Nov. 24, 2008
Obama Says Goodbye To Former Life
Washington Post: President-Elect Who Thrived On Routine In Chicago Now Seeks Comfort In A City He Has Never Embraced
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President-elect Barack Obama, wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball cap and carrying his Blackberry, leaves the University of Chicago Lab School after playing basketball, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008. (AP)
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That challenge is exacerbated by the fact that Obama must build his new life in Washington, a city where he has never felt comfortable. After he was elected to the Senate in 2004, Obama decided to commute to work instead of moving his family to what he called the "hothouse environment" of Washington. He spent three days a week in Washington and then rushed home to Chicago, buying tickets on multiple flights to ensure the earliest possible arrival. He met Cassandra Butts, a law school friend, for dinner in Washington once each month. Most other nights, Obama ate takeout food alone in a one-bedroom apartment near the Capitol.
"There's a sort of fishbowl, ingrown quality to Washington," Obama said in 2005. "I think everybody is very status-conscious about, you know, who's a senator and who's in power and who's not."
A close friend from Chicago, Mike Strautmanis, who worked for Obama in the Senate, worries about the change in cultures. "The one thing about Chicago as compared to Washington is that most relationships in Washington are fundamentally based on politics either currently or building things for the future." he said. "I think what he wanted is a few relationships that didn't have that subtext."
As president, Obama's first option is to bring some of those relationships to Washington with him. His mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, is expected to move into or near the White House and continue to help raise her grandchildren, whom she often supervised during the 21-month campaign. Some people in Obama's inner circle expect Nesbitt to move to Washington with his physician wife, Anita, and five children, but Nesbitt said he has not had time to even consider the possibility of transplanting.
Several other Obama friends and associates -- all of whom now receive a deluge of résumés and inauguration ticket requests from near-strangers -- said they either are considering moving to Washington or will move if asked.
"You know, if he calls and asks me to be the head custodian, I still don't think I could say no," Link said. "If he needs me, then I'm going to be there. For a lot of us friends, our first interest is going to be looking out for him and just helping him get adjusted however we can."
Four of the past five presidents moved into the White House from a government mansion; the fifth, Ronald Reagan, had spent two terms as a California governor. All were familiar with living in a security bubble -- a public space -- and dealing antiseptically with the outside world.
Until recently, Obama and his wife were accustomed to pumping their own gas, shopping at a nearby food co-op, riding bikes along Lake Michigan and attending neighborhood barbecues.
"I don't know how you re-create that, even if everybody moves to D.C.," one friend said. "You just don't have as much time if you're president of the United States, and it's not as easy to drop by the White House. It's hard to make new friends for anybody, especially when you're in their position and, 'Oh, we have to make sure they're not purely interested in us and laughing at our jokes because of who we are.' "
The move could be particularly jarring for Michelle Obama, whose social and professional life is interwoven with Hyde Park, where until recently she held a prominent position at the University of Chicago Hospitals. She grew up a few minutes from their current home and has lived away from Chicago only during her time at Princeton University and at Harvard Law School. She is on the boards of an African dance company and her daughters' private school.
The future first lady will have a far more public role than she is used to. But at least initially, she plans to focus on helping her family adjust -- her husband to his new job, her children to Sidwell Friends School.
"She will be engaged. You will see her at the school. Parents will get to know her," another Chicago friend predicted. "I don't think they'll be walled in the Rose Garden."
Giannoulias said: "It's going to be a totally different life. Hopefully they can find places or relationships where things are still normal."
That rare space of normalcy is where Link thought he had guided his phone conversation with Obama last week. He congratulated the president-elect and joked with him about life in the Illinois Senate, and they laughed together at an old memory. "Hey," Obama said before hanging up, "let me give you my new phone number."
Then he paused.
"By the way," Obama said, "don't you dare give that number to anybody else."
By Eli Saslow and Peter Slevin
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 90 Comments--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by mr22587 at 04:17 AM : Nov 25, 2008
+ report abuse
The embarrassment is on his way out. What''s really embarrassing is the mentality of the Republican party. Now we know why racism has never changed. We had a totally racist party running this country for years. They should change the name to the redneck party.
There''s a great piece out there somewhere on the web that celebrates the joy of having a President Elect that can speak in full sentences (even if it scares the redneck republican community to death). Hooray for 4 years of a President I can encourage my kids to emulate!
You two are morons and the most disgusting cowards and pathetic liars, hiding yourself and sending such a hateful racist poisonous propaganda against the brilliant man of his generation who is elected by the American people to lead this country. For whatever your hatred message, you don%u2019t have a single evidence except your deep buried loathes in your soul. It is a precarious sickness that you may need to look for a help. Do not waste time go and seek a help. You need it badly.
Larry Sinclair held a meeting at the National Press Club to address his alleged gay relationship with Barack Obama, and answer questions from the Press.
Larry Sinclair stated to the press that he and Barak Obama had gay *** while Obama smoked crack, not once but twice. Once in a limo and the next day in a hotel room. Sinclair stated that the murdered Donald Young, Obamas churches gay choir master told him, by phone, he also had *** with Barack Obama, before Young was MURDERED in December 2007!!!
watch it here
Barack Obama %u2014 Larry Sinclair Press conference Pt 1
(Part 2 gets right to it .. & 3 also)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lrf8DbrJH0
Then watching this video by the infamous Pastor Manning makes sense.... www.youtube.com/watch?v=88V3F6_iUus
OBAMA *** & CRACK & MURDER - EXPOSED why was this not in the press?
KENYAN AMBASSADOR Paul Ogego Admits Obama was Born In kenya
LISTEN TO OUR CALLS TO THE KENYAN EMBASSY ABOUT BARACK OBAMA!
November 21, 2008
We recently called the Kenyan Embassy and learned some pretty interesting things about our President elect, Barack Obama.
From Mike In The Morning radio show, it goes for just 19mins%u2026 quite entertaining. Obama is so reveled that Kenya had a Public Holiday!
tinyurl.com/69zlcp
Posted by agidoi
Do you idiots really like looking stupid to the rest of us by twisting words? It has been reported that he is thinking about just allowing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire when they are supposed to which is in 2011 instead of just ending them when he gets in office in January. He is still going to give targeted tax-breaks to the middle class. If you nutty loons will watch something besides Fox Noise or read a newspaper sometime, you might be a little enlightened.
It''''s HILARIOUS!
Posted by Rowdydfw
Need I say anymore? Poor, stupid, out-of-touch neocons.
It''''''''s HILARIOUS!
Posted by Rowdydfw at 10:13 AM : Nov 25, 20
Oh and in addition to the morons and we also have our redneck texas flatlanders who just can''t live with the fact that educated people are now in chargte of the country (and can''t spell educated). You know your a texan if you consider a six-pack and a bug-zapper high-quality entertainment.
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Posted by Kimcon22000
I see the idiot brigade is out in force this morning. Let''s play How dumb is the Neocon:
The Neocon is so dumb ... it took her an hour to make minute rice.
Posted by Kimcon22000
It is quite amazing when someone who supported the GOP ticket has the audacity to call someone a moron. The GOP faithful are the only morons that I have seen in my 30 years on this earth. It is quite funny to read how you nutty loons try to put people down when it is obvious that you are delusional and brain-challenged. A comical sight!
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