President George W. Bush Welcomes 2008 Olympians to the Rose Garden
In this photography, taken by Shealah Craighead, President George W. Bush welcomes members of the 2008 U.S. Summer Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House Rose Garden. The Olympians visited the White House ahead of their departure for Beijing, China, hosts of the 2008 games.
Photographer
Shealah Craighead
Date of Work
July 21, 2008
Type
Photograph
Credit
George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
Families taking up residence at the White House since the Theodore Roosevelt administration have encountered the public's insatiable appetite for stories of everyday life in the Executive Mansion. With the common reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines by the early 20th century, presidential pets had to accept the same scrutiny as their distinguished masters. Whether providing companionship or humanizing
Since the beginning of the American presidency, dogs have often shared a presence in both the first family and the White House. In fact, 30 out of the 44 presidents have had a dog at some point during their respective presidencies. These dogs were not only important in the lives of the presidents and their families, but also to the American public.