On Wednesday’s CBS "Early Show," co-host Julie Chen teased an upcoming segment on Barack Obama: "...during the long primary season, we all learned a lot about Barack Obama. He is a Senator. He's a Harvard grad. He's a husband. And he is a father. But this morning, you're going to learn five things you probably don't know about Barack Obama." Later, in David Letterman style, correspondent Jeff Glor introduced the story: "...here are the top five things you likely don't know about Barack Obama."
Among those things, were important facts such as "Number four -- in addition to enjoying basketball and cycling during down time, Obama loves to play Scrabble." In addition to the top five, Glor later added: "Now one more thing we learned that didn't quite make our list, Julie. Obama's job as a teenager was at a Baskin Robbins and to this day he does not like ice cream." Chen responded: "So rocky road is like his Kyrptonite?" While Glor and Chen focused on Obama trivia, earlier in the show, co-host Russ Mitchell offered a mere one sentence news brief on the Illinois Senator’s opposition to a Republican plan to allow offshore oil drilling.
In his report, Glor also described how: "...many people know Obama made history at Harvard by becoming the first African-American president of the Law Review. But did you know it was the conservative students who gave him the victory?" Glor then played a clip of Obama’s communications director, Robert Gibbs, explaining that: "I think it would be a surprise for some people today that the conservative faction, along with another group, threw its support to Barack Obama because he believed they'd give him -- he'd give everyone a fair shake."
Glor even commented on Obama’s fashion sense: "Number two -- if you're wondering about that GQ look, don't expect stories about fancy custom tailoring." Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun Times elaborated: "I interviewed him. I said where do you get your suits? And he says he bought them off the rack at Nordstrom's and Bloomingdale's." Just like most average Americans who shop at high-end clothing stores.
Finally, the one glimmer of substance in the story was number one: "...for the man who wants to usher in a new era of politics, he first won office as a state senator by using some old-school Chicago tactics." Sweet was again quoted: "He simply knocked his main competitor off the ballot. He challenged her nominating petitions. Her 'I's weren't dotted, her 'T's weren't crossed. He challenged her signatures. She was knocked off and bingo, that's how he first got into office."
At the end of the segment Chen asked: "Okay, so after doing this story, what's the takeaway?" Glor responded by praising Obama’s tenacity: "I mean, I think one thing that really emerges, this is a man who plays to win. No matter what it is, whether it's the woman wants to date or elected office or board games, there is an ambition there. There is a determination." Chen then added: "Sounds like presidential qualities."
Glor did mention that a similar segment on John McCain would be airing soon.
Here is the full transcript of the segment:
7:30AM TEASER:
JULIE CHEN: Alright, during the long primary season, we all learned a lot about Barack Obama. He is a Senator. He's a Harvard grad. He's a husband. And he is a father. But this morning, you're going to learn five things you probably don't know about Barack Obama, as we welcome you back to "The Early Show." Even you don't know, I bet.
HARRY SMITH: Well, actually I do know.
CHEN: Because you read the script.
SMITH: This sounds like one of those Julie Chen quizzes.
CHEN: I know, I wish it was.
7:42AM TEASER
SMITH: Up next, five things you probably don't know about Barack Obama. When we come back.
7:45AM SEGMENT:
JULIE CHEN: Between now and election day, we're going to hear a lot about Barack Obama and John McCain. But are we going to learn anything about them personally? Today, 'The Five Things You Should Know,' and we begin with Barack. "Early Show" national correspondent Jeff Glor is here. Good morning, Jeff.
JEFF GLOR: Good morning Julie. And with all due respect to David Letterman here as well. After a grueling primary campaign that lasted 16 months, you'd think everything has been revealed. But here are the top five things you likely don't know about Barack Obama.
BARACK OBAMA: I'm the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas.
GLOR: Okay. So that one you've probably heard by now. But among the top five things we learned about Barack Obama that you might not know, number five -- no shrinking violet. When he was still a Harvard law student, Obama was dating the boss.
LYNN SWEET: Obama was a summer associate of a Chicago law firm and Michelle Obama, then Michelle Robinson, was a supervisor. That's how they met.
ROBERT GIBBS: She said she couldn't date one of the summer interns, and he said that was fine, he would leave the law firm. She finally agreed to go out with him.
