Barack Obama Taking Literary License?

In his book, Barack Obama tells of letting a match burn down to his fingers, ignoring the pain: "The trick is not caring that it hurts."

Entertaining, but not original. This actually is an anecdote widely (yet erroneously) attributed to talk show host and Watergate figure G. Gordon Liddy in the movie "All the President's Men"; and before that, Peter O'Toole in the motion picture "Lawrence of Arabia."

Everybody likes a good story. But maybe Obama should have checked out the sources before claiming the story as his own.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Obama
• Liddy
• Burning
• Candle
• Hurt
• Minding
• Lawrence
• Arabia
• Audacity

[USAF7Chief]

The guy has never been honest about anything. Even the Yes We Can speech was stolen. He just can't be honest...his Syrian handlers didn't teach him how.

[HurricaneHeidi]

This looks like a job for The Obama Truth Squad!!!

[NavdeepSinghDhillon]

This is so amusing because it's completely untrue and really simple to contradict. I like the film snippets though =) The book in question is Dreams of my father and the passage you are referring to is on page 93. Right after that sentence, Obama says, "I tried to remember where I'd heard the line, but it was lost to me now, like a forgotten face." He clearly says that these aren't his original thoughts. Burrrn.

[JeanLouisBarrault]

If the guy wrote it, it matters little the source. What surprises me is the people who DID read his books, knew him and pulled the lever. Something akin to reading Mein Kempf and voting for Hitler. The point I take from this is the Messiah thinks he can walk on hot coals. He is in fact, no Lawrence of Arabia, nor could he have endured what Liddy has endured in his life. He is a child.

[anne37]

God, you freaking moron. This is not even remotely what the book said. First of all, you've got the wrong book, and second of all, as the commenter above stated, you misrepresented the entire passage. Are you illiterate, or do you just hate Obama so much that you don't care if you look like a fool to anyone with more than a high school education or a passing familiarity with critical thinking skills? Suck it.

[LBBrecords]

LOOK at the Next Sentence: "I tried to remember where I'd heard the line, but it was lost to me now..." Also, it's not from Audacity of Hope, the line is from his autobiography, Dreams from My Father. LEARN how to read and cite sources before posting this kind of nonsense.

[divinityreaper47]

so what, dumbass

[lindabee10]

Oh, for God's sake, get a life!