February 7, 2017

"One of the first stories Barack told me when he and Michelle arrived on Moskito Island was how..."

"... just before he became President, he had been surfing on a dangerous break in Hawaii. When he came in from an exhilarating session, the new head of his security team turned to him and said: 'This will be the last time you surf for eight years.' For the next eight years he didn’t have the chance to surf, enjoy watersports or do many of the things he loved. So it was tremendous to offer him the chance to learn to kitesurf...."

81 comments:

Unknown said...

The devil rides upon the waters.

rehajm said...

Good for him! Good for us!

Sebastian said...

Ah, so that explains his 306 rounds of golf.

rehajm said...

Jimmy Carter built houses for poor people when he left office.

Comanche Voter said...

I'd like to see Obama do a lot of kite surfing. As long as he's up in the air, he's not talking. And I recall that photo of "Cowboy" Obama wearing a black hat and doing his best to look like Matt Dillinger. I suppose we could get him a slot on the Professional Bull Riding circuit. He should indulge his inner child, take off his mom jeans, ignore that nerdy helmet while riding a girl's bike etc. The man needs to go for the gusto!

SweatBee said...

The Obamas don't believe Trump is Hitler, Exhibit A.

Big Mike said...

"Like a child again." When did he stop acting like a child?

Drago said...

So now in addition to being a whiz on the basketball court (not) and not being able to throw a baseball to homeplate obambi is also a surf god.

The North Korean press could learn a thing or two from our media.

Edmund said...

@rehajm George Bush kept his mouth shut, learned to paint, and did service projects in Africa.

Birkel said...

Wait, is Michelle Obama reporting the news that Barack Obama does not love to golf?

Or even lecture Americans about how to live their lives.

Color me so called surprised.

Franklin said...

Wonder how much carbon Obama and Branson released into the atmosphere during their private flights to the Caribbean?

Unknown said...

One of the Roman emperors, I forget which one, when he learned that he had been declared a God in the flesh, angrily demanded to know what he was supposed to do when someone prayed to him to cure their sick kid (goat or child, not sure which).

Clearly, Obama does not have that level of humility since he fully enjoys being the God of the progressive left (and "lifelong republicans", of course).

--Vance

Levi Starks said...

I find no problem with being happy that the former president is happy.
Especially now that his happiness has no negative effect on me.
Good for him.

BarrySanders20 said...

Kitesurfing looks like a blast.

And Obama does look good for a dude in his mid-late 50's. Glad he's riding the waves and air.

Hagar said...

Barack Obama. Champion of the poor.

Michael said...

I do not believe the story. I do not believe he was surfing a "dangerous break" in Hawaii. I do not believe a SS agent told him he could no longer surf after being elected. I do not believe presidents are prohibited from surfing, skiiing, snorkeling or any other s sport.

CWJ said...

I'm a better surfer than my surf instructor.

CWJ said...

Vance, Augustus? Though I think Robert Graves may have been putting words into his mouth.

Darrell said...

He drives so maybe he will win the Indy 500 this year and make it relevant again.

damikesc said...

He enjoys "watersports"?

And Trump got golden showers jokes?

Hagar said...

A hanger-on with the white super-rich is Obama's natural environment, but it sends the wrong message for the party.

Roughcoat said...

Barack started learning to kitesurf on the beach on Necker for two days solid, picking up the basics and flying a kite as if going back to being a child again.

When did "going back to being a child again" become a good thing? Why? It's pathetic.

Owen said...

Eight years without surfing.

Eight YEARS, dudes!

To redeem his people he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice.

Big Mike said...

I agree with Michael. The gullible may buy that story; Michael doesn't and I don't either.

Jim said...

Given the mention of "watersports" I eagerly await the arrival of Laslo in this thread.

AlbertAnonymous said...

"...before he became President, he had been surfing on a dangerous break in Hawaii. When he came in from an exhilarating session..."

I'm throwing the BS flag as well. No way this guy has ever surfed on a dangerous break. And who says "an exhilarating session"? If it happened at all, it was more like:

"Barack was trying to surf. When he gave up and came in to shore..."

