Barack Obama: In His Own Words

By Lisa Rogak

New York Times Bestseller: A collection of quotations by the forty-fourth US president, arranged A-to-Z by topic.

From the day he delivered his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama became a national political figure—a little-known Illinois senator transformed into the country’s first African American president just four years later. He has been admired by millions for his calm demeanor, charisma, sense of humor, integrity, and exceptional eloquence.

Organized A-to-Z by topic, this book gathers his quotes on democracy, diversity, abortion, religion, AIDS, his critics, foreign policy, the Iraq war, the internet, terrorism, unemployment, gay marriage, and a host of other issues, as well as more personal subjects like his marriage, his childhood, his critics, and his cigarette habit. Informative and easy to read, this is a wide-ranging selection of commentary by one of the major figures of the twenty-first century world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Aug 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781907532719

Lisa Rogak

LISA ROGAK is the author of numerous books, including And Nothing But the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert. She is the editor of the New York Times bestseller Barack Obama in His Own Words and author of the New York Times bestseller Angry Optimist: The Life and Times of Jon Stewart. Rogak lives in New Hampshire. Learn more on her website.

Book preview

ON ABORTION

I think the Democrats historically have made a mistake just trying to avoid the issue or pretend that there’s not a moral component to it. There is. I am pro-choice, but I also think that it’s important—even as I indicate that I’m pro-choice—to say this is not a trivial issue. And we have to listen to the profound concerns that other people have.

Face the Nation, March 12, 2006

No one is pro-abortion.

Speech at Benedictine University, October 5, 2004

I don’t know anybody who is pro-abortion. I think it’s very important to start with that premise. I think people recognize what a wrenching, difficult issue it is. Our goal should be to make abortion less common; that we should be discouraging unwanted pregnancies, that we should encourage adoption wherever possible.

Christianity Today, January 2008

ON ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Lincoln was not a perfect man, nor a perfect president. By modern standards, his condemnation of slavery might be considered tentative.

Chicago Tribune, June 26, 2005

I’m fascinated by Lyndon Johnson; there’s a piece of him in me. That kind of hunger—desperate to win, please, succeed, dominate—I don’t know any politician who doesn’t have some of that reptilian side to him. But that’s not the dominant part of me. On the other hand, I don’t know that it was the dominant part of Lincoln. The guy was pretty reflective.

Men’s Vogue, Fall 2006

I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator.

Time Magazine, June 26, 2005

ON AFGHANISTAN

I have always thought that we did the right thing in Afghanistan. My only concern with respect to Afghanistan was that we diverted our attention from Afghanistan in terms of moving into Iraq, and I think would could have done a better job of stabilizing that country than we have in providing assistance to the Afghani people. All of us should be rooting for the Afghani people and making sure that we are providing them the support to make things happen.

Illinois Senate Debate, Illinois Radio Network, October 12, 2004

ON AFRICA

Africans are going to have to be responsible for their own salvation. We have to be partners with them in that process. The African-American community here has to be attentive to their issues. On the flip side, African leaders have to create a rule of law that is not corrupt, that is transparent.

Essence, October 2006

Black Americans have always had an ambiguous relationship with Africa. Nowadays, we wear kente cloth, celebrate Kwanza and put up posters of Nelson Mandela on our walls. And when we travel to Africa and discover it’s not all sweetness and light, we can end up deeply disappointed.

Crisis, October 1995

ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY

I don’t think the Democratic Party takes the African-American voters for granted. I want Republicans to compete for the African-American vote. They’re not getting the African-American vote not because African-Americans aren’t open-minded, but because Democrats have consistently championed those issues—civil rights, voting rights, concern for working families—that are of greatest concern to African-American voters.

Meet the Press, July 25, 2004

In the African-American community in particular, I think sometimes we have a tendency for our leadership to be very protective of their turf and not invite young people in until it’s way too late. The earlier we’re grooming young people and giving them leadership opportunities, and pushing them up front, the better.

Black Collegian, October 2006

I firmly believe the overwhelming majority of African-Americans are just as hardworking, just as intent to go about their business. What is true, though, is sometimes we get into the mode of it’s easier to blame white folks for things than us taking the responsibility.

Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man? Charles Barkley, page 35

We have a certain script in our politics, and one of the scripts for black politicians is that for them to be authentically black they have to somehow offend white people. And then if he puts a multiracial coalition together, he must somehow be compromising the efforts of the African-American community. To use a street term, we flipped the script.

Chicago Tribune, June 26, 2005

I think that it is the best of times and the worst of times for the African-American community. And one of the things that I want to make certain is that the voices of young men standing on a street corner without hope and vision for the future. Voices are heard in the U.S. Senate, that we feel a certain sense of urgency about a generation that we’re losing.

All Things Considered, July 27, 2004

Any black person in America who’s successful has to be able to speak several different forms of the same language. You take on different personas as you need to, when you have to. There’s nothing wrong with it. You’re going to speak differently on the golf course with your golf buddies than you are with your buddies around the kitchen table.

Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man? Charles Barkley, page 25

I know if I’m in an all-black audience that there’s going to be a certain rhythm coming back at me from the audience. They’re not just going to be sitting there. That creates a different rhythm in your speaking.

Chicago Tribune, June 26, 2005

ON AIDS

We are all sick because of AIDS—and we are all tested by this crisis. Neither philanthropist nor scientist; neither government nor church, can solve this problem on their own—AIDS must be an all-hands-on-deck effort.

World AIDS Day Speech, December 1, 2006

I don’t think we can deny that there is a moral and spiritual component to prevention. Again and again I heard stories of men and women contracting HIV because sex was no longer part of a sacred covenant, but a mechanical physical act. Having said that, I also believe that we cannot ignore that abstinence and fidelity may too often be the ideal and not the reality. If condoms and potentially microbicides can prevent millions of deaths, they should be made more widely available.

Orange County Register, December 1, 2006

I think it’s important that we target HIV/AIDS resources in the communities where we’re seeing the highest growth rates. That means education and prevention, particularly with young people. It means that we have to look at drastic measures like needle exchange in order to insure that drug users are not transmitting the disease to each other. And we’ve got to expand on treatment programs. And all of that is going to cost some money and some time. But the more we invest in that ounce of prevention the better off we’re going to

Reviews for Barack Obama

[essfair · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A book of quotes. MOre a reference book or something to dip into here and there for inspiration.