President’s Doodles, by Megan Burnett

Awhile back, President Obama admitted to reporters that he has the hidden talent of doodling. He doodles “all kinds of things. Faces, people. So sometimes when I’m in a big important international meeting and you see me writings stuff down, it might be that I’m just drawing some, drawing some folks.”

But is he the only president that, instead of taking helpful notes, is busy sketching a doodle of a fellow politician?

Usually, when we think of the president in an important meeting or debriefing we don’t jump to the thought of him doodling and daydreaming—especially when it’s something important. But presidents are just like us, except that they’re the president. And it’s not just Obama. President Eisenhower drew sturdy, 1950s images: tables, pencils, and nuclear weapons; President Herbert Hoover’s scrawls provided the pattern for a line of rompers; and Ronald Reagan dispensed cheery cartoons to aides.2 On October 1993, while President Clinton was being debriefed on an incident between Somali militiamen and U.S. soldiers, he was seen doodling as well.

When President Andrew Jackson left office, he left behind dozens of doodles, including this drawing of an alligator.

President Eisenhower, unlike other presidents, doodled on agenda memos and official documents.

From artistic to random scribbles, many presidents have been noted for doodling during important meetings. Of course, these are just a few examples of the doodles presidents have made. I must say I enjoy knowing that during important meanings our leaders are trying to get their colleges glasses just right. It makes our presidents seem more human and normal. It’s nice to see how they are just like us.