Except from "By the People - The Election of Barack Obama"
January 2, 2008. Night before the Iowa Caucus.
Barack: "Michelle and I had a really interesting conversation and she said, uh, 'We're not doing this again.'
And at first I thought she just meant - well, you know what? - I'm never home, and it's hard on the family.
And she meant a little bit of that, but what she really meant was, you know, the reason that it is important for us to do it now, the reason that it's better for us to do it now than later, is 'we're still almost normal.'
Which I loved. It was a great line.
[Pointing to Michelle] I attribute it to you. It was a good line.
And what she meant was - you know what? - five years ago, six years ago, we had just finished paying off our student loans---"
Michelle: "Three years ago, what do you mean?"
Barack: "Well, I was actually five or six.
We were still living in a condo. It was a little bit too small for the kids, for our growing family. Uh... We still had credit card debt, we were trying to figure out how to save for college for the girls and save for our retirement.
I mean, the point is, is that we've gone through what people are going through right now relatively recently. We don't forget it.
And so, when I go into the White House, I will be carrying your voices with me.
What it comes down to is, who do you trust?
And - you know - I think that, uh, if you trust me, then I think I'll deliver for you.
All right, I'm gonna go to bed!"
Whether you agree with his politics or not, I really do find it refreshing to have someone in the White House who is close to my age, facing the same financial issues I am (he earns $400 000 as President - a lot less than CEOs of large companies), who remembers what it is like to struggle, to worry, to strive to get educated.
There is no way, if I had met Mr Bush socially and he weren't President, that we would have moved in the same social circles.
The Obamas feel like a couple that I might meet at a friend's BBQ.
And I like that.