Obama's split lip and 5 other presidential injuries
Minor ailments are practically a requirement for the modern president. Here are a few notable examples from recent years
During a pickup basketball game on Friday, President Obama was hit with an elbow to the face by opposing player Ray Deceraga, who works for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, suffering a split lip that required twelve stiches to repair. This was the first visible injury Obama has suffered on the job, but it's hardly a novelty in presidential history. The occasional presidential injury serves as a reminder that the most powerful person in the free world is, like the rest of us, all too human. Here's a brief history of some recent presidential bumps and bruises:
1. Ford falls down the stairs
The president most famous for klutziness — thanks in large part to Chevy Chase's iconic "Saturday Night Live" impression — had in fact spent his early life as a jock, even starting as a linebacker for the University of Michigan in the 1930s. But Ford's oafish image was cemented when he tripped down the stairs of the presidential jet while visiting Austria in 1975.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Carter passes out
In 1979, during a 10-kilometer road race near Camp David, the 39th president overheated and fainted into the arms of Secret Service officers. Carter was deemed in "excellent form" by a doctor the next day.
3. Bush, Sr. vomits on prime minister
During a trip to Asia in 1992, George H.W. Bush committed a memorable diplomatic faux pas. At a dinner hosted by Japanese prime minister Miyazawa Kiichi, Bush fell ill, vomiting into the prime minister's lap and then fainting. The incident was videotaped and widely broadcast. Earlier in the day, the president had played a doubles tennis match against Japan's Emperor and Crown Prince, and it was speculated that his (unsuccessful) efforts to avoid defeat had played a role in his illness.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
4. Clinton also falls down the stairs
The 42nd president was visiting golfer Greg Norman in Florida when he slipped and fell down a flight of stairs, tearing a tendon in his right knee. The injury required a two-hour surgery, but Clinton never lost conciousness. The president's Republican opponents couldn't resist needling him over the incident: "Somebody said they're going to do fund-raisers by allowing folks to sign his cast," remarked then-majority leader Trent Lott. Clinton walked with crutches for weeks and underwent physical therapy to recover.

5. Dubya wipes out
In 2004, George W. Bush, 16 miles into a 17 mile bike ride, "hit some loose soil while riding downhill" and suffered cuts and scratches, including a visible scratch on his face. Apparently the president's propensity for nicknames extended to treacherous landscapes: He referred to the stretch in question as "Achilles Hill." Despite his reputation for fitness, Bush was fairly accident-prone during his time in office. In 2002, he "grazed his cheek" after choking on pretzel and fainting; in 2003, he fell off a Segway scooter; and, in 2005, he crashed into a Scottish policeman while cycling.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, New York Daily News, The New York Times, Time, CBS News, Sports Illustrated, BBC
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 28, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - a House divided, gambling in sport, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Israel concedes it may not be able to destroy Hamas
Speed Read Despite five months of war in Gaza, Israeli intelligence officials admit the militant group eludes them
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The art world and motherhood: the end of a final taboo?
Talking Point Hettie Judah's new touring exhibition offers a 'riveting riposte' to old cliches
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published