Barack Obama - the most talked about American President (from today!)

Somehow I liked Obama from the beginning - maybe I liked the sincerity in his voice when he was speaking or because I never liked Bush - from the beginning! I know Bush helped Indians more than any other American President, but no, I don't like him, period! I liked Al Gore, better (courtesy:Oprah Winfrey show!).

I would like to keep these bits of news about Obama for my own future reference - to see how he is seen after 5 years, with this background!

• He collects SPIDER-MAN and CONAN, THE BARBARIAN comics.
• He was known as "O'bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball.
• His name means "One who is blessed" in Swahili.
• He is left-handed - the 6th post-war President to be left-handed.
• He has read every HARRY POTTER book.
• He owns a set of red boxing gloves, autographed by Muhammed Ali.
• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream.
• His favourite snacks are CHOCOLATE-PEANUT PROTEIN bars.
• He promised his wife Michelle, he would quit smoking before running for President - he didn't!
• He kept a pet ape called Tata, while in Indonesia.
• He carries a tiny Madonna and Child statue and a bracelet, belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck.
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar, while at Harvard, but was rejected by the all-female committee!
• His favourite films are CASABLANCA and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.
• As a teenager, he took to drugs, including marijuana and cocaine.
• His favourite music includes MILES DAVIS, BOB DYLAN, BACH and THE FUGEES.
• He enjoys SCRABBLE and POKER.
• He hates the youth trend for trousers, which sag beneath the backside!
• He repaid his student loan, only four years ago, after signing his book deal!
• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita.
• He says his worst habit is constantly checking his Black berry!
• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes.
• He was given the code name "RENEGADE", by his Secret Service handlers.
• He plans to install a basket ball court in the White House grounds.

Obama's first book, "Dreams From My Father", (which surely stands as the most evocative lyrical and candid autobiography written by a future President), suggests that throughout his life, he has turned to books as a way of acquiring insights and information from others - as a means of breaking out of the bubble of self-hood and more recently, the bubble of power and fame.

READING LIST THAT SHAPED THE PRESIDENT:

• The Bible.
• "Parting the Waters" by Taylor Branch.
• "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
• Gandhi's autobiography.
• "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
• "The Golden Notebook" by Doris Lessing.
• Lincoln's collected writings.
• "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville.
• "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison.
• Works of Reinhold Niebuhr.
• "Gillead" by Marilynne Robinson.
• Shakespeare's tragedies.

He seems to be very close to his wife and his two daughters. Whether we like it or not, the performance of the American President will affect our country and the world - hopefully for more peace in the future.

If I am still blogging after 5 years, I will do a write-up, with the title "Barack O(h)bama"!

Courtesy: Times of India