May 8, 2021
Our expectations for elected officials aren’t always very realistic, and none more than for those elected to the highest office in our country. We’ve never had a perfect President and never will, but there are certain qualities that I believe are essential. Intelligence, a respect for the office and more importantly a reverence for our democracy, a strong sense of responsibility for protecting our nation and its citizens, leadership skills that bring together qualified people in the government, a recognition that we have a role to play as citizens of the world, to name a few. Former President Barack Obama was not a perfect President, but I believe that he embodied all of these things that I expect in a President and I believe that even more now, after listening to this book.
No matter what you think about Barack Obama, the man can write! It’s illustrated in this first volume of his memoir, as well as the other books he’s written. There are beautiful descriptions of walking along the promenade from the White House residence to the West Wing, the Rose Garden, the Oval Office, intimate descriptions of his family life, his love for his wife and daughters, his love for his deceased mother and grandparents. My favorite introspective passage is the following quote which I played over and over to be sure I got the words right, but also because they represent in such a meaningful way how he viewed his enormous responsibility. “ I would never fully rid myself of the sense of reverence I felt when ever I walked Into the Oval Office, the feeling that I entered not an office, but a sanctum of democracy. Day after day it like comforted and fortified me reminding me of the privilege of my burdens and my duties. “
My favorite parts of the book were early on when he talked about making the decision to run and the stories of the campaign were just so fascinating, funny at times and so informative. Michelle asked him just before he announced that he would run , “Why you?” Obama responded that if he became President, “the world would look at America differently, that kids , Black and Hispanic or kids who don’t fit in will see themselves differently, their horizons lifted, their possibilities expanded .” I enjoyed so much hearing about the grass roots campaign, using the internet, how the field organizers in Iowa worked was just fascinating. With love and respect, he tells of his relationships with David Axelrod, Robert Gibbs, the young Reggie Love and David Pfluffe, who Obama thought was so brilliant that he became his Campaign Manager and so many others. I loved hearing the origins of “Fired up ! Ready to Go ! “ Always prepared, he wrote both a concession and acceptance speech.”
The book is also laden with dense discussions on the economic crisis the country was facing when he took office, his first G20 conference, foreign policy, health care and the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the war in Afghanistan. I have to admit that there were some chapters where I sped up the audio, but for anyone who is a policy wonk, these might be more interesting. These chapters, though, reflect the complexity of the issues before him and the country at this time. They also reflect the intelligent, pragmatic yet caring ways he approached things.
Barack Obama always felt the weight of the office and the responsibility to protect the nation, the huge responsibility of being Commander in Chief, the casualties of troops in Afghanistan, writing letters to their families. He read security briefings every morning, and then had meetings with security staff right after - imagine that ! (Couldn’t help myself.) This narrative reflects part of his first term and I can’t wait for the second volume. I love this man . I cried when he won in 2008, a good, heartfelt cry and I cried when his second term was over, a sad and horrified cry. ( Again , I couldn’t help myself.) I have missed him every single day since January 20, 2017. Clearly, I’m biased so you might want to read it yourself, and I do highly recommend it .
No matter what you think about Barack Obama, the man can write! It’s illustrated in this first volume of his memoir, as well as the other books he’s written. There are beautiful descriptions of walking along the promenade from the White House residence to the West Wing, the Rose Garden, the Oval Office, intimate descriptions of his family life, his love for his wife and daughters, his love for his deceased mother and grandparents. My favorite introspective passage is the following quote which I played over and over to be sure I got the words right, but also because they represent in such a meaningful way how he viewed his enormous responsibility. “ I would never fully rid myself of the sense of reverence I felt when ever I walked Into the Oval Office, the feeling that I entered not an office, but a sanctum of democracy. Day after day it like comforted and fortified me reminding me of the privilege of my burdens and my duties. “
My favorite parts of the book were early on when he talked about making the decision to run and the stories of the campaign were just so fascinating, funny at times and so informative. Michelle asked him just before he announced that he would run , “Why you?” Obama responded that if he became President, “the world would look at America differently, that kids , Black and Hispanic or kids who don’t fit in will see themselves differently, their horizons lifted, their possibilities expanded .” I enjoyed so much hearing about the grass roots campaign, using the internet, how the field organizers in Iowa worked was just fascinating. With love and respect, he tells of his relationships with David Axelrod, Robert Gibbs, the young Reggie Love and David Pfluffe, who Obama thought was so brilliant that he became his Campaign Manager and so many others. I loved hearing the origins of “Fired up ! Ready to Go ! “ Always prepared, he wrote both a concession and acceptance speech.”
The book is also laden with dense discussions on the economic crisis the country was facing when he took office, his first G20 conference, foreign policy, health care and the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the war in Afghanistan. I have to admit that there were some chapters where I sped up the audio, but for anyone who is a policy wonk, these might be more interesting. These chapters, though, reflect the complexity of the issues before him and the country at this time. They also reflect the intelligent, pragmatic yet caring ways he approached things.
Barack Obama always felt the weight of the office and the responsibility to protect the nation, the huge responsibility of being Commander in Chief, the casualties of troops in Afghanistan, writing letters to their families. He read security briefings every morning, and then had meetings with security staff right after - imagine that ! (Couldn’t help myself.) This narrative reflects part of his first term and I can’t wait for the second volume. I love this man . I cried when he won in 2008, a good, heartfelt cry and I cried when his second term was over, a sad and horrified cry. ( Again , I couldn’t help myself.) I have missed him every single day since January 20, 2017. Clearly, I’m biased so you might want to read it yourself, and I do highly recommend it .