White House Reacts Swiftly, Dismissively To New Book, 'The Obamas'

Jodi Kantor's detailed new book on the first family has already drawn strong pushback from the Obama administration. White House spokesman Eric Schultz emailed this quote after excerpts of Kantor's "The Obamas" were published (in The Huffington Post and Kantor's New York Times).

This is the author's take, reflecting her own opinions, on a remarkably strong relationship the President and First Lady – both of whom share an unwavering commitment to each other, and to improving the lives of Americans. The book, an overdramatization of old news, is about a relationship between two people whom the author has not spoken to in years. The author last interviewed the Obamas in 2009 for a magazine piece, and did not interview them for this book. The emotions, thoughts and private moments described in the book, though often seemingly ascribed to the President and First Lady, reflect little more than the author's own thoughts. These second-hand accounts are staples of every Administration in modern political history and often exaggerated.

The book's portrait of a White House torn between two chiefs of staff -- one professional (Emanuel), the other spiritual (Michelle Obama) -- is an uncomfortable one for the administration. It plays into an occasionally over-written narrative of a power-hungry first lady. Kantor, moreover, was unable to score an interview with either Obama.

That said, she said she did interview 33 White House officials, some on several occasions. And two former administration officials have told the Huffington Post that at least one anecdote -- involving former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel exploding at fellow staffers over a pre-mid-term election document leak -- was described accurately.

The idea that Kantor is overdramatizing old news is silly, however, as a lot of the material in the book's pages will come off as utterly new even to plugged-in members of the White House press corps.

Comments

[rdk70816]

06:00 PM on 01/11/2012

If the Obamas dismiss the book, "The Obamas", as old news, they are tacitly agreeing with its content. It is good that they are truthful.

[hypyrwyf]

01:24 PM on 01/09/2012

You know what I don't see here in the comments? Specious personal attacks against the author. Libs rule!

[hypyrwyf]

01:45 PM on 01/09/2012

...against the author of the book (edited for clarity). Ask Joe McGinness about personal attacks.

[jshook99]

03:15 PM on 01/08/2012

Halloween 2009 Unemployement 10% and The Obamas just kept spending. They have tried to keep this hushed.
White House Hosted 'Wonderland'-Themed Extravagant Hollywood Halloween Bash Before Burton Film Release

[smburwick]

10:01 AM on 01/08/2012

After so many years reading about people who rise to fame, there is a point where they, I feel, have a choice. To be honest and straightforward, or cross a line of deceit and lies. These two represent the latter to many, and for some, the influence from the propagandized far left media still influences your thinking process. My critics on here say I am influenced by fox. No, I say. I did my own reading and revisited my schooling from years ago. What I was trained for years ago, has come to fruition. I like to view both sides of a matter. But now it is the economy, dummy. And the jobs issue, which is NOT exactly what AP reports. Please give me a list of conservative democrats and republicans please if you know of any?

[Patty Ann]

10:45 AM on 01/08/2012

true words and no spin...I like your way of thinking...comon sense..

[MariaTall]

09:25 AM on 01/08/2012

They are both elitists. They live it, they love it and then they do all they can to hide it from all the "little people."

This non denial - denial comes as a surprise,.........to whom?

[Sonya Kenney]

10:35 AM on 01/08/2012

What is elitest? You go to a good college. My dad was a garbage truck driver and my stayed at home. They worked really hard and saved to put me thru school. Is something wrong with becoming the cream of the crop? That is where the decay of America is coming from. No one wants to be the best anymore. I'm tired of this do nothing crowd.

[smburwick]

01:18 PM on 01/08/2012

You are absolutely correct. The elitists around BO and the RINOS and I include all of those who became filthy rich since I started in government. The disdain for Romney because his father worked hard and had a work ethic? Listen to the Union heads who DEMAND and receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to be agitators. Don't forget, liberals always want to silence a discussion and bully all of the time. Hypocrites. Notice also, everyone waits for the conservatives to repsond to left attacks. Rules for Radicals is what the crimial lame media is doing. George S., Diane Sawyer are biased.,

[smburwick]

01:19 PM on 01/08/2012

they started: correction.

[reality4u2]

08:59 AM on 01/08/2012

Now we know who wears the pant's and who all you Obamaites really voted for! What a sorry state of affairs, but it proves what we have known for a while - that he's inept and they blame everyone else for their own shortcomings and failures. And also it explains why we never saw anything published by Obama during his school years nor while editor of The law Review - he can't write! They better alert The Secret Service to keep their eyes open for a dead fish wrapped in newspaper being delivered to the front door.

[Carl Brackin]

04:03 PM on 01/08/2012

reality4u2, if the things you are saying were true, what difference would it make? He is the President of these United States of America and it is too bad that you are so "bitter" that he is such a good President over what McCain would have been.

