NBC's Lee Cowan, on Thursday's "Today" show, giddily highlighted new found photos taken of Barack Obama when he was a freshman at Occidental College and even cooed at a shot of him sitting on an old Goodwill couch, "Humble beginnings!" Cowan interviewed Obama's old college classmate Lisa Jack who took the photographs, because she claimed she was told to get pictures of the then freshman because he "definitely had personality," and added, "He was cute. I mean look at him."
The following Obama puff piece was aired on the May 28, "Today" show:
NATALIE MORALES: Well the President, President Barack Obama is one of the most photographed people in the world but it's never before seen pictures of the President, before he was famous, that are turning heads these days. NBC's Lee Cowan has that story.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓[On screen headline: "'Barry The Freshman,' Early Photos Of Obama Revealed]
LEE COWAN: It started with Barack Obama's first big win in Iowa.
BARACK OBAMA: They said this day would never come.
COWAN: That got Lisa Jack thinking about her former college classmate and a box in the basement.
LISA JACK, PHOTOGRAPHER: I was like, "Oh my God!" I mean it's really one of those "ah-ha!" moments.
COWAN: In a battered blue notebook, wrapped in wax paper, were 36 forgotten pictures of a freshman she was told she had to photograph because-
JACK: He had, definitely had personality. And he was cute. I mean look at him. You gotta admit.
COWAN: Barry, as she called the future president back in 1980, had just started at Occidental College. It's a two-year part of his life he rarely talks about, and one from which there are few pictures until Lisa found hers.
JACK: We have essentially an entire roll of film that's good and usable. Which is, he was a natural.
COWAN: She took the pictures as part of a class project in photography.
JACK: We have the future President of the United States sitting on a wrinkled blanket, over a decrepit Goodwill couch. And it just doesn't get better than that, does it?
COWAN: Humble beginnings.
JACK: Humble beginnings!
COWAN: There are light-hearted pictures.
JACK POINTING AT PHOTO: I just, I just love that.
COWAN: The Panama hat was his, by the way, along with the bomber jacket and a couple of cigarettes. But there were the pensive photos too.
JACK: Look at those eyes. It shows strength to me. He had presence, even back then.
COWAN: Lisa decided to keep the pictures in a safe deposit box, until the election was over.
JACK: I didn't want in any way, shape or form to have an impact on an election, in any way.
COWAN: Time magazine did use a few in their Person of the Year issue, but the rest have never been seen, until now. History from a class project. By the way Lisa got an "A." For "Today," Lee Cowan, NBC News, Los Angeles.
—Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Obama's College Years
May 28, 2009 - 11:45 ET by Darwin AkbarDid the exhibit include that college picture of the Chosen One with the pencil-thin mustache smoking what looked suspiciously like a joint? The picture that, for some unknown reason, just couldn't be located until the day after the election?
Take your anti-nausea meds!
May 28, 2009 - 12:07 ET by slickwillie2001From the LAT article on this (Ref):
[quote] That day a friend was telling her about a student named Barry she ought
to photograph "because he's so cute." Moments later [surprise-surprise], the man himself walked in. He agreed to the shoot. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the session, Jack says, although it impressed her that Obama had taken the initiative to bring the big, banded hat, a leather, bomber-style jacket with a fur collar and cigarettes as grist for her lens. "He obviously thought about how he wanted to have his picture taken." Obama shared at least one characteristic with the other students who sat for her portraits: "I think the thing that everybody was trying to portray the most was how cool they were." [endquote]
He bought his own props! So even then the narcissism was evident. I guess that should not be a surprise, since pathological narcissism probably developed in him via his childhood years. I've looked for psych papers on narcissism but haven't found much. If anyone has links on how narcissism develops, let's see them. He is the first President educated in the 'self-esteem' theory of education, so that may be a part of it. We also don't know much about the nature of the elite private school he went to in Hawaii. Affirmative Action, which is basically praise without achievement, is also a likely element.
And they led with this over
May 28, 2009 - 12:11 ET by SickofLibsAnd they led with this over the Nork-nukes (non) story.
You know, the one where the Hildabeast sternly advisedthe Norks there would be "consequences."
I'm guessing that would be a "time-out" for for Kim.
Onederful One----
May 28, 2009 - 13:02 ET by Roscoe MendagoNow isn't that just Ducky...Look into his eyes, yeah, are they bloodshot? This guy is one cool-cat-daddy, and President of The United States, doncha feel better now...
"He’s a loathsome offensive brute, though I can’t look away." Viewer of "The Kramer".
→ Photos not new
May 28, 2009 - 13:17 ET by Cool ArrowThose same photos were being adored during the Primary season.
It's as if they went back and read Song Of Solomon again and found new meaning.
Great photo, I believe it
May 28, 2009 - 16:26 ET by George S PattonGreat photo, I believe it is entitled " useless liberal waiting at welfare office".
occidental college...
May 28, 2009 - 16:48 ET by katainkentnot familiar with it. Is it 'humble'?
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Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984
Wow, these must be from his
May 28, 2009 - 21:43 ET by KevroyWow, these must be from his coke snorting, pot smoking days. Back when he lived with the DRUG DEALER. Can you imagine the MSM not checking into the background of GW's roomate if there were the same circumstances.
Party on, Obowma.
Kev... Lol...come
May 28, 2009 - 22:18 ET by bigtimerKev...
Lol...come on...why would they let little matters like that bug them any...he has a 'D' behind his name.
Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright were not worth a bother, let alone his Citizenship, plus looking into among tons of other things/connections, Rezko/Blago, Woods Foundation, ACORN, bundled/washed campaign $$$ Foreign or otherwise....
...why these pictures are just minuscule to their lemming love for their messiah...they would never bother to look into any of what you are mentioning.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
of course
May 29, 2009 - 10:06 ET by candanceObama has a couch from Goodwill = proof he's humble
Palin has a couch from Goodwill = white trash
Cowen must be smoking
May 29, 2009 - 11:34 ET by IamTinmanCowen must be smoking the same stuff Barack used to smoke.
"Humble beginnings" my butt! Barack was born to a man wealthy enough to travel around the world and sent to an expensive school in Indonesia. He was then sent to live in Hawaii with his maternal grandparents who were upper middle class at least (bank vice presidents usually qualify as upper middle class). They sent him to an exclusive private school where he learned the ins and outs of inhaling grass and cocaine. From there he went to Occidental, the closest thing to an Ivy League college on the west coast. Then on to Harvard and his career as a "Community Organiser".
Does that sound like "humble beginnings" to you? To me it sounds like the spoiled offspring of the well to do.
"Humble beginnings"? Like
May 30, 2009 - 21:12 ET by rbosque"Humble beginnings"?
Like being born in Kenya?