. president was President Theodore Roosevelt, who assumed office at the age of 42 after the assassination of President William McKinley. The youngest president at the time of his election to the office was President John F. Kennedy, who was 43 years old.

What countries did Obama visit as president?

During his tenure, President Barack Obama visited various countries around the world. Some of the countries he visited include Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, and Vatican City. He also made multiple visits to Canada, China, Poland, Afghanistan, Japan, and South Korea.

Which president had 15 kids?

President John Tyler had the most children among all the American presidents. He had a total of 15 children and two wives. He married Letitia Christian in 1813, and they had eight children together.

Which President served 3 terms?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt served for three terms as the President of the United States. He won a third term by defeating Republican nominee Wendell Willkie in the 1940 presidential election. He remains the only president to have served more than two terms.

Which President died at the youngest age?

President John F. Kennedy was the youngest U.S. president to have died. He was assassinated at the age of 46 years, 177 days. In terms of natural causes, President James K. Polk died at the youngest age of 53 years, 225 days due to cholera. President George H.W. Bush, who died at the age of 94 years, 171 days, is the oldest living former U.S. president.

Who is the oldest living U.S. president?

The oldest living former U.S. president is President Jimmy Carter. At the age of 99, he holds the record for being the longest-lived president in U.S. history. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.

Which founding president never owned slaves?

Among the founding presidents of the United States, John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams were the only two who never owned slaves. John Adams famously said that the American Revolution would not be complete until all slaves were freed.

Who was the smallest president?

The tallest U.S. president was Abraham Lincoln, standing at 6 feet 4 inches (193 centimeters), while the shortest was James Madison, who stood at 5 feet 4 inches (163 centimeters).

Who were the 4 presidents that were assassinated?

There have been four U.S. presidents who were assassinated in American history. They are:

• Abraham Lincoln, assassinated in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth.
• James A. Garfield, assassinated in 1881 by Charles J. Guiteau.
• William McKinley, assassinated in 1901 by Leon Czolgosz.
• John F. Kennedy, assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald.

Who is the only president buried in Washington DC?

President Woodrow Wilson is the only U.S. president buried in Washington, D.C. He was interred at the Washington National Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

What president was a bartender?

President Abraham Lincoln was a licensed bartender before becoming president. He was also a part-owner of a store in Illinois called Berry and Lincoln, which sold various items including liquor.

Who is the only president who resigned from office?

President Richard Nixon is the only U.S. president who resigned from office. He resigned following the Watergate scandal, making him the first and only president to do so.

Has a sitting president ever died of old age?

No president has died of old age while in office. However, there have been four U.S. presidents who died in office due to natural causes: William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

How many presidents have been assassinated?

Four sitting U.S. presidents have been assassinated in American history. They are Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy.

How many terms did Obama serve?

President Barack Obama served two terms as the President of the United States. He was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. His presidency lasted from January 20, 2009, to January 20, 2017.

Whose presidency was the shortest in United States history?

President William Henry Harrison holds the record for the shortest presidency in U.S. history. He served for only 32 days before passing away due to pneumonia.

Which president had a child at 70?

President John Tyler had a child when he was 70 years old. His youngest child was born in 1860.

What president had his sister as first lady?

President Grover Cleveland had his sister, Rose Elizabeth “Libby” Cleveland, serve as acting first lady from 1885 to 1886. She filled this role during President Cleveland’s first term in office.

Who was the only unmarried president?

President James Buchanan remains the only U.S. president who never married. He served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861.

Who was the president who visited all 50 states while in office?

President Richard Nixon was the first to visit all 50 states while in office, achieving this milestone during his previous campaign. Other presidents who have accomplished this feat while serving as president include Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

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The Presidents of the United States - Timeline and Trivia

Last updated July 11, 2017

Other Trivia:

• Four presidents had no Vice President: John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson and Chester Arthur.
• Who married a future president and was the daughter of a president? Sara Taylor, the daughter of President Zachary Taylor, was the wife of Jefferson Davis, the future president of the Confederacy, but she died of malaria after being married only 3 months.
• Who was our tallest president? Abraham Lincoln at 6 feet four inches.
• Who was our shortest president? James Madison, at 5 feet and 4 inches and 100 pounds.
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Watch CBS News

Obama to hit 50 on state visit scoreboard

By Mark Knoller

Updated on: May 9, 2015 / 12:48 PM EDT / CBS News

It's no accident that President Obama is giving his first commencement speech of the season in the last of the 50 states he had yet to visit as president.

"The President wanted to visit all the 50 states while he was president," said press secretary Josh Earnest, conceding that reaching the 50-state milestone was a factor in the choice of Lake Area Technical Institute in South Dakota. South Dakota is the one missing picture in Chief White House Photographer Pete Souza's photo essay on Medium - he selected a single photo from every state to capture both Mr. Obama's six-year sojourn through the country, as well as through some of the major moments of his presidency.

