Obama Friend: "Plain Old Barack Is Gone"

The Washington Post talks to friends of President-elect Barack Obama about the inevitable changes in his life:

A familiar number showed up on Terry Link's cellphone last week, the one that belonged to the friend he tutored in politics, dominated in golf and sometimes referred to playfully as "Ears." At least once each week for almost a decade, the Illinois state senator had talked on the phone to Barack Obama, but now the number seemed to belong to somebody else.

"This time I answered, 'Hello, Mr. President,' " Link said. "When he called, it used to just be 'Hey, Barack. What's going on?' But plain old Barack is gone."

Obama's home in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood has become a compound guarded ever more closely by bomb-sniffing dogs and Secret Service agents who peer through binoculars at neighboring rooftops. When he travels around the city, it is in an armored limousine and 20-car motorcade, so he has mainly stayed bunkered at home or a downtown transition office. Last week, Obama told one friend that he felt "a little boxed in."

This is only the beginning of the transformation that awaits the president-elect and his family. In two months, they will move into a sterile house in a unfamiliar city where they have never felt particularly comfortable. Friends say Obama is savoring these final weeks in Chicago and spending as much time as possible with his family before he takes the oath of office Jan. 20.

During his political rise, Obama safeguarded times of normalcy and credited them for keeping him sane. A run on the treadmill in the early morning. An evening meander through 57th Street Books. Date night with his wife, Michelle, at one of their favorite restaurants. Pickup basketball at a gym downtown.

Obama already has learned that his mundane routine will be difficult to replicate as president, but his friends say that establishing some kind of similar comfort zone is critical to his success in Washington. They consider it one of the most pressing -- and most challenging -- issues of Obama's transition: How can he create a life as president that keeps him happy?

Read the whole thing.

Comments

[joceeco]

I think the media is making a bigger deal of MR. Obama's new status than he is, this man knew that his life would change a great deal when he decided to run for POTUS. I cannot believe that Mr. Obama did not know what he and his family must give up in order to be the First Family of America. Please stop with the stories of "poor old Barack and his Family." Trust me, he and Michelle both knew that they would be guarded like royalty at every turn.

[Voxlisa999]

What a cold, heartless comment- completely devoid of empathy- you must be a Republican. Just because you "know" intellectually your life is going to change doesn't mean you are totally prepared emotionally. I don't think the 'guards" bother him- it's the media. The guy can't even go to his local barber anymore. Now that is totally ridiculous, don't you think? They media have to stake out a barbershop and ruin it? Crass and no class. And no, he shouldn't have to give that up- it's our stupid celebrity culture.

[jean22]

I agree

[livesimply]

It's not about "royalty," my republican friend. It's about the threats he gets on a regular basis. Why? Because of all the fear mongering and race-baiting by many "republican" comentators, like Limbaugh and Savage (to name a couple,) and because there is still a lot of prejudice in small town America. It only takes one hate-deluded whacko to f**k it all up which seems to be the goal (or at least the talk) of too many people.

[Seattlelite]

Hopefully time will permit the Obama's to have family and friends to Camp David every once in awhile. Good friends and strong family keep you grounded and sane.

[duze]

H E L L O =====P R E S I D E N T=======OBAMA.

[gmlaster]

The sacrifice Barack is making is the same one our soldiers made when they enlisted. They temporarily give up the right to their autonomy for the sake of serving our country. As their Commander-in-Chief, it is reasonable to expect him to make the same sacrifice. Let's just pray that he doesn't have to make the ultimate sacrifice. But if he does, this too is what he signed up for, just like the troops he commands. As the first black man ever to become President of the United States, he is truly putting his life on the line for his country. Every Klansman in the country would love to be the one to put a bullet in him.

This is his life's work. Most of us never even get the chance to do that. But he knew that this work would call for the sacrifice of his freedom and maybe even his life. His life belongs to his country for the next four to eight years. He and his family deserve our appreciation and our thanks for this.

[haramagoti]

It's called being elected President? The title of the article makes as if someone's calling him out for a character flaw, a departing from his roots. The article isn't about that, it's a deceptive and ill thought out title to the piece. He is entirely his roots.

