Does everyone here know that Obama slept

[Laura PourMeADrink]

in an alley in NYC when the person he was supposed to meet for his apartment sublet didn't show up? He didn't have enough money for
a hotel. (Dreams from my Father)

Isn't this the coolest thing you have ever heard about a future Prez?

[firedupdem]

1. wow...didn't know that. I really need to read that book n/t

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. YES read it. I was so utterly amazed - he's a fantastic author

and it read like fiction

[liberalmuse]

2. I'm so sad to hear that.

:cry:

[tularetom]

3. Actually it would be cooler if he was born in a log cabin

but for the 21st century it's pretty cool.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. right and he doesn't have wooden teeth and he hasn't chopped

down an cherry tree. (Wow, life used to be so simple - that's all we
ever knew about presidents)

[gmoney]

6. "I was born in a log cabin I helped my father build..."

I wish I remember who first said that...

[gmoney]

4. Uh, that's really NOT bright.

Good way to get randomly attacked or rolled. Couldn't he find a coffee shop, or take a bus to the port authority, or for that matter, ride the bus all night?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. buzz kill

[tblue]

8. You know how it is when you're young

and believe nothing bad will happen to you.

[annabanana]

13. Well you don't lie right out in the middle.

Port Authority is worse than an alley.. You can't ride a bus all night, but he might have ridden a train (if he stayed in the front car).

[stevenleser]

15. When you are young and down on your luck, you dont always know all your options

Sure it was dangerous, particularly given the time period if I have my years figured out right. Nowadays you could do that in Manhattan and most places in the outer boroughs and be fine.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. what a great point - when you are young... you don't know your options.

[gmoney]

29. Was this before or after the Harvard Law Review?

Well, if he'd ever heard the SONG, he'd know it's the city that doesn't sleep...

...this just doesn't sound like the great judgement we credit him for. And chalking it up to "lack of experience" doesn't help our argument either.

[Hansel]

9. Elitist! n/t

[On the Road]

10. I Did Not Know That

It makes a difference in your view of the world.

I know the feeling. In 1978, I slept in my broken-down car for a week until I earned enough money to pay for a week's rent.

Oddly enough, Jim Cramer was broke and slept in his car as a young reporter out of Harvard. It shows in the way he connects with people.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. You just made me resolve to think and act like nothing like

that would be a big deal - seems as you get older it's more about
how comfortable can I make myself.

[On the Road]

26. It Wasn't a Big Deal at the Time

In my early 20s, few possessions, just surviving from one day to the next.

There were several occassions. One time in the winter I had the motor running and was awakened by NC policemen who told me I would die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Another time I got a job as a short-order cook and had to eat eight eggs a day at work to keep from starving until I got my first paycheck. Another time I resolved to go panhandling the next day if I didn't find a job. I found a job, but had to wait three days until it started with only a dollar, which bought one loaf of bread. I have had a management job at Verizon for years, but once it happens, it permanently colors your view of the world.

The most visible difference is how you relate to people at the lower end of society. Obama does it in a way McCain will never be able to manage.

[tblue]

12. Reminds me of that bathroom scene in The Pursuit of Happyness.

Oh, that broke my heart!

[blue sky at night]

14. being street smart is really the smartest thing you can be....

if you can handle yourself on the street and survive the rough spots in life ok, you are a hell of a person. Need I say more?






CHange, HOpe, OBama......

[Doremus]

17. Character building. Who will give voice to the little guys better

than one who has actually been one himself.

I'm not particularly religious, but it has to be a true miracle that this man arrived at this particular time in history.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. And he and Michelle knew that - this is the time - the right time

for him and for the country - a time for someone to come along and lead us
out of this freakin mess.

[Doremus]

28. And thank the gods he did.

:grouphug:

[Cha]

19. Yes, Obama's done it all..from

sleeping in an alley in New York City to possibly sleeping in the White House as our Prez:patriot:

[NYC_SKP]

20. So THAT'S who that was outside my back window...

...way back then. Huh.

I kinda thought at the time that he was going to go places...He was fine, nice alley.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. Can you imagine, if you had actually seen him there? This man

curled up in an alleyway is going to be our next president!

You are kidding, right?

[NYC_SKP]

27. Yes.

I'm kidding, I made that up. :hi:

[msallied]

22. I love that book. AND The Audacity of Hope. He's a wonderful writer.

And I admired him so much after reading both books. I keep telling people who are on the fence about Obama, if they read his books they will see what the rest of us see.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

25. love your Palin thing.

[ejpoeta]

24. i'm reading the book now. only got one chapter in so far.

hard to read with a 3 year old jumping on you. :)

[EC]

30. He's had a lot of down and out type of experiences

By the way did you know Dennis Kucinich's family lived in their car for a while?

[cynatnite]

31. I don't think it's cool, but it is heartening to know he's struggled like many of us. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

32. So! John McCain didn't have a table for four years!!!

I would STRONGLY encourage everyone to get his audiobooks, hearing the words in his own voice is amazing (and ya gotta love the accents!)