GLOR: It was an early example of brash determination paying off.
SWEET: It has been said that he knows how to use his elbows.
GLOR: Number four -- in addition to enjoying basketball and cycling during down time, Obama loves to play Scrabble.
GIBBS: It's his favorite game to play. He'll play with his family and particularly his sister. And the winner gets bragging rights for a long, long time.
SWEET: You go for a word that is just interesting or exotic or do you go for the points?
GLOR: Number three -- many people know Obama made history at Harvard by becoming the first African-American president of the Law Review. But did you know it was the conservative students who gave him the victory?
GIBBS: I think it would be a surprise for some people today that the conservative faction, along with another group, threw its support to Barack Obama because he believed they'd give him -- he'd give everyone a fair shake.
GLOR: Number two -- if you're wondering about that GQ look, don't expect stories about fancy custom tailoring.
OBAMA: I basically buy five of the same suit and then I patch them up and wear them repeatedly.
SWEET: I interviewed him. I said where do you get your suits? And he says he bought them off the rack at Nordstrom's and Bloomingdale's.
GLOR: And the number one thing you may not have known about Barack Obama -- for the man who wants to usher in a new era of politics, he first won office as a state senator by using some old-school Chicago tactics.
SWEET: He simply knocked his main competitor off the ballot. He challenged her nominating petitions. Her 'I's weren't dotted, her 'T's weren't crossed. He challenged her signatures. She was knocked off and bingo, that's how he first got into office.
GLOR: Yep, it was a technicality. Now one more thing we learned that didn't quite make our list, Julie. Obama's job as a teenager was at a Baskin Robins and to this day he does not like ice cream.
CHEN: Really?
GLOR: Yeah.
CHEN: So rocky road is like his Kyrptonite?
GLOR: Every once in a while we're told maybe on the campaign trail, but not huge on it.
CHEN: Okay, so after doing this story, what's the takeaway?
GLOR: I mean, I think one thing that really emerges, this is a man who plays to win. No matter what it is, whether it's the woman wants to date or elected office or board games, there is an ambition there. There is a determination.
CHEN: Sounds like presidential qualities.
GLOR: Would make sense, indeed.
CHEN: Alright, so when do we get to learn about the five things we don't know about McCain?
GLOR: John McCain coming up, that's our next segment.
CHEN: Alright.
GLOR: Not today.
CHEN: Not tomorrow?
GLOR: Coming up soon enough.
CHEN: Oh, that's a tease.
GLOR: TBD.
CHEN: Alright, Jeff Glor thanks so much.
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.















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Comments Policy
"...many people know Obama
June 18, 2008 - 15:42 ET by Killgrave"...many people know Obama made history at Harvard by becoming the first African-American president of the Law Review. But did you know it was the conservative students who gave him the victory?"
Oh. Wow. Gee.
Where's that voting booth? I want to vote for him now.
If for no other reason . . .
June 18, 2008 - 15:45 ET by bioteached. . . his not liking ice cream will prevent me from even considering voting for him. I knew there was something seriously wrong with him . . . talk about a flawed candidate!
Anyone that doesn't like ice cream is either an absolute mental case, or just down right evil.
Absolutely. No true American
June 19, 2008 - 11:31 ET by HermanoAbsolutely. No true American doesn't like ice cream.
Get out the hip boots,
June 18, 2008 - 15:46 ET by motherbeltGet out the hip boots, people; it's gonna get deep......
"...many people know Obama
June 18, 2008 - 15:54 ET by richflanj"...many people know Obama made history at Harvard by becoming the first African-American president of the Law Review."
I guess knowing how many States in the Union was not a requirement for graduation. <sarc off>
Harry Smith's "interview" with Bill Richardson
June 18, 2008 - 15:57 ET by TEI happened to turn on the tv just as Harry Smith began a piece about four day work weeks intended to save money on gas. After the story, Smith had on New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson who evidently supports a four day work week for some state employees. Ostensibly, the "interview" was to be about the four day work week, but, predictably, Smith asked/prompted Richardson to denounce the Bush proposal to begin drilling for oil/gas in areas that are not currently being explored. Predictably, Richardson denounced the proposal with the standard tree hugging leftist boilerplate. Of course, Smith offered not a single challenge to anything Richardson said in his denunciation of drilling. I didn't watch another second of the program, but I am confident that Smith did not have anyone on later to challenge Smith's and Richardson's opposition to offshore drilling. What a surprise....
