# 50 Facts you might not know about Barack Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 13, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569 "2008-11-13T18:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/21 "2008-11-13T20:25:57Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Last time I checked, Spiderman did pretty freakin well at the box office, not exactly a small geekdom there. Conan the Barbarian has spawned three movies, and animated series, countless novels, a mmorpg, and pretty much inspired the entire sword and sorcery genre of literature. :rolleyes: I don’t get the point. Just because a whole big bunch of people go to see the Spiderman movies, it doesn’t mean the small percentage of them who collect the comic books aren’t geeks. Mind you, I’m not criticizing him…I find it kind of cute. But not in a hip way. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/22 "2008-11-13T20:30:18Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I don’t get the point. Just because a whole big bunch of people go to see the Spiderman movies, it doesn’t mean the small percentage of them who collect the comic books aren’t geeks. > > Mind you, I’m not criticizing him…I find it kind of cute. But not in a hip way. Geekery _is_ hip. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/23 "2008-11-13T20:39:56Z")
Anyone who likes Miles Davis, Dylan, and watches \*The Wire \*is alright in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/24 "2008-11-13T20:53:38Z")
> [@Pazu](#): > > Geekery _is_ hip. true.dat ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/25 "2008-11-13T21:27:40Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I’m sorry, but in what world is benching 200 pounds impressive? How much does he weigh? And is this his 1RM? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/26 "2008-11-13T21:29:01Z")
"He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister’s fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived " Laaaame. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/27 "2008-11-13T21:30:09Z")
> [@Pazu](#): > > Geekery _is_ hip. Pretty much only to us geeks. ---
**Author:** ![Jelymag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jelymag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jelymag)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/28 "2008-11-13T21:30:35Z")
I actually read a lot of these in some other news story several weeks back, but can’t remember where. None of them really surprise me so very much. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/29 "2008-11-13T21:54:42Z")
Doesn’t like coffee. Why doesn’t that surprise me? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/30 "2008-11-13T21:59:20Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > "He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister’s fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived " > > Laaaame. Nah, he was already down the political path by 1996. I’d say “shrewd”. And just think of the ammunition the RNC could have gotten if he’d actually been picked to pose as a pin-up or simply said, “fact: Obama eats puppies”. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/31 "2008-11-13T22:03:18Z")
Aha! > [@One of the 50 facts](#): > > • He uses an Apple Mac laptop Eat it, **LOUNE!** 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/32 "2008-11-13T23:38:03Z")
Speaks Spanish and uses a Mac? What’s not to like? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/33 "2008-11-13T23:39:24Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Speaks Spanish and uses a Mac? What’s not to like? “uses a Mac” That bit. I hate him now. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/34 "2008-11-13T23:45:28Z")
IIRC from his book, his ape Tata was an orangutan (and wasn’t so much a pet as it lived on the grounds of his stepfather’s house). I wonder if Tata is still alive (orangutans can live for well over 50 years) and, if so, if she would recognize Obama. If I were a billionaire I’d see about bringing her to the inauguration (she could play with whatever dog he gets for the girls). ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/35 "2008-11-13T23:47:46Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > “uses a Mac” > > That bit. > I hate him now. It’s refreshing to have a politician that’s not PC. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/36 "2008-11-14T00:37:09Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I’m sorry, but in what world is benching 200 pounds impressive? He probably weighs 160 pounds. Maybe not impressive, but a 200 pound bench press not half bad for a 47 year old. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/37 "2008-11-14T00:52:30Z")
> [@](#): > > “uses a Mac” > > That bit. > I hate him now. Well, yeah, but he’s a busy man. He probably doesn’t have time to learn all the ins and outs of Linux. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/38 "2008-11-14T00:58:05Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I’m sorry, but in what world is benching 200 pounds impressive? In the world of guys who have been elected President. He might also be the only POTUS who can hit the three. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/39 "2008-11-14T01:44:27Z")
“He has read every Harry Potter book” I have been swept along by Obamamania like most people, but that bit alarms me slightly. All of them? He read them to his kids, right? ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569/40 "2008-11-14T01:46:15Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > “He has read every Harry Potter book” > > I have been swept along by Obamamania like most people, but that bit alarms me slightly. All of them? He read them to his kids, right? If I remember correctly, in some interview or another he stated that he had read all of the books, out loud, to his daughters, which is likely where they got this fact. I thought it sounded like a really sweet experience for them to share with their dad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-facts-you-might-not-know-about-barack-obama/472569.md?page=3)