[DeloresT]

Obama knew what he was getting in to. Michelle only agreed to his runnung for the presidency after being told that the Secret Service would do their damdest to keep him safe. The guy is brilliant and will do a great job. Our job is to pray for his safety. Those little girls deserve to have their father with them after he has served his term(s). There are idiots out there who havew been told by the right wing politicians and religious right that he should NOT be in the White House ( this is strange to me because they love Bush and he has proven to be the absolute worst in modern times). Let's keep Obama prayed up.

[kburlz]

How much you think will Obama speech appearances be going for in ten years?

[robXdion]

Provided he avoids major scandals of his own doing and causes some serious changes in health care, infrastructure, jobs, oil dependency, SC appointees, international relations, national deficit and budgetary reductions. . . .he'll make Bill Clinton look like an irrelevant weak old 70's band on a USO tour.

[amoment]

Sounds like the President-Elect feels as I did as a newlywed, "What the heck did I do?" Hopefully, Barack will have more staying power than I did.

[JestMe]

I firmly believe that Barak Obama will change as he ages,but he is so solid in who he is that he will still be friends to who he knows, and will just have to use more caution as he moves around. Barak will raise this country from the ruin that is the Bush legacy. I am very proud to have been part of his rise to office.

[SemperVeritas]

Same here! May God protect Barack and his family.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Let us all count our
many blessings.

[rlt]

Bill Clinton used to go jogging and end up at McDonald's in D.C. They ordered pizza to the White House late at night.

Having lived there almost 14 yrs, Chicago is a city that is cool as sh**; D.C. is not the same, but the secret service can find some way to may D.C work - at least a little bit - for him.

It still won't be the same as Chicago, but as people have said, he knew what he was getting into, he has a bigger mission to tackle, and he will be only 56/7 when he's done and could have quite a normal life to lead then. We need him now though & he knows it - that's why he is going to bring big change fast with health care, energy, infrastructure and so on.

When he's done, they are keeping the house so they can go back to Harold's Chicken (which he mentioned on 60 minutes) or that over priced Italian place Spiaggo's - or go out on a stroll on Oahu to the local 7-11 to pick up some spam sushi, but right now there's too much to do. Real change, not rhetoric, is coming.

[kburlz]

I have a feeling he'll keep working his ass off when he's done.

[ImWithThatOne]

I get the feeling even the presidency isn't Barack's ultimate goal.

[LettuceB1]

I am so proud and relieved that Obama is our President but I feel really bad for the Obama family because the freedom you describe B Clinton having is no more. Being able to jog around the city was before 9/11. The reality now is that the Obama family will not be able to move around the city like that any more. Not only because of the times but because of the amount of death threats they receive. They are truly sacrificing their safety and way of life for us in ways that I have only thought of recently. B & M have to leave all their old haunts and the girls have to leave all their friends at school. Hopefully the dog will help:) I will continue to pray for them.

*Blessings*

[CRA1]

Every president and their families lose the life they once knew once they move into the WH , with the exception of the current bozo who lives there now.

I get the feeling that the CIA will work even harder in protecting BO and his family because of who they are. Down to earth, caring people who do not talk down to people and make us all feel we are special because we live in this great country

[NotMcCain]

The #1 job of the President is the safety of the U.S.

And the #1 importance to the U.S. right now is the safety of our President.

He and his family have to give up a lot to serve the country that they love. But their safety is critical at this critical time--and we appreciate it (I'm sure that even goes for "old friends")

[darker]

Oh, what the hell do people WANT ALREADY???
How SELF-INDULGENT ARE THEY??

When Obama is PRESIDENT, he's NOT the guy next door and no
friend should expect him to be THAT!

GROW UP, PEOPLE.

[ExRedneck]

In Vietnam, I missed the opportunity to walk around by myself. It was just too dangerous.

There are people who want to kill Obama, but he has become too important.

I hope that one day, he can hike alone in the mountains.

It saved me.

[robXdion]

It's amazing how those little things mean so much. It's good you got the chance to do that again in peace.

[RomeoinFl]

President Elect Obama (Gosh I love saying that) knew what he was getting into. It may be overwhelming now but like everything else he will get used to it. I am sure Michelle and thoses girls will keep him down to earth. I can guarantee you they are not referring to him as Mr. President.

[tbone99]

Poor Obama - all those uptight policy types. Hope he can hang out with his friends now and then and they are not too intimidated to tell it like they see it.