A Day in the Life of a President
The presidency is a 24/7 occupation. Regardless of whether he's enjoying a weekend at Camp David, spending some quiet time in the residential quarters, or simply vacationing, the president is always the president of the United States. He can be pressed into action at a moment's notice. At no time is he free from the duties of the job.
The president's daily routine is usually packed with meetings, events, briefings, speeches, and public ceremonies. His time and schedule are highly regimented and closely guarded by his chief of staff. The activities of a typical day may include:
Receiving security briefings from heads of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security
Making phone calls to other heads of state
Meeting with members of Congress
Meeting with governors and other state officials
Meeting with cabinet officials and other executive agency personnel
Having lunch with the vice president
Attending public events and ceremonies
Discussing policy with advisors and staff
Speaking with the media
Making public remarks from the White House
Signing bills and executive orders into law
Attending fundraisers or other political events
Traveling on behalf of candidates
Which president holds the record for most foreign travel?
President Clinton so far has spent the most days abroad, tallying 229 days on the road while visiting 133 countries during his eight years in office. His foreign travel peaked during his impeachment year of 1998, when he spent forty-five days overseas. President Nixon's foreign travel also peaked during his impeachment year of 1974, when he visited ten countries over twenty-two days.
During the past fifty years, presidential travel — both domestic and international — has increased sharply. The president typically spends two months of every year in domestic travel, and another twenty days outside of the country. Travel at home is used primarily to boost the president's standing in certain regions of the country, and usually peaks around the midterm elections. The president travels overseas to meet with foreign heads of state, attend conferences and summits with world leaders, and rally the American troops during times of conflict.
