Obama Gives Ebony First Post-Election Interview, Photoshoot

The Swamp:

So which magazine was the first to get a sit down interview and photo shoot with President-elect Barack Obama?

Ebony Magazine, which was visited by the president-elect at its Chicago offices in the Michigan Ave. headquarters building of its parent, Johnson Publishing Co.

That Obama would give his first magazine and photo session to Ebony seems fitting. The magazine was a pioneer in publishing in much the way Obama's a trailblazer in politics.

Evolved from Negro Digest, which was founded in 1942 by John Johnson, Ebony for decades was one of the few periodicals African-Americans could turn to for images and stories about black strivers and movers and shakers rarely ever seen in the mainstream media.

Read the whole story: The Swamp

Comments

[BJD44]

Wow......just plain ol' "Wow!"........

And I'm a 53-year-old Caucasian woman!!!

But still.....­.just.....­"Wow"!

;-)

[LadyCroom]

I've got four years on you, hon, and my old socks are rolling up and down.

[NoCheapShotsPlease]

do we or do we not have the hottest president/leader in the world? i must say, michelle, you are one lucky woman!

[Bariis]

This particular magazine cover is actually an old one...came out a few months ago I think. He looks more like one of Secret Service men in that shot.

On another note, I'm glad he gave Ebony his first interview and deservedly so.

[pilgrim7]

That's a GQ photo if ever.

[cplKlyde]

According to Jake Tapper of ABC News this is evidence that Obama hates the press and will avoid the "real media." He said this in the second hour of ed Schultz show today.

[DCCommuter]

Maybe he just wants to have a guaranteed easy interview. Everyone is entitled to take it easy once a year. EBONY is always very supportive and uplifting of successful AAs.

[DaisyDooks]

And, who is Jake Tapper....? Is he a real media person?

[kesiac]

My president is gorgeous, simply gorgeous.

[Cookie100]

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! Makes Clinton look like a bubba

[DaisyDooks]

lol

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

YES

HE

IS!!!!!!

[nowarpleez]

I'm so happy to see "cool" associated with intelligence again. This is a boost for education and Black nerds. I hop ethe hip-hop community picks up on the new coolness.

[kutkreata]

Urkel is somewhere doing cartwheels lol

[DaisyDooks]

lmao

[rcwblessed]

LOL... gotta luv Urkel

[dct1999]

Ladies,

two words: cold shower!

(I kid, I kid)

[Big0725]

Or maybe even give off an M.I.B. vibe!

[Big0725]

Is it just me or does Obama give of an M.I.B. vibe?

[kesiac]

He gives off a vibe, but its not M.I.B.

[Ccouncil]

Bella37 i totally agree. Main stream black media and politicians were all for Hillary, because thought he couldn't win. Also, they claimed they never heard of him. Not this black woman, my husband and I been supporting and donating to his campaign since last year. Tavis Smiley was a mean a.s.s. to him and still is. Remember the state of the black union forum, when Barack couldn't make and volunteer Michelle in his stead and they refused her. So to hell with them because I did/will not forget. Maybe in a couple of years I will forget. But I do appreciate the millions of people that voted for him white, hispanics, blacks, native americans, asians, muslims and all the others. So he represents all of us.

Nothing stimulates the mind and body like a smart and sexyfine man. He has that in spades...

[Bella37]

Thank you ''Ccouncil" for being honest. I don't think us non-blacks are trying to attack blacks for supporting him. Its just like all of a sudden blk people are acting like its because of them he is in office. Its because of us ALL he is the new prez.

[DawnLA]

As a black who has been following Prez elect Obama since 2004, I would appreciate the broad generalities be kept to a minimum. Blacks understand it took all of us to elect this president. So the few you are talking about are just that, the few.

[StillIRise]

As a black woman, I agree with you and with CCouncil. AMERICA elected Obama, yet if we look to give credit to anyone, it must be given to the many non-black Americans, specifically white Americans, who were so willing to transcend the barriers of race to elect this phenomenal man. Without their vote, it wouldn't have happened. And I have not heard anyone in my community speak of it in any other way. Our pride and joy in our first black President is unquestionable, and it's a unique experience that is distinct from the joy and pride that other Americans also feel. But it does not take away from our acknowledgment of and appreciation for those outside of our community who made this a reality.

To the contrary, my gripe has been those who have condemned black Americans for voting for President-Elect Obama, who call us racists or who suggest that that the color of his skin alone, and more recently Oprah Winfrey, dictated our support for him. It's as if they can't accept that a black person can vote for a candidate who also happens to be black without an inappropriate motive, that we didn't have the wherewithal to discern the substance of his candidacy as every other American did, and that we were only persuaded to vote for him because he's black, or because Oprah told us to!! This is sooooo offensive!!!

President-Elect Obama was elected by AMERICA, and he will be AMERICA'S President!

[MrsPeel]

IMO, Smiley is an a*s*s most of the time.

[dct1999]

No, all of the main stream black media and politicians were NOT for Hillary, please stop making sweeping generalizations based on nothing more than insinuation, rumor and media narrative.

