Thursday, March 15, 2012

Putin at Camp David

President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin  at Camp David - Sept. 26, 2003 

President George W. Bush met with Putin at Camp David in September 2003 to discuss bilateral cooperation. According to this story in Pravda, the two leaders arrived at the retreat in separate helicopters and headed toward Putin's cabin (which looks like Dogwood from the above photo) in a caravan of 15 golf carts.

The full text of the remarks of President Bush and President Putin can be read on this archived version of whitehouse.gov.



Putin - Bush press conference at Camp David



President Bush and President Putin in a discussion in the Aspen Lodge






 


Sources: The White House; Pravda; AP,  Reuters;




Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Ice Skating at Camp David

Three children ice skating at Camp David in February 1962

The JFK Library recently released some photos of children skating on a frozen pond at Camp David in 1962. The children were not identified in the photo. The only reference I could find on the internet about ice skating at Camp David came from a 1963 newspaper article about Bobby Kennedy's 50 mile hike in response to President Kennedy's fitness initiative. The story mentioned that he went ice skating at Camp David with his family the following day.


Ice skating pond at Camp David - 1962






Sources: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library; The News and Courier






Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Skiing at Camp David

The Carter family cross-country skiing near Camp David in 1979

In his Sharing Good Times book, President Carter wrote about his family's winter activities at Camp David: "We enjoyed our first experience with cross-country skiing within the presidential retreat and along the hiking and equestrian trails in nearby state parks. We also had sleds and snowmobiles that we used on the steep slopes within the camp."

He went on to describe one mishap: "I was skiing down a steep slope near our cottage on very thin snow, hit an exposed rock, and broke my left clavicle just two weeks before my term as president expired".

This 1978 newspaper article describes President Carter's plans to have his family take up cross-country skiing at Camp David. He told reporters he thought the terrain at Camp David would be ideal and that they could follow the perimeter fence for two and a half miles.

The Jimmy Carter Library has all of the Carter Presidential Daily Diaries available online. The February 11, 1979 diary describes a day skiing around Catoctin Mountain Park; having lunch at the Misty Mount Lodge; and then skiing to the park visitors center. This March 1980 diary describes the President and his party departing Camp David on skis, briefly returning to Laurel Lodge and then going out again for more cross-country skiing.

Clintons skiing at Camp David
The Clintons also enjoyed cross-country skiing at Camp David.

President Clinton was quoted in a newspaper article about a 1994 trip to Camp David: "I didn't set any Nordic records yesterday cross-country skiing, but we had a wonderful time."



Sources: Sharing Good Times by Jimmy Carter; Gettysburg Times; Jimmy Carter Library; People; National Park Service; Milwaukee Journal







Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Snowmobiling at Camp David

President Ford riding a snowmobile outside Aspen Lodge. Dogwood cabin is in the background - February 1975

President Ford enjoyed riding a snowmobile around Camp David along with his daughter Susan. The Gerald R. Ford Library has recently digitized all of the photos taken during the Ford Administration. The Ford trip to Camp David over the weekend of February 8-9 1975 produced many photos of the President and his daughter snowmobiling that weekend. 


Susan Ford riding a snowmobile at Camp David with a friend and with President Ford - February 1975

The Secret Service purchased snowmobiles for use at Camp David during the Carter Administration. President Carter liked to go cross-country skiing with his family in and around Camp David. The Secret Service was concerned about the possibility of the President injuring himself while skiing and having no way to transport him back to camp for medical attention. 

Two days after the snowmobiles arrived at Camp David, they were put to use when President Carter took a fall while skiing and had to be brought back to the retreat on the snowmobile.


President Ford with his dog Liberty





Sources: Gerald R. Ford Library; The President is at Camp David; Spokane Daily Chronicle





Saturday, January 7, 2012

President Obama at Camp David

As of 7/31/2016 -  Number of visits to Camp David:  39

Last Updated: July 31, 2016


2009
President Obama and his family spent their first weekend at Camp David in February 2009.  He described his visit to reporters:  "It was beautiful. The girls just had a great time. They had a lot of fun. You can see during the summer it's going to be a nice place to spend a lot of time."  He hit some golf balls and played basketball there that weekend.

