*Last week, the world found out about one of Barack Obama’s ex-girlfriend Genevieve Cook.
Cook described Obama’s personality from normal interaction to the bedroom. But we also found out another thing about Cook that may or may not shock many — she was white.
When many found out that she was white they wondered, what if Barack never met Michelle and stayed with Genevieve? Would the African American community have voted for him or supported him?
MadameNoire writer Charing Ball takes on the topic. Check out the excerpt below:
I am a firm believer that we must be upfront about race relations in this country instead of acting like it isn’t worthy of discussion. Folks think about and act on their prejudices every single day, so there should be no reason why we don’t talk openly and honestly about race.
With that disclaimer, last week, the blogosphere had its attention on an excerpt from a new biography about the President called, “Barack Obama: The Story,” by David Maraniss. The excerpt from the yet to be released book focuses on the relationship the President had with Genevieve Cook, a 25-year-old Australian-born (white) Park Slope elementary school teacher, whom he met will living in New York City.
Through observations from her diary, we learn that they first met at an east village Christmas gathering and he wooed her back to his apartment with promises of grub. They small talked on an orange bean bag chair before moving the conversation to the bedroom.
Read more at MadameNoire
This question should be asked to a white audience.
Grace, I so agree. There population is much greater than ours and he’s half white so why put it on us???
The question doesn’t need to be asked. What’s the point? He married Michelle. I thought that people voted for him because he was the best candidate.
I proposed this question during his first run for President and was first to say, absolutely not…I love the fact that he has that “Brotha” swag and his wife looks like me…the average black woman..pretty, smart and very classy…what I love the most about them is neither of them were born with a platinum spoon in their mouth. They were a working class family like the average American. I know he’s a politician first, but I think he’s doing the best he can for the middle class who carry the weight of this Country. Mitt Romney is full of shit and I am dying to see what BS he’s going to TRY and sell minorities…I’m sure he’ll come up with, if we want to take this Country back, we need to put the niggas back on the plantation, send the Mexicans back to Mexico and the Asians can continue washing our clothes…also has anyone ever noticed, what average black person backs him and BS agenda? He just reassures me that Obama will get re-elected if that’s the best the GOP has to offer and if he doesn’t, this country will tank and FAST…
Stephanie, all the Black women I know have already said they wouldn’t have voted for him. However, I have seen comments on swirl boards with Black men foaming at the mouth because he was not married to a white woman which they felt would have advanced their agendas.
Yes!! I would of voted for then Senator Obama, he is runniing for Presidnet and hsi message was what I agreed with, whom a candidate is married whether black white or otherwise has no bearing on hte message. IMO!! I am so glad he married Michelle. PS. who cares about his past love life that is just that now in the past, The Repubs need to stop it seriously!!
And to piggyback, I think this would only raise the cockles of the white Republican conservative base that he would deign himself worthy of a white woman. What do you think the Tea Party is…the KKK Super-PAC, son!!!!!
No and I can say with authority that most black women (including many black men) would have backed Hillary.
yup, actually HIlly was my first before I heard about Barack. . . .Stephanie, if you went with “farr-gone”, you probably agree with this recently out-of-the-woodwork knee-grow reverend, that believes that reason U.S. is going to hell in a hand basket is because women got the vote and we’re wicked, cunning . . if I can find the article again, I’ll hit you up here.
I co-sign. I even went to a Hillary pep rally where we were assured Hillary would win the nomination.
I would have voted for Farrakhan before I voted for Hillary Clinton…OMG
What if Barack never met Michelle and stayed with Genevieve? Would the African American community have voted for him or supported him?
Anyone who really knows Obama would know that was never a possibility. Obama is too calculating to do something like that. MelodyCool and I talked about it during the campaign. A black woman only came in the picture because of his political ambitions. Probably the only one he ever dated. Just as his move to Chicago’s south side and joining Reverend Wright’s church, it’s all a facade to present the so called transformational black candidate. All fake, just like his pre election professed progressiveness.
Black people only count to this man in as much as he can use them to further his political ambitions and getting votes at the polls. Case in point, this Black Enterprise article .
Would Jesse Jackson Have Been a Better Black President than Obama?
Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States in 2008 was historic—period, with no need for an “and…” The difference here is that Obama had few Blacks on his campaign staff and even fewer in his administration. To my dismay, there is no pipeline of future Black political operatives as a result of Obama’s election, as was the case in Jackson’s failed bids. In fact, Obama had to be embarrassed by a series of recent photos of an all-White campaign staff before he asked the Congressional Black Caucus to recommend African Americans for consideration for hiring on his campaign.
