Secret (and Not-So-Secret) Talents of Presidents, Senators & Oth...

Presidential Performers

Richard Nixon

Talent: Multi-Instrumentalist Extraordinaire

He didn’t just record tapes — Nixon played everything. Piano, sax, violin, accordion… you name it. He even performed on The Tonight Show. Maybe not a crook, but definitely a one-man band.

Bill Clinton

Talent: Saxophone Stud

The OG cool prez brought his shades and sax to The Arsenio Hall Show in 1992. “Heartbreak Hotel” never had so much swing-state swagger.

George W. Bush

Talent: Oil Painter

After two terms in the White House, Bush turned to the canvas. His portraits of world leaders and wounded warriors hang in galleries. Still-life diplomacy.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Talent: Aspiring Screenwriter

While recovering from polio, FDR wrote a film script about naval hero John Paul Jones. He even pitched it to Paramount. They passed — America got the New Deal instead.

Thomas Jefferson

Talent: Violin & Cello Virtuoso

The author of the Declaration of Independence also knew how to shred on strings. His musical talents were so refined, he once wooed a woman through violin serenades.

James A. Garfield

Talent: Renowned Pianist & Ambidextrous Wizard

Before being assassinated just months into his term, Garfield was a musical and mental marvel. He played piano beautifully and could write Latin with one hand while writing Greek with the other. Simultaneously.

John Quincy Adams

Talent: Virtuoso Flutist

The 6th president composed flute music at Harvard and performed regularly. Turns out the Adams family could do more than argue about tariffs.

Warren G. Harding

Talent: Tuba Man and… More

Harding played several instruments and once busted out the tuba at the 1920 Democratic Convention. Also known for… “other extracurriculars.”

Harry Truman

Talent: Piano Player with Punchlines

Truman was a gifted pianist and once joked, “My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”

Bonus Vice President

Dan Quayle

Talent: Golf Whisperer

Indiana’s own VP is infamous for “potatoe,” but his golf game is much smoother. He’s played with presidents and pros — just don’t ask him to spell “bogey.”

Cabinet Secret Talents

Pete Buttigieg

Talent: Piano, Guitar & Polyglot Prodigy

Mayor/Secretary Pete once joined Ben Folds onstage as a guest pianist. He also taught himself Norwegian just to read a book. Show-off? Maybe. Impressive? Absolutely.

Antony Blinken

Talent: Indie Rock Guitar Hero

The Secretary of State moonlights as “ABlinken,” an alt-rock artist on Spotify. Lyrics include topics like soul-searching, heartbreak, and probably UN peacekeeping.

Jennifer Granholm

Talent: Game Show Contestant

Former Michigan governor and Secretary of Energy was an aspiring actress in Hollywood before studying law at Harvard. She even made an appearance on The Dating Game.

Condoleezza Rice

Talent: Concert-Class Pianist

She once performed at Carnegie Hall while serving as Secretary of State. If you thought foreign policy was hard, try nailing a Rachmaninoff piece.

Congressional Characters

Jon Ossoff (D-GA)

Talent: Documentary Filmmaker

Before becoming a senator, Ossoff chased down war criminals with a documentary film crew. He’s been in more danger than most politicians ever will — and he probably color-corrected the footage himself.

Maxwell Frost (D-FL)

Talent: Touring Punk Drummer

The youngest member of Congress once toured with a ska-punk band. These days, he pounds gavels instead of kick drums.

Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

Talent: Former Football Coach

Before politics, Tuberville was the head coach of Auburn football. Playbooks and politics? Same drama, fewer timeouts.