The people who are criticizing your Obama appear to be those who do not care what happens to the US workers and their families; do not want the governments to help the people during these times when the “forced” unemployment is high and there is an increase of people living in poverty.
The jobs program will help all of my younger family members get or have jobs available instead of having the jobs disappearing.
There is a time limit involved and the Private sectors will have to help create the needed production jobs since the stimulus recovery programs are not sustainable even if they stabilize this 2007deep recession.
The longer it takes for the private manufacturing jobs to decrease the unemployment making the goods we now buy as imports from the global corporations, the harder it is going to be to prevent another great depression.

[Italianamerican]

07:14 AM on 01/08/2012

Of course they say dismiss it and his lap dogs in the media will do just that. what a sad state this country is in when the people who are suppose to be neutral. how do you people feel knowing you are supporting a semi state run media. That is what will cost Obama re-election because people see he gets pass on everything. This is not how America is suppose to be. China yea america no

[Patty Ann]

10:51 AM on 01/08/2012

the extream Dem's would like to only let us see one news channel, that's controlled by the Gov the far left Gov..

[SongSinger]

05:21 AM on 01/08/2012

Hey Sam: Since Arienna nutered you you have been producing such low quality crap. Try being a real journalist again.

[Maui Gal]

04:36 AM on 01/08/2012

We don't need a book about obama's to tell us the inside scoop.
We are living the nightmare, all of that wonderful "Hope and Change" really meant "Welfare and Food Stamps For All!"

[Patty Ann]

10:39 AM on 01/08/2012

you forgot..we also should turn in our guns..."No not the gangsters" just we the people

[reginaldr]

12:37 PM on 01/08/2012

That's funny! The stock market is doing better than it has since 2009 and unemployment is going down, we are out of Iraq, we can now leave our children on our medical insurance until they are 26, no more denials by insurance companies...etc.

But all I ever hear from the republicans' is Obama is killing the country....sounds like sour grapes...

Or is it because he is Black...be careful (republicans' Americans) one day you will be in the minority!!!! Then What!!!

[Maui Gal]

01:31 PM on 01/08/2012

#1 unemployment numbers are at a all time high, DC does not take into account all of the self employed people who can not draw on that system.
#2 most people today still find their stock half or less than what they paid and can not retire on it now.
#3 obama hellcare is a jobs breaker and keeping this country down for the last 2 years, it also is going to cost us dearly.
We have more people today on welfare and food stamps, if you call that is sour grapes, think again!
When all else fails, let's pull out the race card for the guy.
Last I knew he was half black and white!

[justalurker]

02:57 AM on 01/08/2012

yawn....

[Tim jones 2011]

04:43 AM on 01/08/2012

how creative.

[Sonya Kenney]

02:00 AM on 01/08/2012

How did she know what the President and First Lady thought if she didn't interview them for the book. Some of these cited thoughts, don't even sound like they were made infront of other staffers. I take this book w/ a pound of salt.

[m2modon]

10:00 AM on 01/08/2012

The Obama's refused an interview. The proof there, is in the pudding.

[Sonya Kenney]

10:31 AM on 01/08/2012

You prove my point. How can the book have quotes from the Obamas stating their inner thoughts when they were not interviewed for the book. And some of the quotes seem to be between the two in the residency which Jodi Kantor said staffers never went up there until the passage of healthcare.

The stories of her spending too much, I agree with because that was covered in other books.

[pb31]

01:50 AM on 01/08/2012

I was amused that Kantor's New York Times account ends with a recital of what Michelle said in a toast at the President's birthday party (which Kantor did not attend.) She talks about Obama's reactions (which she did not observe) and the thoughts of staffers present at the party (whose expressions she did not see and whose thoughts she could not have known.) At best, this account was based on someone else's account of the toast, someone else's impression of the President's expression and someone else's interpretation of other people's looks and thoughts. Or maybe Kantor was just reporting what she imagined people were thinking. The whole article was based on such second hand accounts, opinions and suppositions, since Kantor did not actually observe any of the events. I take her article with a huge grain of salt.

[m2modon]

10:01 AM on 01/08/2012

Unfortunately, we can't take Obama's attempt at playing President, with a huge grain of salt.

[FlamingLibrul]

10:57 AM on 01/08/2012

Please tell us what the Republicans have done, since the 2010 midterms- we won't even get into the disaster that was 8 years of the neoCon preziduncy. Biggest epic fail of a Congress in recent history, with the most embarrassing, incompetent Speaker of the House ever appointed. Republicans seem to be good at calling themselves public servants, without actually doing anything to serve the public- unless public refers to corporations and millionaires.

[fmeyer11]

12:57 AM on 01/08/2012

News flash, building talks.

[proscanusa]

12:42 AM on 01/08/2012

How the Stimulus Plan Will Work

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House.

One is from Chicago, another is from Tennessee, and the third is from Minnesota. All three go with a White House official to examine the fence.The Minnesota contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil.

"Well," he says, "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me.

"The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Chicago contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the WhiteHouse official and whispers, "$2,700."

The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the other guys!

How did you come up with such a high figure?"The Chicago contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence.

""Done!" replies the government official.

And that, my friends, is how the new stimulus plan will work.

[pensiondad]

12:10 AM on 01/08/2012

Ok to hacket the Palin's but not the Obama's?