Obama's marriage was on brink of collapse, says book

The Telegraph ^ | 6/6/2009 | Leonard Doyle

[bruinbirdman]

Barack and Michelle Obama's fairytale love story of an adoring couple propelled on to the international stage has caught the imagination of millions.

Their regular Friday "date nights" make the television news, and there was a stir recently when they caught Air Force One for a night at the theatre in Manhattan.

This weekend, in the aftermath of the D-Day celebrations, they are in Paris with their young daughters - having turned down an invitation for dinner with President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla in favour of a more intimate family event.

But it was not always wedded bliss for the First Couple. A new book, Renegade, about Mr Obama's unlikely run for the presidency, recounts a tense period in 2000 when the Obamas' marriage was on the brink of collapse because of his restless political hunger and the family's shattered finances.

"There was little conversation and even less romance," wrote the Birmingham-born Mr Wolffe, who covered Obama's campaign for Newsweek magazine. "She was angry at his selfishness and careerism; he thought she was cold and ungrateful."

At the time, Mr Obama was stuck on the lowest step of the political ladder. As a mere state senator in Illinois, he had challenged a popular incumbent in a Democratic primary by running against Bobby Rush, a former Black Panther from Chicago. Mr Obama was trounced by a dismal 2-1 margin.

His wife was new to motherhood, at home with their first daughter Malia, just two years old at the time. "She hated the failed race for Congress in 2000, and their marriage was strained by the time their younger daughter, Sasha, was born. Politics seemed like a waste of time to Michelle," the book says.

Mr Obama's troubles were compounded when he discovered that he was not on the guest

[I see my hands]

[Skibane]

After the novelty wears off, being married to a Wookie really doesn’t have an up side...

[sauropod]

I’ve made my point.

Peace.

[Lancey Howard]

I hope he has all kinds of marriage problems. Maybe Michelle will catch him out on the down low with a boyfriend. Whatever... Anything to distract Zero from his agenda of turning America into a full-blown Euro-style socialist welfare state.

[Cindy]

Thank you Yehuda for the ping.

#

Backhoe, piasa:

ping to post no. 53.

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/pritzker/index

[sauropod]

Why are people being so effin’ obtuse?

[prismsinc]

Based on the concept of hating whitey?

I’m hispanic (white), and even I can see serious problems with this. I respectfully disagree with you.

[ottbmare]

Does anyone on this board do “date nights” with their spouse? Seriously...can anyone explain the purpose of these nights? Thanks.

Sure. A date night is when you go out and have fun with the person you married, so you can both remember why you fell in love. You get away from the screaming kids, the bills, the diapers, the yapping dog, the needed repairs staring you in the face, the relatives, all the usual distracting things that keep husbands and wives from talking intimately, having fun, being 18 and in love again. Both of you have a chance to get cleaned up and remind the other how attractive they can be.

Then you boink until your ears bleed.

Date nights can be very useful, especially when a marriage is challenged by overwork, conflicting schedules, etc.

[prismsinc]

ROTFLMAO

[freekitty]

Correction. You made a statement; not a point.

[bruinbirdman]

" It was in fact, classic old fashioned high dollar contributions from wealthy Americans." "More than seven months ago, I wrote about Penny Pritzker in a post, Obama Finance Chair Tied To Subprime Scandal. Today, Rush Limbaugh mentioned her name on his radio program. For what you ask? He learned that a reception for Mahmound Ahmadinejad will be held at the Pritzker-owned Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City "

Ahmadinejad and big money Mohammedans easily funneled mega bucks the Hussein.

yitbos

[TigersEye]

After a tense encounter with Mrs Clinton at an airport, Mr Obama turned to an aide and said: "I never saw that look of concern in her eyes before. I think we can win this one."

I have been saying for years that Hillary's a loser. The Punk punked her.

[married21]

We do. But not that often, as the baby sitter’s fees can add up. And we’ve only left town for an overnight together twice since the kids were born, but I must say, those were nice little getaways that reminded us of our dating days.

[TigersEye]

"She was angry at his selfishness and careerism; he thought she was cold and ungrateful."

I think it's nice that they overcame that and now give each other the space to fully express their respective selfishness natures.

[3D-JOY]

Date Nights...typical marriage counseling lingo!

Reestablishing the original connection is correct.

[television is just wrong]

the liberal press and so on were putting out there that the Bush’s were suffering badly, with W’s affairs, etc. As far as I’m concerned, turn about is fair play.

[TigersEye]

I don't think you understand. It is the victim culture welfare state policies, that Zer0 embraces like no American politician before him, that have done more than anything to create the conditions you are talking about.

No faux Cinderella marriage story (which this article makes clear is the case) will have more effect on society than those kinds of policies. These people are no friends of marriage or the 'black community.'

[conservative cat]

Does anyone on this board do “date nights” with their spouse?

Not once a week, that's for sure! Neither did my parents when they had kids at home, and they have been together for 40 years.

[bruinbirdman]

" an article in the UK Telegraph that is reporting about a book called "Renegade: "

In fact the book is a Messiah puff piece. What the Telegraph reported is probably the most negative reporting in the book. And at that, probably the only one.

yitbos

[Cindy]

Date Nights -— sure.

Friday Nights - Movie or something special and a nice dinner.

Married more than 30 years.