I’m gonna have to say I really don’t know if I would have voted for him. He probably would have really have had to sell himself to me. I admit that one of the reason I voted for him is because he was a smart black and had a beautiful black family and the black community needed to see that…a role model.
“Anyone who really knows Obama would know that was never a possibility. Obama is too calculating to do something like that. MelodyCool and I talked about it during the campaign. A black woman only came in the picture because of his political ambitions.”
That’s right, Reds. There’s a book out and the author discusses Obama’s mama feelings about him distancing himself even from her in what seemed like for political reasons. He was calculating enough to know who he needed by his side going down the road to the WH.
If you would not vote for someone because they married someone of a different race, then you are a shallow and selfish racist. Point blank period.
I agree. These comments aren’t surprising and for every white person reading this forum note how racist most blacks are and how the black community support their own to a fault. Blacks only rally together when it’s black vs. white. Otherwise blacks are killing each other at a higher rate than being murdered by whites but blacks are most upset when it’s done by a white person.
OMG Reds you are one (Obama)hatin-ass MF. But you stay true to your word, son!
Not trying to target, but noticed the comments of kbace…you may want to be careful of labeling someone shallow and selfish racists for their honestly-expressed opinions.
Had he married a white woman it would have been a whole different story because we would see (1) who he identified with and that would make it a different narrative altogether and (2) that he was naive and disconnected enough to believe that he was post-racial and go along with that nonsensical rhetoric and (3) as someone who would’ve been seen as a black man, regardless of the white blood in his veins, many would (perhaps illogically) seen him as having a crisis of identity, as it paints a picture of self-hatred to marry someone of a “different” race.
PREACH BRUTHA! (in the voice of the little white girl on “I’m gonna get you sucka”)
I’m not sure if get the point you are trying to make regarding my post.
How am I hating?
I wouldn’t care less if Obama married a whitey. All I care about is him being real and not trying to manufacture a fake image of who he really is. Don’t play the progressive role during campaign just to lure in voters. His dalliances with white women who would never marry is just another manifestation of that character trait. We all know he has a thing for white women, with the black woman being used only for presenting the perceived “proper” public image.
Are you saying that’s not who Obama really is?
I’ll tell you this. I would vote in a heart beat for a true black progressive candidate with a white wife knowing that he presents an alternative to Obama and his Republican ass kissing policies.
I think what I’m hearing from you is that you don’t like the fact that Obama (as a black man) is like all other democrat politicians before him. That is, pander during the campaign and then let politics govern your decisions.
I don’t know where you’re getting this info from about him “using black women” to present the proper image. What’s your reference? Fox News?
“Obama (as a black man) is like all other democrat politicians before him.”
You are right about that. Well, almost. There are a few Democrats and former Democrats who are not like Obama. Cynthia McKinney, Russ Feingold, Dennis Kucinich …
But I feel the same way about all of them who are like him. Black and white.
None of them, for example, would speak out against the racist criminal justice system. That’s why I’m willing to consider alternatives to them, like Ron Paul.
“using black women.”
Obama told Cook that he sought an “ideal woman.”
He was dating white women but considered a black woman to be ideal.
I deal for what?
He wasn’t dating black women, so apparently he wanted them for something else.
Would your aunt be your uncle if she had a dyck EUR?
I probably would not have supported him.
I doubt it.
Something very disturbing has been happening for several years, a few decades…it’s been setting up the scene which is now prime for what’s happening right before our eyes. This inter-racial propaganda campaign that’s on blast via mass media is sickening to me. I know, I know, the common line amongst the community is “there’s not enough Black men to choose from”. I agree, it’s partially true. We understand the factors: prison, broken homes, crack, the system…they all play a role, and we mustn’t forget the SOURCE of the roles they play. The media plays another role in pushing the idea that there are no Black men available to/for our women…not to mention that Black men “supposedly” hate/dislike our women and no longer find our women attractive.That’s a lie! At least for me it is and others I know. While some of our lost and mentally-programmed (not to mention foolish) men might out of delusion feel this way, for the most part, that too is propaganda.
So another question came to me. With Barack Obama being the second Black president on-record (do your research)…who has an attractive Black wife, who is father to two children birthed by his wife, who is intelligent and well-versed, WHY hasn’t there been a more noticeable and positive effect on Black wo/man relationships and the community as a whole?
