Michelle Obama: Barack is the "Harry Potter parent"

[TeamJordan23]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070718/ap_on_el_pr/obama_harry_potter_2

AP Interview: Barack Obama is Potter fan
By JESSICA GRESKO, Associated Press Writer

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is the "Harry Potter parent" who has read all six books about the boy wizard's adventures with his older daughter, his wife said Thursday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Michelle Obama said her husband has read the books aloud with 9-year-old Malia and saw the latest movie, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," with her last Sunday.

Both are awaiting the release of J.K. Rowling's seven and final book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," this weekend, but finding time to read won't be easy, she said.

"The challenge will be scheduling Harry Potter reading time in between Iowa and New Hampshire and fundraising, but I guarantee you they will figure out a way to do it," Michelle Obama told the AP. "Harry Potter is huge in our house."

She wasn't sure how the family would get their copy of the book.

"He handles all of that. That's one of those things, I'm like 'You are the Harry Potter parent,'" she said.

Michelle Obama also talked about the challenges facing her husband's campaign and the difficulties women face in balancing work and family. She was in Boca Raton, Fla., to meet supporters and attend a fundraising luncheon, her second campaign trip to the state.

[Grandrose]

1. Great dad!

Sen. Obama has his priorities right and good for him!:applause: :kick:

[Tellurian]

4. Great- What we don't need is a Harry Potter President!

We already have the Three Stooges..

[Ethelk2044]

6. What we don't need is a Flip Flop Hillary

[Laurab]

12. I cannot believe someone could find a negative in THAT

or, try to, anyway. Can't you just support your candidate?

[jefferson_dem]

14. How about a Dolores Umbridge type?

hmmmm...

[Bjorn Against]

21. Is it just me or does she look frighteningly like Laura Bush?

[Diane R]

15. Oh brother. Lighten up.

[motocicleta]

23. What we don't need is you throwing a classless wrench into an otherwise harmless thread.

You should be ashamed. It almost makes me feel sorry for Hillary.

[maximusveritas]

5. Yep, this reminds me of the YouTube video of him playing cards

with his kids. He looks like a great father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vd0hCriAnc

[BeyondGeography]

11. That is a cool video

Thanks.

[jgraz]

2. This just in: Obama cancels all appearances for this weekend

Starting at 12:01am Saturday. ;)

[ChazII]

3. That is why there is the audio version of the book. Listen to the book on

campaign trail as a family.

[MaineDem]

25. And the audio versions of these books are awesome!

I've read them all and I've listened to each audio book. I like the audio version better. Jim Dale, the reader, is fantastic!

[ChazII]

29. The tapes are superb. n/t

[TeamJordan23]

7. Yeah, for all the cadidates. It sure must be tough running for President and balancing family life.

[Ethelk2044]

8. It is nice to see that he is a Great DAD

[illinoisprogressive]

9. I agree. Obama is a true role model as a husband and dad.

[The Count]

10. Major points from this Potter fan! Love it!

[oasis]

13. Chelsea Clinton had to rely on Steinbeck, Faulkner, Dickens and Kipling to get into Stanford.

:cry:

[NYCGirl]

16. I suspect she was older than 9 when she read them, though. NT

[oasis]

19. How old were you when you read "Oliver Twist"?

[NYCGirl]

22. Don't go by me...I was somewhat precocious. The teachers called my Dad into

school to complain when I was in the first grade...I had read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (of course, I didn't understand the more nuanced parts...but I thought it was a great horror story). He told them I could read whatever I wanted to.

[tammywammy]

17. wait?

so it's a negative that Obama's 9 year old likes Harry Potter? I'm sure Chelsea Clinton wasn't reading Faulkner in bed when she was that young.

[oasis]

18. "Little Women, Treasure Island" or "Alice's Adventures Through a Looking Glass"

would be appropriate reading for bedtime. "1001 Arabian Nights" maybe :shrug:

BTW, liking "Harry Potter" is no more a negative than liking teevee.

[tammywammy]

20. While I read those things as a child

I also see where a book like Harry Potter falls into the spectrum. It's like how I also liked the Boxcar Children and Judy Blume.

Any child that enjoys reading, whatever it is, should be encouraged.

[Connie_Corleone]

27. Treasure Island was required reading in the seventh grade at my school

which was a college prep school. David Copperfield too. So, I don't really expect her to read that at 9 years old.

I loved to read when I was in kindergarten, but it wasn't until seventh grade that I read the classics, because I had to. I didn't have an interest in them before that.

[sandnsea]

28. Have you read Harry Potter?

It's literature. It isn't like Goosebumps or something. I'm glad someone wrote a quality collection of books for kids.

[Connie_Corleone]

26. I'm sure Obama's daughters will read those books when they're older.

And I'm sure Harry Potter books aren't the only books they read.

Good grief. Now we're down to nitpicking what the candidates read to their children? :eyes:

[LWolf]

24. Will he be wearing his robes, glasses, and scar

to Saturday's campaign appearances?

:spray: