SIDEBAR: Curiosities about US presidents inauguration Tuesday

Jan 17, 2009, 4:32 GMT

Washington - As Barack Obama prepares to become the 44th United States President on Tuesday, a look at some of his predecessors' peculiarities:

- The sportsman: Gerald Ford regularly swam a few lengths at the White House pool. Once he even delivered a press conference during his swimming session.

- The tallest: At 1.93 metres, Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president in the history of the United States. However, Barack Obama is hardly short, even if he stands shorter than Lincoln: he is 1.87 metres tall.

- The rich: For his 21st birthday, John F Kennedy received from his father 1 million dollars. Each one of his eight siblings got a similarly generous birthday present.

- The nudist: John Quincy Adams used to get up two hours before sunrise in order to swim naked in the Potomac River before work.

- The sweet tooth: George Washington's favourite food was ice cream.

- The word-saver: In his second inauguration, George Washington delivered the shortest inaugural address in the history of the United States, with only 135 words.

- The relatives: George Washington and Winston Churchill were related through a joint ancestor from the 15th century. They were distant cousins.

- The casual-dresser: After being elected president, Jimmy Carter promised he would continue to wear jeans while in the White House.

- The comics fan: When he got the newspaper every morning, Ronald Reagan always read the comics first.

- The fashion victim: Since newspapers reported in 1919 that President Woodrow Wilson had worn a torn sweater at a meeting with the Belgian royal family, people sent wool to the White House.

- The house husband: Before he moved into the White House, Bill Clinton served his employees Thanksgiving dinner every year, and he took care of the dishwashing afterwards.

- No housewife: Lou, the wife of Herbert Hoover, said that she had never been in the kitchen during her time at the White House.

- Like father like son: Two presidential sons followed in their fathers' footsteps and inherited not only the political position but also the names of their old men: President John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, and outgoing President George W Bush, son of George HW Bush.