Doesn't like ice cream? That
June 18, 2008 - 16:06 ET by mattmDoesn't like ice cream? That tears it.
Boy, those were some deep, thought provoking revelations!
June 18, 2008 - 17:15 ET by JTPI am SO off the fence now. My choice for POTUS has been clarified by the fine reporting skills of CBS.
I see no reason for BHO to appear before Bill O now as everything we need to know has come to light.
Oh my gosh...Obama likes
June 18, 2008 - 17:21 ET by bigtimerOh my gosh...Obama likes Scrabble...that does it...he's got my vote!
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson
Ooooo! Ooooo! What's his
June 18, 2008 - 17:50 ET by Roger the ShrubberOoooo! Ooooo! What's his favorite color?
Racist? bt... I wonder if
June 18, 2008 - 17:58 ET by Clear thinkerRacist?
bt... I wonder if the suggestion will ever be made by some leftist that goes something like this... "If you don't like Scrabble, you are racist".
"Abstain from McCain"
...LOL... Give it time
June 18, 2008 - 18:01 ET by bigtimer...LOL...
Give it time Ct...give it time...
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson
Nauseatingly nauseating.
June 18, 2008 - 17:36 ET by SickofLibsNauseatingly nauseating. These are grownups?
This sounds like a 'Tiger Beat' interview with David Cassidy.
Obviously, Mr and Mrs Obama
June 18, 2008 - 21:02 ET by celatorObviously, Mr and Mrs Obama are undergoing major makeovers. A new script is being written, new makeup applied, and a complete coverup of their Leninist political theories is well underway. The MSM is cooperating completely with this new disguise, of course.
the affirmative action doofus
June 19, 2008 - 00:53 ET by Old EuropeYes, that's how he became the Harvard Law review president: through affirmative action, and not through his competence. His grades were so bad that he still refuses to publish his grades. Nor did he ever write anything as president of HLR which is unheard of. Nor did he get an internship working for a judge(all law graduates do that) after college because his grades were just awful.
Barry H. Obama is a good example against affirmative action. His dumbness reminds me of Mr Chance in the 70s classic "Being There."
Oh...
June 19, 2008 - 07:15 ET by deseYippie, more useless factoids.
BHO HEADSCARF PIC: MORE FOOLISHNESS
June 19, 2008 - 08:47 ET by reelman46BHO HEADSCARF PIC: MORE FOOLISHNESS
Here
we go again. The juvenile spineless candidates of today are again
wimping out. I personally do not care if BHO has martians, illegals,
moslems or chinese in any picture with him. Now, all those “off focus”
bloggers and sissyfied web jockeys should get off the rumors and
non-proven issues. The target, the reality, the core of the candidate
IS HIS VOTING RECORD!
Instead of junior high gossipy babble about off-target trivia, get
down to it. BHO is a strident secular socialist…ever hear anyone say
that? We should say that daily. I mean daily….he is also a clueless
pacifist…he is a smiling sock puppet speech reader who gets facts wrong
way too much. Mainly, he is the most liberal human in the Senate. He
believes in huge gov-ment, higher taxes on most voters, caving to thug
dictators and supporting ALL the radical moral-social positions you can
name. Concentrate on that. Forget the trivia. It wastes priceless time
that should be spent repeating (exposing) this man’s voting record.
Please let all the sideshows go. He is a strident secular socialist.
That is enough to defeat him. Say it, say it, say it.
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
Whoops - he lost the Cold Stone vote.
June 19, 2008 - 08:53 ET by FoolicanNifty. Now I'll tell all of my buddies at drama class and in high school that Obama doesn't like ice cream, and I'll back it up with this report. Let the revolution begin.
What I need to know to
June 19, 2008 - 10:18 ET by dream onWhat I need to know to determine my vote is: boxers or briefs?
Wait...
June 19, 2008 - 10:25 ET by FoolicanWhy stop there.
How about a thong.
Or nothing at all?
dream on, the question the world wants to know....
June 19, 2008 - 13:23 ET by lotrI was thinking the same thing and was going to post it. Good thing the media has learned its Iraq War lesson and is asking the "hard questions" now.