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President Barack Obama: The Kindle Singles Interview (Kindle Single) by [David Blum]

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David Blum

President Barack Obama: The Kindle Singles Interview (Kindle Single) Kindle Edition

by David Blum (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.0 3,709 ratings

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In this Kindle Singles Interview, President Barack Obama decried the "change in culture" that has changed our view of the American Dream. "There was not that window into the lifestyles of the rich and famous," the President said. "Kids weren’t monitoring everyday what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success." He addressed the jobs issue from a personal perspective, reflecting on how his own life might have been different had he not experienced success in politics. "I could picture myself being a good teacher," the President mused.

In the interview, which took place on July 30, 2013, at an Amazon facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Obama discussed the increasing need for government programs that can actually make a difference. Sticking close to his standard message, he spoke frankly about the increasing polarization of American politics since the Great Recession and Republican Party intransigence over his agenda. On a personal note, he reflected that he and First Lady Michelle Obama are constantly reminding their daughters of the “slightly unreal environment that they’re in,” as children of privilege in a world constrained by unemployment and recession.

The interview was conducted by David Blum. Blum works for Amazon as the editor of Kindle Singles. He began his career as a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and has been the editor-in-chief of The Village Voice, the New York Press and 02138 Magazine. He was previously a writer and editor at The New York Times Magazine, and a contributing editor at New York and Esquire magazines. He has written two books: "Flash in the Pan: The Life and Death of an American Restaurant" (1992), and "Tick...Tick...Tick...: The Long Life & Turbulent Times of 60 Minutes" (2004). He received his B.A. degree in English literature at the University of Chicago.

Cover design by Adil Dara Kim/Official White House Photo

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15 pages
Language

English
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Publication date

July 31, 2013
File size

766 KB
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00E86ENEQ
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 31, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 766 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 15 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #30,231 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4 in 30-Minute Politics & Social Sciences Short Reads
- #14 in Federal Government

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4.0 3,709 ratings

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David Blum

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David Blum works for Audible as the editor-in-chief of Audible Originals. Previously, Blum served as the founding editor of Kindle Singles, the store for original, high-quality longform fiction and nonfiction on Kindle. He began his career as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and has worked as a contributing editor at New York Magazine (where he coined the term "Brat Pack"), Esquire and The New York Times Magazine. He has also written for The New Republic, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. In 2006 Blum became editor-in-chief of The Village Voice, and later served as editor-in-chief of the New York Press and 02138 Magazine.

Blum's first book, "Flash In The Pan: The Life and Death of an American Restaurant," was published by Simon & Schuster in 1992, and was named a notable nonfiction book of the year by The New York Times Book Review. His second book, "Tick...Tick...Tick...: The Long Life & Turbulent Times of 60 Minutes," was published by HarperCollins in 2004.

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Jar

President Barack Obama's Interview With David Blum

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2013

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While looking at books on Amazon, I just happened to see an advertisement about David Blum's interview with President Barack Obama. From the beginning to the end the interview is very interesting. President Obama has the gift of writing and talking in a simple form so all Americans can understand him. I did look up a couple of words for definitions. This didn't take away the simplicity of the points he made during the interview. He seems to always have the American people in the forefront of his mind. Therefore, the interview is about increasing jobs in different communities, the importance of change in our world due to technology and the push and pull tension of American politics. I laughed when he said people who have experienced making travel plans on the internet are not going to go back to traveling to see their local travel agent.

I especially like how he and the First Lady always remember the military in whatever situation they find themselves. We are reminded of the big sacrifice our soldiers make everyday for our benefit. I don't remember a president who has mentioned the military so often in their speeches abroad and at home.

I especially liked reading about two famous people in his interview: Warren Buffett and Abraham Lincoln. President Obama said that he and the First Lady could relate to Warren Buffett's financial values. I laughed a little bit when he discussed Malia and Sasha. They are well aware of the celebrities that are famous today like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. It struck me how hard it is to be a parent no matter the century. There is always a need to keep our children's feet on the solid ground of reality. He and the First Lady have loving hands and are on top of this issue.

David Blum asked pertinent questions. Some of the questions I would have asked the President myself. David Blum also admits to feeling nervous at the beginning of the interview. I always imagine that spilling green peas down my dress would be the least of my worries. I would probably fall face forward if given the chance to meet him.

I am grateful President Obama came to Chattanooga. I am also proud to have an Amazon plant in the city. What can I say? President Obama is fully aware of our needs in this country. Once I heard more about his parents and grandparents I realized he is just like the rest of us in America. The difference is that he took advantage of every opportunity when it was presented to him. So we have a community leader, a man who taught for ten years in law school, a senator and next a President of the United States.

It's not unusual for me to think of President Obama off and on during a given day. I have thought about how sad it will be to see him leave the White House at the end of this four years. I often wonder what will happen to us as a country. I know there will be many heartfelt tears. I also wonder what will he do next. Will he teach again? What will this man do who worked so hard to empower us to take on our cape of responsibilities do next? I can't wait to find out. I hope he continues to write. I also hope he will return to Chattanooga. Perhaps, I will have to put on my walking shoes and walk to wherever he is to see him speak. After all, I'm still "fired up and ready to go."

