Many American presidents have been identified with cars, either a certain type of car or somethings a particular car. Lyndon Johnson was fond of Lincoln Continental convertibles of the type current during his 1963-69 presidency. Many were the stories of LBJ driving hell-bent across his Texas ranch with the white-knuckled press corps trying to keep up. Bill Clinton liked his 1967 Mustang, albeit a six-cylinder automatic model, though while in office he only got to do a cameo, slow-speed exhibition lap at a Mustangfest at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, was partial to Jeeps.
The Trumans were faithful Chrysler customers, although the future president was eternally fond of his first car, a 1911 Stafford (scroll down and click). Herbert Hoover bought a 1932 Cadillac V-16 Imperial Limousine shortly before leaving office, and kept it for years afterwards. Bonhams and Butterfields auctioned the unrestored car at their Quail Lodge sale in 2007.
George W. Bush likes to swashbuckle in his F250 4×4, particularly with visiting dignitaries. His father so reveres the red 1947 Studebaker he drove from Connecticut to Texas that a restored example holds pride of place in his presidential library.
The Obamas made much of being a one-car family until it was pointed out that their one car, a Chrysler 300C, was politically incorrect. Being a smart politician, the candidate swapped it for a Ford Escape Hybrid last summer. Of course, for the next four years he won’t need a car, won’t be allowed anywhere near a driver’s seat. Instead the Secret Service will whisk him around in one of their many black Suburbans, or, on state occasions, in an incredibly ugly armored Cadillac.
Washington and Chicago are no place for presidential pleasure drives. If Barack Obama is to do any driving for fun, he’ll need his own ranch, perhaps in New Mexico or Colorado, probably the bluest among ranching states. Then he could buy an old car and enjoy it to the fullest. So what sort of old car should President Obama drive?. Maybe something like this Jeep station wagon that LBJ once owned. Annoyed by the difficulty in reaching the rear seat on the two-door Jeep, Johnson had rear doors installed. Tell us what you think President Obama should drive.
