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

[PlanetKansas]

Physical, emotional, spiritual.

Everyone needs all three to stay healthy and continue to think clearly.

Continuing his daily exercise regimine is essential for the high stress job he is going to get.

His family definately fullfills the emotional. I cannot recall a First lady that was both both a politcal wife and genuinely in love with her man. It is wonderful to watch them together.

Finding the spiritual through god is tricky, as faith often blinds reason, but a sure-fire path to spirituality is a faith in oneself through a passion for a hobby. I hope Mr. Obama can continue to play his pickup basketball games and fantasy sports leagues. If I were a Congressman, I would be working to be good at one or both.

[AnAmericanWoman]

When I hear people complain about Obama it makes me angry. This man has so much courage it's amazing. There have only been a few people in history that had his kind of hutzpa - and we know that one of them lives to tell the story today - well two. Ingrid Bettancourt and Nelson Madella. The others were taken from us.

GOD speed Mr. President.

[BannedInBoston]

Nelson Mandela is a real "profile in courage" -- one of the truly Great Ones....

[wpiv926]

Let us all pray for President-elect Barack Obama. I know he will be successful!!!!

[toni63]

I pray daily for him and his family , this is not an easy or normal undertaking ever, each transition and presidency is different and this one is by far most extraordinary ..
I do pray that Obama be a leader in creating a balance for himself and his family , no matter what I believe he has a huge support system and loyal people around him as well as his loyal base that will energize and rejuvinate his spirit . He will grow as a leader over the next few weeks and he assumes more of the helm...
I believe people like you all will make this so and make sure he stays well....

[mlaiuppa]

Work hard, Barack. It's only 8 years. Then you can have your life back in a better America that *you* helped to save.

In the mean time, you can stroll the White House grounds and enjoy the gardens.

[pluky]

Sadly no. The Presidency is in many ways a permanently transformative office. He will be surrounded by armed guards until he dies for one thing.

[democynic]

Nope. Presidents after Clinton do not receive lifetime Secret Service protection.

Congress also authorized protection of the spouses of deceased presidents unless they remarry and of the children of former presidents until age 16.[5]

Congress passed legislation in 1994 stating that presidents elected to office after January 1, 1997 will receive Secret Service protection for 10 years after leaving office. Individuals elected to office prior to January 1, 1997 will continue to receive lifetime protection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service

[Varkboer]

Terrible, misleading headline.

[voltaire11]

Agreed. That headline makes him sound like the Manchurian Candidate or Body Snatchers.

[Tommygun2146]

"Plain old Barack" may be gone, due to protocol, but compared to George W. "don't wake me after nine pm" Bush and Dick "remove my house from existence on Google Earth" Cheney, President-Elect Obama is still approachable, if not downright cuddly.

[wedgie]

Obama will be carrying a heavy heavy burden. Especially given who's been running the government. Imagine if he was being handed the economy and world political situation George Bush received from Bill Clinton.

Man, its a sad thing to see our guy starting from deep in his own end zone.

**

[Rule Of Law]

I hear he's going to install a half court hoop in the Oval Office and he and Rahm are going to lay two on two against his Cabinet heads to see whose policies get enacted.

[Rule Of Law]

"play..."

[ARowebie]

I hope and have to believe he has the maturity to understand that we need him to work full steam ahead for this country for eight years.

This eight years will be his duty and sacrifice for the greater good. Michelle is there to keep normalcy in place for their children. Most dads these days do not have the luxury of long leisurely Sundays with their children and either will President Obama.

Then, when his tour of duty is over, he can enjoy the rest of his life knowing he did this great country a great and timely service which we need so desperately.

I'm already sleeping better knowing a competent and thoughtful person is at the helm.

Thank you Mr. President. It is indeed a sacrifice - but you have the opportunity for your residency in the White House to be a historic and monumental one.

[johnbkk]

'Most dads these days do not have the luxury of long leisurely Sundays with their children and either will President Obama.'

Spending time with their children is a luxury for fathers in America?

[sparkal]

You caught that too? It is no luxury for fathers to spend time with their children buddy!

[roshni]

Not to mention, there are lots of working moms doing 2 or 3 jobs..... It should not be a luxury for either parent. Kids grow up fast.

[MarieFara]

He will NEVER be truly able to "enjoy" the rest of his life. Even after his 4 or 8 yrs in the White House he will ALWAYS be surrounded by secret service. His life as he knows it is over.

[Invox]

The rest of us are going to have to make sacrifices too. He can't do it alone. Nor should he. We can make it if we all hang together and do our part.

[MIMom]

It will be a change, but many people go through that, and I'm sure he weighed that when he considered running for pres.

I feel for the girls the most, through. It must be hard growing up in the WH. Hopefully family time will be able to be carved out as much as possible.

[cowman]

Because someone decided to answer their phone "Hello, Mr. President" it means their friend is suddenly gone or irrevocably changed somehow?

[LeBeau59741]

I wish his friends would ease this transition by NOT doing the whole "Mr. President" thing, except in offering their congratulations or in formal settings- I would think that it would be painfully isolating to suddenly have one's friends and mentors distancing themselves like that from the warmth and informality of the basic relationship.

If "Plain old Barack" is gone, it's probably not by his choice.

[fan4truth]

Personally, if my friend answered the phone that way, I'd hang up because he'd be the busiest person in the world at this moment. It shouldn't (and probably hasn't) changed their friendship, just changed their perceptions of one another.

[Invox]

This is a change for his friends too. I'm sure they're missing him. But he'll be back. Good friends never go away forever.

[CeeCee]

"Plain old Barack is gone" ?? Duh. I hope so. He is now the president-elect, with a humongous job to do.

[roninroshi]

"Plain old Barack" has to be gone in order to run this country...I look forward to an intelligent President who speaks in complete sentences and uses the English language in the way it was intended...The "good old boys" have ruined this country in every way possible...I rejoice they are gone!

[obamanation31]

Yes. It's sometimes lonely at the top.

[Cookie100]

Good, keep the kid boxed in and safe from the nutbars! Bush hasn't been in public since he became
pres. You had to sign a loyalty oath to see the guy when he was campaigning, those days are over!
The smart guy won, thank goodness.
Could you imagine how horrible it would be right now if the old man had! Yikes.

[cdub1991]

Barack is the zen master. I doubt he'll have any trouble creating a workable space for himself.

I was more interested to see the article refer to him as "introverted." Now, that speaks volumes.

[proudliberal4truth]

I personally see him as "introspective". No true introvert could or would subject himself to a run for the presidency.

[MomfromTexas]

Agree. I definitely see him as introspective, which is quite different than introverted.

[cdub1991]

Actually, Introversion isn't about being shy, but rather where you get your energy from. Are you internally directed (introspective is part of that) vs externally directed (think HWB)? Introverted folks can function perfectly well in the world, but they do need occasionally to withdraw from people to recharge themselves.