Is This Truly Obama Drama?
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C22 books Is this truly FanFare Obama drama? In her profile of the first couple, Jodi Kantor makes it up as she goes along AGES PHOTO IM TTY GE Barack Obama speaks at a2007 campaign rally at the University of Illinois at Chicago, while protective wife Michelle Obama looks on. House press office and al for the victims of the Gabri- give. The look on her face said: tried to have alife —the THE OBAMAS, by Jodi Kantor. Michelle Obama have said the elle Giffords shooting last This is the kind of president I infamous Date Night in New Little, Brown, 359 pp., $29.99. private moments and emotions January. Obama had just come wanted you to be.” York, Michelle’s trip to Spain reported in the book are made from Giffords’ bedside and Kantor explains, as others —they’ve been slapped down BY MARION WINIK up, and that Kantor’s character- seen the congresswoman open have before her, that Michelle so hard, they mostly just stay Special to Newsday ization of tensions between her eyes for the first time. Obama is beautiful and self-pos- home. The only drama this East and West Wings is exag- Even just reading the words sessed, that she is atraditional book has to serve up is the ith all the gerated. “Gabby opened her eyes” South Side Chicago girl, that she nail-biter of the presidency headlines this No one can say that Kantor, repeated several times, as is critical yet intensely support- itself, so it’s disconcerting that week about aTimes reporter and former Obama did that day, brought ive and ferociously protective of Kantor cuts it short before its WJodi Kantor’s Slate editor, didn’t report the tears to my eyes. Kantor her husband. Somehow these ending, which would have book on Barack living daylights out of the writes: “With Obama’s repeti- themes are most movingly been the coming election. and Michelle Obama, the big- story —interviewing 200 tion and refrains, he was speak- expressed by the Damon Winter As the story closes in Au- gest surprise about it is this: people, including all the top ing the language of the church. photograph at the center of the gust 2011, things are amess. There aren’t any surprises. West Wing staff, and covering ...He quoted Job, his com- photo section. Barack is in Staff members are leaving, the Ilearned little about the pretty much every minute of mand of Scripture rebuking profile in one half of the picture U.S. credit rating has been Obamas or the presidency that the Obama presidency. But those who said he was not a —out of focus, somewhere downgraded and ahelicopter Ididn’t know or imagine, and without firsthand insight from Christian. That told-you-so between person and icon. carrying Navy SEALS from the I’m not even apassionate the subjects, the emotional look flickered in his eyes —I Michelle watches him from unit that took out Osama bin www.newsday.com follower of events in Washing- moments seem forced. In fact, will mention Jesus on my own behind, high-def down to the Laden has been shot down. Yet ton. Well, one thing shocked the two most moving elements terms, you jerks.” arch of her eyebrows and the 2012 looms. Will Obama retire me. Can you believe the White are the text of aspeech by the Kantor’s analysis starts on swoop of her bangs. The alert, in failure or re-emerge to House residence has aspotty president, and aphotograph in solid ground with the compari- solemn, worried expression on rewrite history again? Internet connection and only the pictorial insert. son to spiritual oratory, but her face is worth athousand Why stop this story before one extension of the landline? The speech is at the memori- goes off the deep end with the words. we know how it turns out? Though the book is admiring invented internal dialogue — The Obamas are boring Perhaps the author and pub- of its subjects and seemingly attributing to the president do-gooders with asolid mar- lisher thought they’d better inoffensive, it is not an autho- mean, buzz-killing thoughts at riage: they dine with their kids hurry up before Obama gets rized work. The Obamas, NOWONLINE that. And her attempt to pene- five nights aweek, have made the boot and no one cares having granted Kantor a Read more reviews, trate Michelle’s mind at that no new friends in Washing- about him anymore. Though 40-minute interview when she author interviews moment is no more uplifting: ton, don’t have anyone over the outcome will be revealed was working on an article and literary news “The expression on Michelle’s except two couples they’ve in real life, Ifelt as areader about them for The New York newsday.com/books face was one of deep satisfac- been besties with since Chica- as if I’d been dragged from Times magazine in 2009, never tion. He had given the kind of go. They don’t party or go to the theater before the final NEWSDAY, SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012 spoke to her again. The White speeches he knew he could parties. The few times they’ve curtain..