The South Dakota visit secures Mr. Obama's membership in the 50-state club, that subset of U.S. presidents who have visited each of the states: Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

President Obama used the last year to pay visits to a number of red states he lost by sizeable margins both in 2008 and 2012.

"I got whupped," said President Obama in January, on his first visit to Idaho. "I got whupped twice. But that's okay, I've got no hard feelings," he told a university audience at Boise State, though he was clearly in no hurry to visit the states that rejected him.

Conversely and not surprisingly, our CBS News tally shows the president most frequently visited states he won in his bids for election and re-election:

Virginia (72 visits) and Maryland (64 visits) have seen the most of the president - more for reasons of proximity to Washington, D.C., than anything else. (And both of those numbers exclude golf outings.)

New York (49 visits) has also been a favorite destination for the president because of the U.N. and because it's home to quite a few wealthy Democratic donors.

Ohio (41 visits) was decisive in Mr. Obama's re-election victory. He won the state with 50 percent of the vote in 2012, compared to Mitt Romney's 48 percent.

And Florida (38 visits) is another fundraising mecca for Democrats.

Visiting each of the 50 states is a relatively new presidential milestone that wasn't even possible until 1959, since that's when Hawaii became the 50th state.

Still, it would be another 12 years before a president would visit every state. In October 1971, President Nixon became the first president to visit all 50 - by making a 3¼ hour visit to Delaware to meet with Republican fundraisers.

Twenty-one years later, President George H.W. Bush reached the 50-state threshold during his one term in office.

President Clinton took nearly two full terms, waiting until the final weeks of his presidency to visit Nebraska - his 50th state.

President Reagan fell four states short of 50. President George W. Bush knew he need only visit Vermont to make complete his visits to all the states, but chose not to. He may not have been optimistic about the welcome he'd receive there, having lost Vermont in both '00 and '04.

• Barack Obama

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent.

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President Biden Becomes the First to Visit All 50 States

President joe biden achieves his goal of visiting all 50 states.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — President Joe Biden is making his way to the Beehive State this week and Utahns have mixed feelings about it. As President Biden visits Utah, he achieves a significant milestone by becoming the first president to visit all 50 states. This achievement marks a major item checked off his bucket list and sets a new record for presidential travel.

President Obama's visit to South Dakota on Friday means he'll be able to strike a major item from his bucket list: visiting all 50 states while in office. President Obama's visit to South Dakota brings him to the last state he had yet to visit during his presidency, completing his goal of traveling to every state. This accomplishment highlights the dedication and commitment of our presidents to connect with Americans across the nation.

Joe Biden will become the eighth sitting U.S. president to visit Ireland this week. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, President Biden seeks to strengthen ties between the United States and Ireland. This visit to Ireland showcases the importance of maintaining relationships with international partners and fostering diplomatic connections.

President Joe Biden's visit to tornado-battered Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on Friday holds historical significance. He follows in the footsteps of a previous president who also visited this location. By visiting this devastated area, President Biden shows his commitment to supporting and uplifting communities in times of crisis.

While George Washington may receive fanfare for being the first commander-in-chief, there are numerous presidential milestones that deserve recognition. President Biden's achievement of visiting all 50 states adds to the rich tapestry of presidential accomplishments throughout history. It demonstrates the dedication of our leaders to engage with citizens from every corner of the country.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is on his way to Washington, where he will meet US President Joe Biden. This visit marks President Zelensky's first foreign trip and signifies the importance of international relations. President Biden's meeting with President Zelensky demonstrates the United States' commitment to supporting its global allies and fostering cooperation on the world stage.

The personal experiences of individuals who have interacted with various presidents also contribute to the historical narrative. From horseback riding with Ronald Reagan to yachting with Bill Clinton and sipping tea with Joe Biden, these encounters provide unique insights into the personal lives of our leaders. Such experiences showcase the diverse relationships between presidents and individuals from different walks of life.

Over seven decades, the late queen met with 13 of the last 14 American presidents, emphasizing the close friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom. These moments symbolize the enduring bond and strong ties between the two nations. The interactions between the queen and American presidents reflect the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic relationships.

When then-Sen. Barack Obama publicly claimed the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, it marked a significant moment in history. This event solidified his path to becoming the first African American president of the United States. The Democratic presidential nomination announcement represented a pivotal moment in American politics and set the stage for Obama's groundbreaking presidency.