Wince said...

A wealth British Lord wants Obama to be a serf?

Reminds me of when Jethro wanted Granny to be his oaf, with a possible promotion to serf.

traditionalguy said...

Kerry can loan him his dork shorts. And then he goes back and forth, back and forth.

walter said...

Duuude!

MayBee said...

When did Barack Obama become such good friends with Richard Branson? When did he become friends with all these celebrities? How did he have the time?

jimbino said...

Early in his tenure, he was able to take his family to enjoy our western national parks and forests, a privilege very few of our minorites, who pay the bills for all those, will never have.

veni vidi vici said...

That's a grinding gig that ages the hell out of everyone who takes it. Unlike as with so many predecessors, here we get to see what the wind-down from 8 years on the job looks like. Interesting and completely apolitical.

Jason said...

I grew up in Hawaii. To you, those 12" lefts at Gas Chambers were some of the most dangerous, exhilarating sets you ever saw in your life.

To us? To us it was Tuesday.

Danno said...

Blogger MayBee said...When did Barack Obama become such good friends with Richard Branson? When did he become friends with all these celebrities? How did he have the time?

The elites just naturally gravitate to each other. Watch for him at Davos next year.
When Obama uses carbon it is okay, the elites want the working class to live in caves, so they can enjoy more carbon.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Time to rethink the invitation to go paddleboarding on Lake Wingra.

Titus said...

He looks pretty hot in those pics.

Needs to work on the guns though.

wendybar said...

Michael said...
I do not believe the story. I do not believe he was surfing a "dangerous break" in Hawaii. I do not believe a SS agent told him he could no longer surf after being elected. I do not believe presidents are prohibited from surfing, skiiing, snorkeling or any other s sport.


I agree 100%!!

bgates said...

Kitesurfing sounds fun. I think he should also take up water skiing. Then he could find a ramp in front of a pen that holds a great white, and....

(Oh, who am I kidding - Obama could never even admit to the existence of a great white.)

MadisonMan said...

I also am skeptical of the you won't surf in 8 years story. (How'd the SS guy know he'd be re-elected, for example? :) )

I think Barack Obama has earned some down time. Good for him.

Lehnne said...

Nothing says Barack is concerned about the fortunes of the black community like hanging with a billionaire whit guy. Then again he wasn't too concerned with the black community when he was president

The Godfather said...

So before O was even innaugurated his SS chief knew he would serve two terms? The fix was in that early?

Rusty said...

Too bad he wasted those eight years being president.

tcrosse said...

Surfing isn't that much of a challenge if you can walk on water.

walter said...

Take a peek at Skeeter Island:
First Look At Moskito Island
Twenty additional villas are planned for the island using solar panels and wind turbines. No diesel power is being used on this all green island utilizing wind and solar as part of his plan to green the islands. The island will become a working model for how other islands can cut expensive diesel imports . “We know that islands will suffer the most from climate change and sea level rise” Branson says, “Reefs will be devastated and wildlife decimated. It’s realistic to think that whole islands could be 75-80% clean energy in four to five years.”

Umm..err...right.

readering said...

I guess ss had similar conversion with GHWB about skydiving.

JaimeRoberto said...

If he could surf we would have seen those pictures by now. They almost certainly would have been released at they showed the pictures of him frolicking shirtless on the beach.

JLScott said...

And just what was this supposed Secret Service agent going to do if the President of the United States disobeyed his order?

Michael K said...

"If he could surf we would have seen those pictures by now"

Yup.

Chuck said...

I am all in favor of former Presidents returning quietly to private life. There's been lots of questions whether Obama would do that. I hope he does. Based on our experience with Carter and Clinton, I expect to be disappointed.

But it would be a whole lot easier to forget about Obama if the press stopped doing stories about his vacation adventures, and if Althouse stopped blogging those stories.

Oh, and John McCain is on the floor of the Senate right now, detailing the recent history of press suppression by the Putin regime.

Chuck said...