In June 2009, Time Magazine reported that President Obama was going to make the Evergreen Chapel at Camp David his primary place of worship because his presence at local church services was often disruptive due to the security requirements. President Obama confirmed this in an NBC interview in 2010:  "We love the chapel at Camp David."

President Obama plays basketball at Camp David with senior staff and their family during a retreat on July 18, 2009 

According to the recently published book The Obamas, the First Lady planned a surprise birthday party for the President in 2009. On the first weekend in August, the first family headed to Camp David for a supposedly quiet weekend.  Upon arrival, the President was called to Laurel Lodge for an important phone call. When he walked in, his closest friends from Hawaii and Chicago, some college friends, and David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs shouted "Surprise!". They had all arrived the night before. They spent the weekend playing basketball, pool, golf, shuffleboard, bowling and Scrabble. Gibbs reported to the press upon returning to the White House that the President bowled a 144 that weekend.

Later in August, Boston University basketball player Sherrod Smith got the chance to play basketball with President Obama at Camp David. The story, photo and video about this opportunity is on the BU website. Politico reported that Oprah Winfrey joined the Obama family at Camp David for a "quiet weekend" also some time in 2009.


2010
The President and First Lady celebrated Valentine's Day at Camp David in 2010. Later in April, Michelle  took Malia and Sasha skiing for the day at Ski Liberty in Pennsylvania. The President met them at Camp David that evening for an overnight stay. President Obama invited the Cabinet secretaries and their families to Camp David later that year in October.

President Obama, VP Joe Biden, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan's daughter Claire watch a tennis match at Camp David during a Cabinet retreat held in October 2010


2011
After an eight month absence from Camp David, the Obama family celebrated Sasha's tenth birthday at the retreat in June 2011. They returned again a few weeks later for the Fourth of July weekend; also the weekend after that; and again in August after President Obama's 50th birthday; and over Labor Day weekend in September and Columbus Day weekend in October 2011.

President Obama playing with daughter Sasha on her birthday weekend in June 2011

President Obama in his office at Laurel Lodge - August 6, 2011


2012
In May 2012, President Obama hosted the G8 Summit at Camp David. View more photos of the G8 Summit. He returned a couple weeks later in early June for an overnight visit. For the fourth year in a row, the Obama family spent the long weekend prior to the Fourth of July (which is also Malia's birthday) at the presidential retreat. He returned to Camp David the following weekend. President Obama celebrated his 51st birthday there in early August and went back there with his daughters and their friends for a weekend at the end of the month. In mid-October, the President headed to Camp David to prepare for his last presidential debate.

G8 Summit dinner in Laurel Lodge
President Obama meets with leaders in Aspen Lodge

President Obama reads briefing material while meeting with advisors inside Aspen Lodge - October  21, 2012

2013
In January 2013, President Obama told The New Republic in an interview that he goes skeet shooting "all the time" with his guests when he's up at the retreat. Some people were skeptical about this and wanted to see some proof. The White House released the photo below on 2/2/2013.

President Obama took his 30th trip to Camp David the weekend following the Fourth of July holiday to spend time there with his family. On July 26th, he invited his Cabinet members and their families to Camp David for the day. President Obama returned to the presidential retreat for the weekend of August 3rd to celebrate his 52nd birthday on August 4th.

President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. 
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

2014
President Obama went on a family trip to Camp David on the weekend of July 18-20.  He returned a couple weeks later (Aug 2-3) to celebrate his 53rd birthday. He went back again for a weekend stay in mid-September.

2015
President Obama's first trip to the retreat in 2015 was for a weekend visit (May 2-3). On May 14th, the President held a summit meeting with representatives from the six nations that form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). He returned to Camp David the first weekend in August for an early-birthday celebration with his high school, college and Chicago friends.