12 people found this helpful

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Lauren Sophie

A Review of the Interview, Not Obama

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2013

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This review is meant for those who want to know the basic content and style of this interview and whether or not it's worth reading. It's not a review of Barack Obama or his policies.

That said, it's difficult to review this interview without acknowledging that whether you enjoy it or not most likely comes down to whether you agree with Obama's progressive world view. If you are passionately opposed to him and his platform, this interview isn't going to change your mind. If you already agree with him, you might pick up a few lines of argumentation here and there that you can pull out and use next time you find yourself debating the role of government with a Libertarian. If you're not exactly sure what you think about Obama and/or the role of government, this interview will give you something to think about as Obama takes the opportunity to explain, at length, how he interprets history, personal circumstances, and his own observations to mean that the best government is one in which self-reliance and what he terms calls our "shared destiny" and "common commitments" are not mutually exclusive.

Some General Observations:

--David Blum clearly likes and admires Obama and that admiration informs the kinds of questions he asks and how he asks them. He does not get tough with Obama or touch on some of the controversies of his administration. This will most likely frustrate any reader who's looking for someone to challenge Obama.

--Obama makes an intelligent and persuasive argument, but there's nothing here you haven't heard before. It reads like a stump speech or lecture from a college professor--Obama clearly has nailed down his beliefs and the reasons for them while anticipating common responses. There's not a whole lot of meat here, and if one is looking for more plans and less ideas, they'll have to go elsewhere.

--The tone is inclusive and optimistic, and Obama avoids doing a lot of scapegoating or finger-pointing. He frames all his points ideologically, and by that I mean that he never loses sight of his central argument (government can and should be a source of positive change) so that each point circles back to his progressive way of looking at society, culture, and the role of the individual.

--He criticizes the notion of a "winner takes all economy," touches on the burden of college loan debt, advocates the idea of the government creating good jobs and making sure our education system is strong but offers no concrete ways to go about doing any of that (and this is where Blum should have pushed a little more), and offers up Warren Buffet as an example of someone who is tremendously rich and successful yet turns his focus away from himself to his community.

--The interview isn't terribly long--it took me about 20 minutes to read it--and it flows well.

Overall, as I said above, this interview is a forum for Obama's ideological beliefs regarding the role of the individual and government in our society. It's not going to break new ground or transform a devoted conservative into a liberal. If you have 20 minutes and you like Obama, it might be worth a read. If you don't like or respect Obama, skip it.

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flaviog.63

Ok

Reviewed in Italy on December 5, 2022

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Bel libro

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ragnar lb

Ce livre m'a fait réfléchir sur la vie et sur moi-même, c'est un livre qui a un impact réel.

Reviewed in France on May 6, 2023

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Ce livre m'a fait réfléchir sur la vie et sur moi-même, c'est un livre qui a un impact réel.

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Susan

a healthy economy

Reviewed in Canada on May 4, 2015

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All of Obama's ideas and understanding re: American needs , especially concerning the middle class, are insightful and inspiring however expanding technology and pushing manufacturers to create these jobs is complicated. I say push research and development. But in addition the govt. should fund businesses that study mfg. needs and they should be lobbying schools and colleges to create programs to fulfill those needs. I think this is the blood and guts of a healthy society. All of the other levels such as healthcare must be maintained. Healthcare and the military are huge expenses. Let's work on creating more positions between nursing and becoming a medical doctor. Let's encourage nurse practitioners. Lower the number of doctors slightly and increase the lower levels for our top science students. Also top nurses can go on into these areas. The other secondary initiative should be to stay out of wars on the other side of the world. Arms sales in a number of countries have become sickeningly out of control.

Amazon Customer

Well That Was Short

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2016

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But interesting. In my opinion there's too few congressmen, and this puts too much power into the hands of idealogue individuals such as Ted Cruz. How a new congressman was able to almost shut down the government is breathtaking. Absurd.

The UK with a population of 63 million has 650 elected reps. I'd say that's the right number for congress. Eight per state, plus 250 voted in based upon a share of the national vote. That would allow some independents into Congress, and will help break the gridlock.

Too much power in too few hands.

One person found this helpful

Happy reader

Very down to earth

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2013

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During the course of this interview Obama comes across as very level headed and his ideas are clear and simple. It is an interesting interview overall, although, it does feel a bit like a puff piece and there are no truly challenging questions. He is clearly a president with a good heart and sense of belief in his country, but you can't help wondering how he is going to achieve some of the policies he believes are so important in the face of such overwhelming odds. The points he makes about the medias celebrity influence is very interesting.
I am just now getting into kindle singles and I must say, that for the price of a Sunday paper, although this one was free, I have been impressed by the quality. Look into it.

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