...Oh, and it would also be easier to forget Obama if only Drudge would stop putting #44 in his headlines.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Obama is such a liar. I can't wait to see his high school and college grades get leaked which they will one day. Bet he was a B minus student - nothing wrong with that, I was a C+ barely in college. I was lazy like Obama but I grew out of it once I had to work after college.

JaimeRoberto said...

My brother is working on Branson's Virgin Galactic project. I hope he gets the chance to relate his stories about how we used to wrestle grizzlies in the wilds of Alaska. It could have happened.

Chuck said...

AJ Lynch:
Have you by any chance seen Donald J. Trump's college transcripts?

wwww said...

"If he could surf we would have seen those pictures by now"

Yup.

He's from Hawai'i -- of course he can surf. He might not be able to surf well, but I'm sure he can ride a wave in.

Even my sister can surf and she's not athletic.

CWJ said...

Apples to oranges, Chuck. No one claimed DJT was brilliant, so who cares. BHO on the other hand...

Curious George said...

"Chuck said...
But it would be a whole lot easier to forget about Obama if the press stopped doing stories about his vacation adventures, and if Althouse stopped blogging those stories."

The press loves him dumbass. They don't want him to go away...ever. And do you really think thata Obama says "Hey Michelle, another Althouse blog post about me! I'm still relevant. Time to let the world know what I think!"

You are a putz.

Chuck said...

CWJ said...
Apples to oranges, Chuck. No one claimed DJT was brilliant, so who cares.

LMFAO!

I admit that few people would ever feel any reason to suggest that Donald Trump is brilliant. Who would think that?

BUT TRUMP DID!!!

“Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.”

“I’m, like, a really smart person.”

“I’m much smarter than them. I think I have a much higher IQ. I think I went to a better college — better everything.”

“I have the world’s greatest memory.”

All quotes from Donald J. Trump.


Finally, there are the media reports mentioning that Trump graduated "first in his class." He didn't. He didn't graduate from the Wharton Graduate School of Business, either. Trump got a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, having taken a few Wharton-listed economics classes. Without any honors. Was Trump the source of the media reports about his graduating first in his class? I'll let you figure that out.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-donald-trump-tells-about-donald-trump/2016/01/28/b7cead16-c46e-11e5-9693-933a4d31bcc8_story.html?utm_term=.f829e95247e7

So I don't really care how you might like to slice it; Trump has made many, many more claims about his intelligence and academic achievements than Obama has. And Trump's claims are some amazingly high-level baloney. And then of course there is the history in which Obama didn't give a rat's ass about Trump's college transcripts, but Trump demanded that Obama release his. Trump did a video, claiming that he'd donate $5 million to a charity of Obama's choosing, if Obama would release his collegiate records and applications. When Trump was asked in those days if he'd release copies of his own transcripts, Trump responded by saying that he wasn't running for president. When Trump ran for president and was again confronted by this state of affairs, his handlers said that he would "pass" on responding to that request.

So there.

Chuck said...

Curious George said...
Chuck said...
"But it would be a whole lot easier to forget about Obama if the press stopped doing stories about his vacation adventures, and if Althouse stopped blogging those stories."

...The press loves him dumbass...


Obama is above the banner and headlines on Drudge, right now. Drudge doesn't love Obama. Drudge loves Trump.

You are missing the dialectic that is in play. The Trumpkins need Obama. They need Obama as their hate-object. They love having Obama in the news, to hate him. Obama is your catnip, your opiate, your lodestar.

I'd have to agree that the mainstream media had a love affair with Obama. That does not explain why Drudge and Althouse (a remarkably consistent, cooperative pairing much of the time) feature Obama stories. I've never presumed that Drudge or Althouse were at all "mainstream."


walter said...

We are a few days into a new admin, Chuck. And Obama is likely on a temporary foray before re-entering the fray, albeit from different quarters.

Sprezzatura said...

Chuck really scattered folks.

Not even crickets.

Sprezzatura said...

At least someone could drag out the "life long R" thing.

It looks like Chuck had a mic drop moment.


Sprezzatura said...