President Barack Obama shakes hands with His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, as Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders prepare to have a group photo with the President outside of the Laurel Cabin at the conclusion of a summit meeting at Camp David, Md., May 14, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

2016
President Obama celebrated his 55th birthday at Camp David a few days early over the last weekend in July (7/30-31).



DATES OF OBAMA TRIPS TO CAMP DAVID

The dates of the visits below came from various news reports and the GPO's "Public Papers of the Presidents" website:

2009:  Feb 7-8; March 7-8; March 21-22; March 27-29; May 23-24; July 3-4; July 18-19; Aug 1-2; Aug 21-23; Sept 2-6; Nov 7-8

2010:  Feb 14; March 26-27; July 2-3; Sept 3-5; Oct 2-3

2011:  June 10-12; July 1-3; July 9-10; Aug 5-7; Sept 2-5; Oct 8-9

2012:  May 18-19; June 2-3, June 30 - July 4; July 6-8; August 4-5; August 24-26; Oct 19-22

2013:  July 5-7; July 26; August 3-4

2014:  July 18-20; August 2-3, September 19-21

2015:  May 2-3; May 14; August 1-2

2016:  July 30-31


As of July 31, 2016
Total number of visits: 39
Total number of days at Camp David: 96



Sources: Huffington Post; CBS News; The Swamp; Politico; Washington Post; Time; New York Times; Obama Foodorama; The Obamas by Jodi Kantor; White House; GPO Obama schedule 2009; GPO Obama schedule 2010; GPO Obama schedule 2011; @MarkKnoller; GPO Obama schedule 2012; GPO Obama schedule 2013; GPO Obama schedule 2014;  The New Republic; Chicago Sun-Times; GPO Obama schedule 2015; GPO Obama schedule 2016





Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Winter at Camp David

Camp David in the winter - 1961

Located at an altitude of 1800 feet up in the Catoctin Mountains, Camp David is always cold and often snowy in the winter. The Aspen Lodge has a large stone fireplace in the living room along with a fireplace in each of the four bedrooms. Winter activities include sledding, skiing, ice skating, and snowmobiling.  President Ford used to enjoy going swimming in the middle of winter in the outdoor super-heated pool.

President Eisenhower watching grandchildren - March 1960 


David Eisenhower, grandson of President Eisenhower, recalls Camp David in the winter:
"In winter, before helicopters, access up the winding Catoctin roads was difficult, so wintertime visits were less frequent. But I do remember making my first ski run ever on the hill behind Aspen."
1961 photo of the former Laurel Lodge - now called Holly Cabin

Witch Hazel cabin in 1961

Ice Skating in 1962

Aspen pool in February 1971

President Ford riding a snowmobile in February 1975

President Carter sledding at Camp David

President Carter and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat - February 1978


President Reagan writing the State of the Union Address at Camp David - 1985

President Bush sledding with daughter Doro - January 1991

The Clintons cross-country skiing in 1994


President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair






Sources:  Eisenhower Presidential LibraryJohn F. Kennedy Presidential Library; Ronald Reagan Presidential Library; Gerald R Ford LibraryJimmy Carter Library; George Bush LibraryThe President is at Camp David; Time; People




Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Camp David Marines Reunion


President Eisenhower and his wife Mamie in front of Aspen Lodge - 1960

Camp David has been guarded by a marine company from Marine Barracks Washington 8th & I  ever since the time of  Franklin D. Roosevelt, when it was known as Shangri-La. There is an active reunion group for marines who served at the 8th & I Marine Barracks. The marines share their photos and memories on the 8th & I Reunion Association website and have a section dedicated to those who served at Camp David.

