Cooking with Obama

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Monday, June 22, 2009 - 10:44 PM Share

I didn't know that President Obama knows how to make South Asian food. From an interview with Dawn of Pakistan apparently overlooked by the American media:

I had Pakistani roommates in college who were very close friends of mine. I went to visit them when I was still in college; was in Karachi and went to Hyderabad. Their mothers taught me to cook," said Mr Obama.
"What can you cook?"

"Oh, keema ... daal ... You name it, I can cook it. And so I have a great affinity for Pakistani culture and the great Urdu poets."

I think half the country would be amazed and half the country appalled by this. Can you imagine President Bush saying such a thing?

su-lin/Flickr

EXPLORE:CENTRAL ASIA, FOOD/AGRICULTURE

(3)

HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE

ZATHRAS

3:20 AM ET

June 23, 2009

What a Big Story

He didn't say anything like that when he was interviewed for American television sitting next to his wife. He said he cooked chili and that was about it.

SKIPPY-SAN

2:14 PM ET

June 23, 2009

It won't be overlooked now

This will be seized upon by the wingnuts who will turn it around to make him out to be Muslim Socialist.

CAPTAIN

5:50 PM ET

June 23, 2009

Our president is human?

You know, if anything, I think we don't have enough of these human-inspired moments in modern politics. Too many politicians are afraid to admit that they are made of flesh and blood like the rest of their constituency. Stone-faced seriousness used to sell well when the Soviet Bloc was a genuine threat. Nowadays, with the rise of Twittering generations that are curious about the world's size, shape, smell, and general outlook, I think it's time we allow our politicians some more humanity. I for one would love to know that my prime minister or president gets a bit drunk every now and then, and sings Spice Girls at the top of his voice. Hell, might even make me vote for him.

- www.battleshipreason.com -