Not crickets, not even moskitos.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The new head of security was a political appointment? Who else would have him reelected before his first term even starts?

walter said...

When the press is doing it for you, no need to do the bragging yourself.
However..10 quotes that haunt President Obama

walter said...

A bit concerning for a candidate with an almost entirely academic background to hide that away..well..."Nice crease!"

Michael said...

1. Every person living in Hawaii does not know how to surf, including people who grew up there.
2. If Obama knew how to surf, even badly, we would have pictures of him doing it.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael said...
1. Every person living in Hawaii does not know how to surf, including people who grew up there.
2. If Obama knew how to surf, even badly, we would have pictures of him doing it.


There are pictures of Obama body surfing. If you have ever body surfed you can tell he is reasonably competent.

Here is a local opining on the degree of difficulty of that particular break.

Drago said...

ARM: "There are pictures of Obama body surfing. If you have ever body surfed you can tell he is reasonably competent."

Lol

We will add surfing to the list of subjects you clearly know nothing about.

Hang on though ARM. Another press release from the North Korean news service on Obama athletic prowess will be along shortly.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Drago said...
We will add surfing to the list of subjects you clearly know nothing about.


I have surfed on the US east coast, Australia and Costa Rica. What you got?

Drago said...

ARM: "I have surfed on the US east coast, Australia and Costa Rica. What you got?"

Well, in the interest of transparency I cannot claim Costa Rica or anywhere in Central or South America.

Bad Lieutenant said...

jimbino said...
Early in his tenure, he was able to take his family to enjoy our western national parks and forests, a privilege very few of our minorites, who pay the bills for all those, will never have.

2/7/17, 11:54 AM

I think you have an exaggerated notion of the bill-paying ability and desire of minorities in this country. For someone who is such a stickler about grammar your diction is a little loose here.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Also in the interests of transparency, I did not say I had surfed well. But, I can still get up on a board, under close to ideal circumstances, such as those found in Costa Rica.

Jon Ericson said...

jimbino.
Please explain what your fucking issue is.

FullMoon said...

Chuck said... [hush]​[hide comment]

... Obama is above the banner and headlines on Drudge, right now. Drudge doesn't love Obama. Drudge loves Trump.

You are missing the dialectic that is in play. The Trumpkins need Obama. They need Obama as their hate-object. They love having Obama in the news, to hate him. Obama is your catnip, your opiate, your lodestar.


Kinda reading a lot into it, Chuck. Pic shows Obama in the water, bare arms and legs exposes, torso hidden in water. Text says"O goes wild, Obama as you have never seen him before !"

Pretty obvious a play on common clickbait ads on many websites

Jason said...

It was Sandy? I used to live right on the other side of the hill. Taught band at Kaiser High School nearby. That was a favorite spot for the kids. Not a big wave at all. It's on the south shore and the big stuff is on the north shore. But appearances are deceiving... that beach has broken a few necks. Nasty shore break. One of the most dangerous on the island... in part because it's not big. Weaker surfers avoid the north shore but they'll try Sandy but Sandy is an unforgiving bitch.


It's a body surf spot, not a surf spot, most of the time. I never surfed it but body surfed it a few times.

I preferred the nasty Makapu'u Beach right down the road. Almost killed me. :-)

pacwest said...

The guy is out having fun in the water and sand that he grew up with. Cut him a break for a couple of weeks.

Jon Ericson said...

Yeah, sure.
Do the same for someone who is important.

Sarah Rolph said...

No way Obama ever surfed on a regular surfboard, much less in difficult conditions. No way.

BillyTalley said...

One would think that a community organizer would have been seen helping people who needed help in the first months out of office, say in the streets of Chicago.

retired said...

Would that he would surf more, hang out with multi-billionaires more and STFU for a long while.

Josephbleau said...

ChucK 2/7/17, 3:29 PM, Do you know what the rich call Harvard Grads? The help. If you are old NYC dutch you don't waste time with undergrad, if you feel like doing a social you get an MBA at Wharton. When you are 18 you are flying fast.