One perk of being the president of the United States is that you get a new car. And this is no ordinary car. For starters, it is usually referred to by names such as “The Beast,” “Cadillac One” and “first Car,” despite it not really being a car. This official state car of the President is currently a unique Cadillac that debuted in September, 2018.
This car is definitely not like the one that you are picking up the kids in for carpool. Actually, calling it a tank would be a more accurate title than a car. It is fitted with the essential bulletproof glass and reinforced with enough armor that it could withstand the intensity of a bomb. Thanks to its sealing capacity and internal oxygen system it can also uphold a nuclear attack. Basically, if disaster strikes, this is where you’d want to be. In an interview with CNN, Joe Funk, a former United States Secret Service agent and driver of Bill Clinton’s presidential state car during part of his service, described the car. He shared that while the president is completely cut off from the outside world by the armor and bulletproof glass of the vehicle, he has at his fingertips communication capabilities including phones, satellite communications, and the Internet.
The Famous Correspondents’ Dinner
While the president is by not required to show up to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, it is a long-held tradition for them to show up for some fun humor in which they are the butt of many of the jokes. Usually, journalists, comedians, athletes, and pop culture icons attend the event. The tradition began in 1921. So far, fifteen presidents have attended at least one dinner beginning with Calvin Coolidge in 1924. The dinner is usually held on the last Saturday in April, at the Hilton Hotel, in Washington. Until 1962, the dinner could only be attended by men. At the request of Helen Thomas, President John F. Kennedy refused to attend the dinner unless women would also be allowed to attend.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner celebrates the First Amendment. You know, that amendment that talks about free speech. So, the president is usually the one to get roasted. There are often scholarships and various awards handed out at the event which are funded by the admission fees. Many annual dinners have been cancelled or reduced due to deaths or political crises. The dinners have drawn criticism over years for becoming "too Hollywood." There is a lot of attention given to the guest list and entertainers, often obscuring the initial purpose of the dinner which is to "acknowledge award-winners, present scholarships, and give the press and the president an evening of friendly appreciation." This has led to the event becoming one in which people come to "see and be seen."
The "Nuclear" Football
Wherever the president goes, his "nuclear football" always follows closely behind. "The Football" is the nickname of the briefcase that follows Mr. President around. It is also known as the President's emergency satchel, the button, the black box, or (our personal favorite) the atomic football. The public has no idea exactly what is housed inside but you can be sure that it contains very important and secretive items. The football dates back to Eisenhower's presidency. However, its current purpose came about in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis when JFK was concerned that a Soviet commander in Cuba might launch missiles without approval from Moscow.
It's rumored that the briefcase has nuclear codes so that in the case of a nuclear attack, the president would have access to codes if needed. A small antenna protruding from the bag near the handle also suggests that the briefcase carries communications equipment of some kind. The briefcase apparently weighs roughly 45 pounds... so there must be some other top secret items hidden in there. The football, which is a metal Zero Halliburton briefcase, is held by an aide-de-camp. It is carried in a leather jacket.
Turkey Pardons
The National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation is a ceremony that began way back in the 1940s. However, Ronald Reagan was the first to coin the phrase, although he didn't technically use that word. During the ceremony, the President of the United States is presented with a live domestic turkey by the National Turkey Federation. The birds are usually males selected for appearance and gobbling sounds.
The first president to officially pardon a turkey was in 1999 when President Bill Clinton pardoned 'Harry the Turkey." During Trump's presidency, there was Drumstick in 2017 and Peas in 2018.
Driving in Public
One thing that the president and First Family are not able to do is operate motor vehicles on public roads. While those who are reluctant to get behind the wheel of a car may see this as a relief, many past presidents have felt as though a major privilege was being revoked from them. This can be especially burdensome for somebody like President Trump who has quite an impressive collection of cars. While having a driver to chauffeur you around is probably very convenient most of the time, there is something very liberating in driving. Some people may even call it therapeutic. But, presidents aren't allowed to drive on public roads, for safety reasons. The last president who was allowed to drive was Lyndon B. Johnson.
So you might be thinking, if the president and first family can't drive on public roads, can they drive on private ones? You bet they can. George W. Bush used to love driving his truck around his private ranch in Crawford, Texas. He shared with Jay Leno that he hasn't driven on public roads for nearly 25 years. He recently auctioned his truck for charity and raised $300,000. Ronald Reagan was also a fan of taking his jeep for a ride around his Santa Barbara property.