Friday, January 11, 2008

Obama on Tyra

here's the rundown
Sen. Obama shoots hoops and talks to Tyra Banks on keeping his family together, smoking (he's not anymore), his first date with Michelle after a work gathering on the curb at Baskin Robbins (they had ice cream), on his 15th wedding anniversary in 2 days, his mom dying of ovarian cancer at 53, how the health care system mistreated his mom -- (insurance companies questioned whether it was a pre-existing condition or not), universal healthcare elsewhere in the world but not here, his mother, an emotional woman, used to tear up all the time, "a beautiful person... most of my values i get from her,"
he'll start bringing troops home immediately, but have some troops remain to look after US embassy in Baghdad, 10s of thousands of troops home within the first year, the Lincoln bedroom is not as fancy as you think (Tyra asked to have a slumber party there), he'll have a bbq on the front lawn of the white house,

Tyra's "never been asked" questions:
What's in your ipod? jay z, miles davis, bach, "i got a little salsa too"
in a movie, who would play you? Denzel "but somebody pointed out with my ears it might have to be will (smith)"

audience questions:
has experiencing predjudice made you a stronger man? "....makes you more empathetic, allows you to kind of see in somebody elses life...."

a woman with four children, struggles to pay bills?
"you're right, you're not alone." he meets people everywhere struggling. Increasing minimum wage every year, not every 10 years, earned income tax credit expansion, tax breaks not to the wealthy but to the people who really need it. long term, invest in schools, $275 million a day invested in Iraq, we could be spending that on roads bridges, hospitals.

Lack of experience?

"i've been in public service for 20 years... my experience matches up with anybody out there."
other experience: bringing people together to get things done, overcoming special interests, "telling the truth and standing up even when it's not popular."

Sen. Obama loves basketball but modest about his skills. "I'm all right."
He shoots and misses, then gets it in

how does he stay fit?
treadmill, basketball

Tyra pleads to her audience, teens, to VOTE.