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

The Lineup with Dave Prodan - A Surfing Podcast

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.

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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.

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