Ever wondered how President Barack Obama really spends his nights after dinner with his wife, daughters, and Bo and Sunny, their loyal companions, when they are all at the White House?
Well, New York Times revealed he’s a “night guy,” and withdraws to his private office on the second floor down the hall from his bedroom, named the Treaty Room, after the family’s 6:30 EST dinner.
He spends long, solitary hours after dark there. President Obama considers this time just as essential to his presidency as his time in the Oval Office is. Barely getting five hours of sleep a night, his time alone is more important.
According to his closest aides, the president spends four to five by himself working on speeches and reading briefing papers delivered at 8 p.m. by the staff secretary.
Remember the letter to the president from a remorseful Republican voter, Brent Brown, last summer? The one thanking the president for serving him, even though he didn’t vote for him?
President Obama reads 10 letters just like that from Americans; chosen each day by his staff.
Mr. Obama’s first Chief of Staff, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), explains how important those hours are to the president,
“Everybody carves out their time to get their thoughts together. There is no doubt that window is his window […] You can’t block out a half-hour and try to do it during the day. It’s too much incoming. That’s the place where it can all be put aside and you can focus.”
Obama also plays Words With Friends on his iPad, or watches ESPN, or simply relaxes by reading a novel. How does he stay awake?
The president rarely drinks coffee or tea, and prefers water to soda. His preferred snack at night seems to be a few lightly salted almonds, according to friends.
However, the long nights of doing paperwork, and only five hours of sleep, may help explain the president’s apparent rapid aging, which has been commented on in media.
Jimmy Fallon joked about Obama being one of the youngest presidents to take office in the U.S., but,
“And this is weird, he’ll be one of the oldest presidents upon leaving office.”
Now the president has only six months left of late night work in the Treaty Room. After that, as he explained during an Easter prayer breakfast in the State Dining Room,
“I am going to take three, four months where I just sleep.”
Watch this video of the Obama’s when they got their new dog, Bo, to continue a long-held White House tradition:
Featured Image By Pete Souza, Via Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain.
