The President's romantic or awkward side - Always the Gentleman - Vote Obama

There has always been some curiosity about the president’s pre-Michelle love life. Obama briefly described one unnamed romantic interest in “Dreams From My Father,” who turns out to be a composite of a couple of women, including a New Yorker named Genevieve Cook.


If I were just starting out in life, I think one of my goals would be to become a composite girlfriend of a future president. You get a part in the story, but there’s really not all that much pressure.

Cook and the other woman, Alex McNear, depict a young Barack Obama who’s pretty similar to the one in “Dreams From My Father” — searching for his identity, smart and introspective. He was tough to get close to. Cook kept a diary that called him “guarded, controlled” with a whole lot of “distance and wariness.”

While Obama was obviously in many ways a remarkable young man, this last part actually sounds a lot like 80 percent of all the 22-year-old boyfriends on the planet. (The others may require an occasional restraining order.)

When Cook told Obama she loved him, he said “thank you.” I cannot tell you how often that sort of thing happens.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/05/opinion/collins-obamas-wonderful-town.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120505