In conclusion, President Joe Biden's achievement of visiting all 50 states is a historic milestone in presidential travel. This accomplishment showcases his commitment to engaging with Americans from all corners of the country. It also highlights the importance of maintaining relationships with international partners and supporting communities in times of crisis. President Biden's visit to Utah brings mixed feelings from Utahns, reflecting the diverse opinions surrounding his presidency. Overall, this milestone adds to the rich tapestry of presidential achievements throughout history.

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Who Was the First U.S. President to Travel Abroad While in Office?

By: Elizabeth Nix

Updated: November 3, 2023 | Original: October 26, 2015

Theodore Roosevelt was the first commander in chief to travel outside the U.S. on official business when he sailed to Panama in November 1906. Roosevelt made the trip in order to inspect the construction of the Panama Canal , a project he’d championed.

In 1943, in the midst of World War II , Roosevelt’s fifth cousin, Franklin, became the first sitting American president to fly on an airplane when he journeyed to Casablanca, Morocco, for a strategy meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill . Franklin Roosevelt took to the skies in a commercial aircraft; the following year, for the first time ever, a plane was configured specifically for presidential use.

Other commanders in chief who were among the earliest to venture beyond America’s borders while in office include William Taft , who in 1909 made the first U.S. presidential visit to Mexico. In 1923, Warren Harding became the first to visit America’s neighbor to the north, Canada, stopping in Vancouver on his way back from the first-ever presidential trip to Alaska. As it happened, Harding died a week later, in San Francisco. Woodrow Wilson was the first sitting U.S. president to travel to Europe when he sailed to France in December 1918 for a World War I peace conference. Calvin Coolidge ’s lone international trip was to Cuba in 1928 to attend a conference; he’s one of the only U.S. presidents to have visited the Caribbean nation.

In 1945, Franklin Roosevelt became the first American president to visit Russia when he attended the wartime Yalta Conference with Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin . In 1959, Dwight Eisenhower became the first to make a trip to India, while in 1972 Richard Nixon was the first to visit China . Two years later, Gerald Ford was the first sitting U.S. president to travel to Japan. His successor, Jimmy Carter , was the first to make a state visit to Sub-Saharan Africa when he went to Nigeria in 1978. More recently, Barack Obama made the first-ever U.S. presidential visits to Cambodia and Myanmar, in 2012, and Kenya and Ethiopia, in 2015.

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• Who Was the First US President to Visit a Foreign Country While in Office?

Introduction

Theodore Roosevelt was the first serving president of the United States to travel out of the country on official business. Although preceding presidents had traveled outside the United States on other diplomatic capacities, Roosevelt was the first to make a state visit while in office. On November 9, 1906, Roosevelt embarked on a 17-day trip to Panama and Puerto Rico to examine the construction progress of the Panama Canal. Roosevelt's visit signaled a new era in the way serving presidents formed diplomatic relations with other countries.

First Diplomatic Visit

In the 19th century, international travels by serving presidents were taboo according to American social conventions. The public did not want their presidents to exchange bows, visit grand palaces, and mingle with royalty from other countries. The American public only welcomed domestic travels by politicians, as it gave them an opportunity to interact with those they had elected. However, towards the beginning of the 20th century, federal policymakers began evaluating the country’s role in international affairs, thus commissioning the first state visit by President Teddy Roosevelt. During his political career, Roosevelt believed that countries, just like individuals, ought to pursue law, peace, and order as part of the strenuous life and maintain diplomatic stewardship with other countries.

Roosevelt took office in 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley, and hoped to assert influence in Central and South America following his previous experiences in the region. In 1897, Roosevelt was appointed Secretary of the US Navy by President McKinley. During his term as Naval Secretary, Roosevelt commissioned the construction of the Panama Canal to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. He considered the canal a symbol of America's triumph in determination and technological know-how. The canal suffered major setbacks, including fatal accidents and disease outbreaks among construction workers, and as a result Roosevelt demanded improvements in the working conditions, including the provision of better healthcare. A photo of the president working the controls of a large steam shovel rekindled morale for the canal's completion. Construction of the canal is considered his greatest accomplishment as president.

After his visit to the Panama Canal, Roosevelt visited Puerto Rico and recommended that the country’s citizens become US citizens, but that Puerto Rico remain autonomous. In 1900, President McKinley promised to establish a civilian government in the country after the Spanish-American War. After McKinley’s assassination in 1901, Roosevelt took over the stewardship of Puerto Rico, making the island an autonomous country without US occupation. His wish was executed in 1916 during the reign of President Wilson Woodrow, through the Jones Act that made Puerto Ricans official US citizens, while preserving the island's autonomy. Upon completion of his visit, Roosevelt returned to the US on November 26, 1906.

Modern Diplomatic Visits

After the Second World War, international visits by Presidents of the United States became a valuable part of American diplomacy and international relations. In the 21st century, international travels have become complicated undertakings that require months of planning, as well as a great deal of coordination between states.

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