The reunion website contains an interesting collection of first-hand accounts of duty at Camp David by marines who served there.  One account describes the underground Command Center back in 1956:
"Under the President's lodge there was a Command Center, which he could enter by elevator from several locations within the lodge, including his bedroom. From the command Center, his image could be televised to any location in the world to assure people that he was alive and the government was functioning. There was a War Room from which a global war could be directed. There was a heavy security door leading into this area from the side of the President's lodge. A Marine, armed with a loaded M-l rifle, was always stationed at this door during a presidential visit."
The reunion website also includes many old photos of Camp David from back in the 1950s along with some more recent photos of marines serving there.

One of many images uploaded by former Camp David marines to their reunion website




Sources: 8th & I Reunion Association; Marine Barracks Washington





Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Video - Home Movies of LBJ and others at Camp David

The LBJ Library uploaded some of Lady Bird Johnson's home movies to You Tube. Two of the movies contain some interesting scenes shot at Camp David.

The first movie was shot in the summer of 1965. It opens with various scenes at Camp David including the golf hole, the area around the Aspen Lodge, the helicopter landing zone and the swimming pool.  David Brinkley, Eugene McCarthy, Billy Graham and Jack Valenti appear in this film along with President Johnson and his family and friends. At approximately 3 minutes into the film, the scene switches to Joseph Hirshhorn's house in Greenwich, Connecticut.  The movie returns to Camp David at the 7 minute mark.



The second home movie was shot by Lady Bird Johnson around 1967. It features President Johnson and his family and friends enjoying Camp David. Scenes from the movie include the following locations/activities at Camp David: swimming pool, trampoline, shuffleboard, and bowling alley.





Source:  Lyndon Baines Johnson Library (via YouTube)




Monday, September 12, 2011

Golf Carts

Golf Cart One - the President's golf cart at Camp David

At a ceremony honoring NASCAR drivers, President Obama said  "I'm not allowed to drive much these days. Basically just my golf cart at Camp David -- which is called Golf Cart One."  President George W. Bush was the first president to name the presidential electric golf cart "Golf Cart One".

The golf carts at Camp David provide a fun and convenient way of getting around the sprawling presidential retreat. There are usually golf carts nearby the helicopter landing area for dignitaries to use to get to their cabins upon arrival.  President Nixon had the gravel paths around the camp paved over so he could use the golf carts to get around.

Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Begin ride around Camp David during the Middle East summit there in 1978

President Carter and President Sadat at Camp David in 1978
                   Walter Mondale and Cyrus Vance                                 Zbigniew Brzezinski and Cyrus Vance - September 1978



In his memoir, Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote that his daughter Mika, and Amy Carter "narrowily escaped ramming into Prime Minister Begin while out driving. Only the quick action of Amy's Secret Service guard saved the Prime Minister from injury and the Carter and Brzezinski families from embarrassment."

Although Newsmax describes the Mika incident:  "As a kid tooling around Camp David in a golf cart, she once drove smack into Menachem Begin’s shins."

President Reagan and Nancy Reagan in their golf cart at Camp David in 1981

President Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher riding golf carts at Camp David in 1984

The photo above shows President Reagan picking up Prime Minister Thatcher after her arrival at Camp David. Check out the video of him described as "President Reagan erratically drives golf buggy" shot in 1986 for her return visit.

President Bush prepares to jog with George Strait - January 1993

President Bush reacts to Mikhail Gorbachev's driving skills in 1990 


President Bush and South Korean President Lee ride Golf Cart One at Camp David - April 2008

First Lady Laura Bush holds on as President George W. Bush gives Afghan President Hamid Karzai a ride in August 2007

G8 leaders Angela Merkel and Barroso ride in golf carts at Camp David G8 Summit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso board their golf carts after arriving at Camp David for the G8 Summit in May 2012

President Obama outside Aspen Lodge at Camp David - with golf carts
Golf carts lined up outside the Aspen Lodge following President Obama's closing remarks at the G8 Summit







Sources: The White House; USA Today; New York Magazine; The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage;  Jimmy Carter Library; ibiblio.org; Newsmax; AP; Ronald Reagan Presidential Library; George Bush Presidential Library; UPI; Getty; European Commission