Leye, WHY? you ask? b/c, prison, broken homes, crack, the system. and my personal favorite, it’s called moving on . . .black conversation is, women should stand with their man, bull shit, struggling is tiresome . . .and I ain’t gonna do it together, if I can make it alone. . . . . Leye, I heard-tell about the 1st black president, and that’s just it , I heard. Clue me.
nightshift, honestly, I half-way get what you’re trying to say. Normally I would reply, try to be more clear but common sense already tells me that’s a lost cause.
What kind of question is that?.. so now BLACKS will vote for only those black politicians that have black wives? REALLY? To even think as such is prejudice and borderline racist.. as if blacks can’t be racist.. WE certainly can be and have been..
I vote for a politicians on his merits NOT who he’s married too.. are you PPL kidding ME?
Let it be known ..MEN.. heterosexual MEN are attracted TO ALL WOMEN..why do black women THINK that black men are supposed to want them ONLY? where does that ideal come from? The HOOD? Fact is.. more black women marry outside their race than black men.. WAKE UP AND GET A CLUE… As a blackman, I’m not marrying my MOTHER.. my father did..
I married a WOMAN– I was attracted too and it’s not my mother.. to me that’s not kosher.. and then you wonder why we have black male mommas boys who can’t function as men in our communities? Let alone having babies by men or woman that aren’t about nothing..and you know aren’t nothing.. then blame the man..to man up? Tto woman UP.. is not not have children with these do nothing males..
I believe PPL should date..fall in lust or love and marry anyone that feels- the same about the other person..and RACE should have NOTHING to do with loving someone ,committment..marriage.. and for the record.. there are more interracial marriages happening NOW than ever belfore in america history as it should be..
Get over yourshelf and realize racial prejudice is AGAINST GOD–GOD is about FREE WILL and freedom..
..some of you naysayers should KNOW– we are LIVING in the 21st c.-.. not the days of jim crow and the prejudice attitudes that followed..where it was unlawful for blacks and whites to marry.. which is what you naysayers are alluding too–..when you say that if the president married a white woman you wouldn’t have voted for him..REALLY? THEN WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE? BECAUSE HE’S married to a black woman? geesh? tha’ts SAD.. really is.. the president doesn’t need your vote this time(hyprocrite)– if that is the only reason you voted for Mr. Barack H. Obama for presiden in 2008t..
*yawn* So I guess this means you didn’t marry someone the same race of you and your mom either?
Also, I believe that more black men married interracially than women.
THEN WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE? BECAUSE HE’S married to a black woman?
The same reason most blacks wouldn’t vote for Clarence Thomas.
You sound like a mole – straight up! Either that or you’re mentally programmed and don’t know it…and of course you don’t know it, that’s why you are. I don’t have the ‘time’ at the moment to get into all of what you said but I gotta say this real quick…marrying a wo/man who looks like you, can fully relate to you and best complements you is natural, period. There’s no prejudice in that, that’s self-preservation. LOL…just what does living in the 21st century mean?
“There’s no prejudice in that, that’s self-preservation. LOL…just what does living in the 21st century mean?”
Deuty probably has mad respect for any ‘non-Black’ community that openly espouses the exact same thing that you wrote for their own. Guess he still believes Blacks are supposed to be eternally grateful to non-Blacks who deign to sleep/mate across lines and call it ‘progress’.
“marrying a wo/man who looks like you, can fully relate to you and best complements you is natural, period”
******************
Says who????? it is up for the two in the relationship to decide what best compliments them, not you.
Here’s another interloping mole who proudly admitted to tossing out resumes with any Black sounding names. You ‘semis’ must never be trusted! Go on ANY forums for the offpspring of interracial couples and see who their MAIN targets are.
↑ The above is an example of an angry and obviously manless black woman. If I am a mole, then you are a very ugly piiece of shiit.
Depends on the woman. Likewise if Barack Obama was married to the wrong type of Black woman
he would have lost support. As it was marrying Michelle was one of his best decisions. By most accounts a wonderful wife, mother, and First Lady. The picture above was taking the night candidate Barack Obama lost the New Hampshire primary to Hillary Clinton. Just before he began speaking Michelle Obama walked on to the stage and gave her man a hug. That hug made ME feel better,
you can see how much it meant to Barack Obama. He gave a great speech.