EP 240: David Litt – From Obama’s speechwriter to surf beginner, Finding solace and connection through surfing, 8-10ft wipeouts in Spain, Surf trips with his brother-in-law, and His latest book, It’s Only Drowningpisode for Jul 08, 2025 cover art

EP 240: David Litt – From Obama’s speechwriter to surf beginner, Finding solace and connection through surfing, 8-10ft wipeouts in Spain, Surf trips with his brother-in-law, and His latest book, It’s Only Drowningpisode for Jul 08, 2025

EP 240: David Litt – From Obama’s speechwriter to surf beginner, Finding solace and connection through surfing, 8-10ft wipeouts in Spain, Surf trips with his brother-in-law, and His latest book, It’s Only Drowningpisode for Jul 08, 2025

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 Former Obama speechwriter and bestselling author David Litt joins Dave Prodan on The Lineup to talk about his newest and most personal project yet, It’s Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and a Search for Common Ground. Litt opens up about how a pandemic-era battle with depression led him into the ocean, and how a mismatched surf adventure with his brother-in-law Matt became an unlikely bridge across political, personal, and cultural divides. From his first freezing New Jersey paddle-outs in a 5/4 wetsuit to wipeouts in 8-10 foot Zurriola in Spain, Litt shares a raw, humorous, and deeply human journey into surfing from the outside in and explores how surfing restructured his sense of time, identity, and connection. Follow David here. Order It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and a Search for Common Ground AVAILABLE NOW on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Catch the next generation of surfers compete for a spot on the CT at our second Challenger Series event of the year, the Ballito Pro Presented by O'Neill, June 30 - July 6. Stay tuned for CT Stop No. 10, the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill, July 11 - July 20th. Visit usopenofsurfing.eventbrite.com to get tickets to Sundown Sets at the US Open and for five nights of live music featuring Common Kings, Chevy Metal, Reggae Sunday, and more! A portion of ticket sales benefit the Surfrider Foundation which works to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and beaches. See you in Surf City! Play WSL CT Fantasy contest and join The Lineup Podcast Mega League for a chance to win! Terms and Conditions apply. Get the latest merch at the WSL Store! Stay up to date with all the rankings. Join the conversation by following The Lineup podcast with Dave Prodan on Instagram and subscribing to our YouTube channel. Get the latest WSL rankings, news, and event info. **Visit this page if you’ve been affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, and would like to volunteer or donate. Our hearts are with you.** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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