Coming from the Sunday NY Times: Obama's Former Law Students Give Him an "A" -- and Offer Insight on His Presidency

A major story in this coming Sunday's special New York Times Magazine "college" issue explores Barack Obama's teaching days as a law professor at the University of Chicago. The article by Alexandra Star suggests that the aim was to find out what "kind of president he might make," based on his record there.

It turns out the students he taught for a decade before leaving in 2003 loved him - he was "routinely" rated as one of the best teachers at the law school -- and found him extremely fair minded. He was "more pragmatic than ideological," and used "forensic logic," while also lacing his talks with basketball analogies.

Richard Hess, now an attorney, says, "it was drilled into us from Day 1 that you examined your biases and inclinations. And then, when you made decisions, they were based on sound empirical reasons." Another former student calls him "a street smart academic...He wanted his students to consider the impact laws and judicial opinions had on real people."

Another present day lawyer: "You never would have known he was going to be a liberal senator based on what he said in his courses." In fact, several suggest that his performance in the classroom is a better indicator of what kind of president he would be than his time in the Senate.

"Based on what I saw in the classroom," says Dan Johnson-Weinberger, who lobbies for liberal causes in Illinois, "my guess is that an Obama administration could be summarized in two word: Ruthless pragmatism."

A major story in this coming Sunday's special New York Times Magazine "college" issue explores Barack Obama's teaching days as a law professor at the University of Chicago. The article by Alexandra Star suggests that the aim was to find out what "kind of president he might make," based on his record there.

It turns out the students he taught for a decade before leaving in 2003 loved him - he was "routinely" rated as one of the best teachers at the law school -- and found him extremely fair minded. He was "more pragmatic than ideological," and used "forensic logic," while also lacing his talks with basketball analogies.

Richard Hess, now an attorney, says, "it was drilled into us from Day 1 that you examined your biases and inclinations. And then, whene you made decisions, they were based on sound empirical reasons." Another former student calls him "a street smart academic...He wanted his students to consider the impact laws and judicial opinions had on real people."

Another present day lawyer: "You never would have known he was going to be a liberal senator based on what he said in his courses." In fact, several suggest that his performance in the classroom is a better indicator of what kind of president he would be than his time in the Senate.

"Based on what I saw in the classroom," says Dan Johnson-Weinberger, who lobbies for liberal causes in Illinois, "my guess is that an Obama administration could be summarized in two word: Ruthless pragmatism."

There's also much discussion of how Obama handled racial issues, including his response to being called a "nigger" -- by "an Asian driver in a souped-up Honda."
*
Greg Mitchell is editor of Editor & Publisher.

Comments

[phughez]

I've always believed Obama's style is pragmatic and deliberative, not impulsive or ideological. He means it when he says things like we're not just red states or blue states, we're Americans; the simplicity of that catches people off guard. Obama is very mindful about what he says and how he says it; he's got that stump speech, and then he's got the Philadelphia style speech, or the Berlin speech; or the candid interview schtick ; different voices depending on the situation. To say he's all words, or all show, doesn't explain the thinking he puts into it.

[Livvy]

From the moment I read Obama's books I knew that was a mind that we needed. He will not always make everyone happy on either the left or the right. What he will do is look at a problem from all angles and request input and not have his mind made up when he first asks the questions. What he will do is think about the people first. After 8 years of nobody thinking about the people that alone gives me hope.

[AngryAmish]

If only he could have managed to remember his students' names from one week to the next. . . . Taking a keen interest in people--not in the abstract, which he's good at, but in specific persons--is not the Senator's strong suit.

Also, the Republicans' efforts to paint Obama as the Most Liberal Senator Ever are amusing, given that U of C is easily the most conservative of the top tier law schools. Leftist ideologues do not remain long at U of C.

[Grissom1001]

Ya just know it's the uneducated in this country that would not want someone smarter than they are for President.
People say that Palin has as much experience as Obama and it just floors me. The only thing the same about Obama and Palin? They breath the same air.

[CalliDem]

OMG ... some 18 and 19 year old students think he is just soooo cool. Lets elect him President !!!!!!!!!!!!

[hockeymom_huh]

And some want to go hunting and have a beer with Palin. Ewww! Lets elect them as President!!!

[standard]

Dear CalliDem,

In the U.S., to be a law student you must first graduate from college, and law programs normally run three years. Thus, with a few exceptions, lawyers are in their mid-twenties by the time they get their law degrees. The folks commenting on Sen. Obama as a professor for the Times are at least five to 15 years older than that, as "he taught for a decade before leaving in 2003".

So, the folks who see him as cool are now in their thirties and forties, if not older: not teenagers. They're also folks smart enough to make it into and through one of America's leading law schools and far enough along in their careers to speak knowledgeably about the value of taking his class.

And it's "let's" (with an apostrophe).

[PeaceOnEarth62]

Love your response to CalliDem.

Ooooo, CalliDem, what a burn! Get the ice!

I'm long past being a teen college student but I'm all for Obama in 2008!

[kissmygrits]

One of my friends had him as a Prof and said he was nothing less than brilliant and amazing - no surprise there.