Tavis attempted to make unreasonable demands on the Obamas, and black people smackedhimdown so hard that he had to leave the Tom Joyner show.

Black people are well aware that Obama could not have been elected without winning over a wide coalition of voters. Stop the nonsense.

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

tavis thought he was ENTITLED because he is black.....just like jesse, jr (will he shut-up about this senate seat?!?)

obama doesn't care what color you are.......you have to EARN it!!!!!

[kutkreata]

Hey lay off of Jesse Jackson, Jr :~) ,,,, now that's on hot man :-)


But on the real, I think Jesse's got the seat. Valerie said she didn't want it & Rahm is out of the picture for now.

[Chibikim]

I wish I could get that magazine. I know it's old but just to have that image of him. OH GOD HE'S SO HOT! I already ordered the poster.

[BabsfromKansas]

"The exclusive interview and cover shoot, held at the headquarters of Johnson Publishing Co. in Chicago, will be the centerpiece of Ebony magazine's January 2009 commemorative issue, which goes on sale nationwide Tuesday, December 9. "

MMMMM - can't wait to buy my copy!

[Big0725]

If you're that tingly, I'm sure the magazine's publisher has back copies somewhere. And don't think this will be unique.

[Bella37]

Blacks have jumped on the O train. I remember it was just a year ago that black had a problem with Barack and Michelle. They whined about Barack not going to blk churches enough. The blk part who through a hissy fir because Oprah talks a certain way. The blk part who complains about Michelle, Sasha and Malia natural beauty. The blk part that got mad when Barack speaks about his diverse family. The blk part that talked about the way Michelle dresses and speaks. The blk part that called Bill COsby an "Uncle Tom." Don't act like this is not true. BARACK HAS SPOKEN ON THIS OFTEN!! Maybe Barack will influence blacks to do well now. I know that there are blacks on here that are in denial about what I am saying!!

[Bella37]

An example was when the BLACK CACUS said in FEBRUARY that "Bill CLinton is blacker than Barack." Look it up, they said this earlier this year. Black Cacus, Tavis Smiley I could go on........

[dct1999]

The black caucus (not cacus) is not an individual, it is a group of african american members of congress.

You are confusing an entire organization with one individual. It was Andrew Young, who is not a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who made the statements about Clinton being blacker than Obama.

You are factually challenged, and amazingly misinformed.

[kesiac]

So the whole black "cacus" said this in Feb. Once I figure out what a Cacus is, I'll look it up. If you are speaking of the Black Caucus, you are incorrect. Why don't you look it up. Its interesting to see that people like you would choose to typecast a group of people, and not see your own hypocracy.
At this great moment in history only a fool would make a comment such as this. Obama got 95% of the black vote. Had it not been for the black vote, he would have not made it through the primary.

[meetoo]

...and how many whites have jumped on the "Wasilla Hilbilly" bandwagon just 'cuz she is white?

[kutkreata]

I was down with Barack from day one when he did the Dem speech. Then he came to my hometown to campaign for Harold Ford, Jr. He had me from hello. I was never down with Hillary, SO THERE! :-)

[roannamac]

Me too. My sister has a photo of her and Hilary, its in her office. I told her. You'd better take that mess down when I come here. He had me at "there are no red states and blue states, we are the UNITED states of America". And check it, I'm not even a born American. LOVE HIM. WANT TO DO REALLY NAUGHTY THINGS WITH HIM. But. Love me some Michelle so won't go there.

[dct1999]

LMAO!! Do you realize how ridiculous your post is?

Black people often disagree, we are not monolithic. There are black bloggers and columnists who have written numerous articles critical of Obama.

Black people disagreed on Bill Cosby's comments: some of us strongly agreed with him, some of us strongly disagreed with him, and some of us believed that his argument contained good points and bad points.

You are uninformed, and making claims based on limited knowledge. Oooops, your ignorance is showing.

[Bella37]

Okay I am making this sh*t up.LOL


DENIAL

DENIAL

DENIAL

DENIAL

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Whites have divisions. What makes you think blacks don't have divisions too. This just goes to

prove that blacks didn't vote for him just because he was black. Blacks are not all the same just

like whites are not all the same. Please, you want to make it sound like they are all the same and

they're not. Some blacks supported him and some didn't, not matter what the reasons. He won

many of them over like he won over a lot of the other American groups. Lower class whites resent

upper class. Well that happens in the black communities too. And they know how to wound. One

of the most hurtful things to say is someone is not black enough, they forget where they came

from, they think they are better, blah, blah, blah. Education erases those type feelings.

[Bella37]

Stop blaming white people for sh*t!! Take REPONSIBILITY for your own actions. Isn't that what BARACK and Michelle says?

[ciccocenta]

Gawd who'd ever think we'd have a President that you'd actually seriously consider dating.....IF he was single of course!

[deliziosa]

I think that was very endearing and respectful (for lack of a better word) for him to acknowledge Ebony magazine (and thereby the Black community) in this way. It's like a thank you for your support. i know my father subscribes to Ebony, and that magazine is definitely a huge backer from the beginning.