Kantor on Life Inside the Obama White House

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Kantor thanks for joining us are gonna get to some -- excerpts of the book in just a few minutes but thirty Telus I think really the most fascinating for mead political -- -- The the fascinating part of this is that you have access to the White House right.

You also took a sabbatical from new job at New York Times to do this and tell us exactly how all things played out did you get free access what congress -- did you get.

That's pretty good access that add that his Britain based mostly on interviews with 33 current and former White House scenes as well as some close friends -- the apartments.

And he really read it to answer some questions but I found that voters with half going into the twenty -- action.

What happens when a -- in there American family.

Moves to the White House -- -- -- channel that Obama had such.

Fast rise what was their adjustment -- to the -- -- president and First Lady.

And so the -- and he goes -- night that the east and -- -- and talks a lot about the behind the scenes that path and.

Delegates is again the -- -- -- but in the meantime.

How is it being received by you're you're I -- -- can -- my employer in New York Times and they okay with not okay.

-- and excerpt from the back.

Yeah you know is you know it's interesting and I appreciate the chance to come on toxins that.

I guess so when I thought about writing about and not a lot at bat has segment -- You know at the background this politically and there are so many exit and that.

You know either on the kind of bright side at the back side and -- -- wanted to -- -- that -- -- as many people as possible from different political persuasions.

Because that's -- he could have -- -- is that we can discuss the obamas in particular and leave well.

But there is film -- that applies to every president and First Lady there's one main favorite stories from the beginning at the back is about.

-- about shelling and Michelle Obama.

A little window in the -- room upstairs in the White House and she status.

And denying.

Mother and not -- at this Hillary Clinton and Hillary Clinton showed it to me.

And it's this little window that looks out -- the Oval Office and rose -- again.

Owned you know Laura Bush had -- stand there and just sort of watch you know what was going on in the presidency which to me it's -- -- metaphor for firstly he had.

Because these women are so close to power and they had such in -- -- act fast and yet there's this to stay -- that happen bid.

Hidden -- is being made of this company interchange between.

First Lady Michelle Obama and -- them -- Press Secretary gives -- the time.

Did they not get along.

Well bid part of the reason he didn't get along -- -- without really fascinating.

-- -- that I think packs a lot of people in politics which has that.

Robert Gibbs was considered he -- on the front lines every day responding to you public anger about foreclosures.

Bonuses.

Shop Locke says attempt to -- and being very conservative very cops asked about how he wanted to -- honest kind of war and man of -- you know nothing hands he.

Nothing to Hollywood like you know what he sent me is once you have chairman edwards' 400 dollar hair -- moment you can never have -- -- in the box.

-- -- -- -- gets to the White House she you know happy that nothing she wears is scrutinized.

-- -- first African American First Lady and -- normal role model is really important car so she wants things to be beautiful and sophisticated in cheek.

So there's about attention act.

But again I have to say they are and now nineteenth on the Republican side I mean look at the way Sarah Palin and she -- the -- into the spotlight.

Went on shopping spree at Neiman Marcus and so I think we see this.

Particularly with the -- again and again in political life which is that.

They're under enormous pressure to look ahead.

And -- spending a lot of money -- -- -- -- -- back to the -- like the limelight today like the attention that they -- the things that come with being first Stanley.

-- Said.

Senior it with so interesting in my incorporating this -- teen man.

Alternate between debris -- -- it and it running away from a little -- On the you know on the one hand it's -- very -- -- -- being role models and being African American while models isn't really.

They take that part of that shots so -- seriously.

But on the other hand.

You know at any president and First Lady really have to bear the burden and everything media being scrutinized and you know in my reporting -- me very -- sort of repeated in Iraq and desires for escape like him if he if you read the backing of the story and the story -- -- shallow comments.

-- -- and it's definitely something that left terrible in the public high.

But you also see her personal reasons for wanting to do you read.

And to me at hot sesame cents -- -- -- but there was there was a lot of scrutiny on that trip not only because not how effective she she took the trip which he took quite a few people along with her.

Well here's -- into the problem of being president and First Lady you can't go anywhere you know without the planes you can't go -- there.

Without the security and -- -- become.

More and more restricted in what became -- contrast with the actions here it's fascinating because the -- were pros right I mean.

George Bush senior was vice president three years for this president for four years.

Situation garbage -- -- the White House and the like -- -- -- them you know they like new and attracts.

It's -- telling me that they built their ranch in Crawford.

I'd during the presidential campaign because it's almost like he knew they -- the need at least T you -- -- ski team and you Obama's -- truly new -- say -- tell the story and then trying to go back to Chicago for the first time in the back.

And it's like.

You know that they are trying to have a quiet weekend at home and it becomes the invasion of Normandy and then also as we know it becomes the such act as.

Some public resentment and Republican attacks about their spending.

-- not only their spending but that -- I think have their greatest example of maybe the misunderstanding of what what the what the office is what that's what the family is what what they're wrote that the package is is when.

President Obama is elected president Michelle Obama actually wanted to stay in Chicago until the girls were finished that more -- at that -- -- right.

She thought of finishing up fiscally and me you know I did I think -- -- -- to interpret that you could say on the one hand.

Wow she is really needed to the presidency and there's no way that that country -- -- accepted at commuter firstly me.

You know -- -- -- and there's a kind of.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- The opinion of the conventional Winston is that White House life as -- effect and glamorous and you -- Air Force One and -- tenors.

But the book really -- back the curtain on what it's like for handling to live act you know like how the story of what happened in the -- -- try to trick or treat.

For Halloween for the first time and and you know it's.

It's pretty hard with the Handley and in tune into the news story from a few weeks ago about how bullet hit her White House could mean -- -- those little girls can play act.

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Kantor on Life Inside the Obama White House

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