Dmitry  

Young Barack Obama


Barack Obama, 1980. Photos by Lisa Jack / M+B Gallery.













Related Posts with Thumbnails


If you like this, then you might also like:


110 Comments to “Young Barack Obama”

Fabrik on June 9th, 2009 @6:18 pm  

So fresh..!!..

Tijmen on June 9th, 2009 @6:54 pm  

This is so nice. great shots and what a person!

Amber on June 16th, 2009 @11:09 pm  

have a shirt of the first picture.. wear it all the time.. obama = badass

truth on June 18th, 2009 @10:57 am  

fro + cig. = total looser sorry liberals

truth? on June 18th, 2009 @11:03 am  

Cig? One look at the first picture and well… I think not.

These are fantastic. Very human.

Airile, say danke. on June 18th, 2009 @11:17 am  

How do you manage to go 20 years, and look exactly the same except for the fro?

con-spear on June 18th, 2009 @11:33 am  

Just makes him look more hip. fucking icon of bullshit.

Kawola on June 18th, 2009 @11:54 am  

Obama is amazing. Everyone had fros back then, and cigarettes weren’t totally disgusting. Super cute too:)

morozco on June 18th, 2009 @12:18 pm  

Seriously…smooth operator…

Milo on June 18th, 2009 @2:15 pm  

Come on, you really think that is a cigarette in the first photo?!

Marebear on June 18th, 2009 @3:52 pm  

That looks like a joint to me. And these pics don’t make up for him being a lousy, lying piece of shit president.

MIR67 on June 18th, 2009 @5:01 pm  

OBAMA IS REPTORIAN

kjinx on June 18th, 2009 @6:00 pm  

Great photos, good looking young man, will be a total fucking disaster as a president. Wait till you see just how little of your hard earned money you’ll be able to keep 2 years from now. Why two years. Because right now noooo one’s talking about “raising taxes”, just talking about spending trillions of dollars (ha ha ha ha ha spend spend spend —- there was a day when trillions would be just hyperbole — today IT THE REAL FUCKING NUMBER!!!) but see …. omg why can’t people see this …. you can only get away with print your own money when you need more till people catch on and say, “Fuck this shit paper we want the real deal.”. Then the gov says, “Well — actually — we ain’t got none of the real deal …. but we know where to GET IT!!!” THAT’S YOU MOTHERFUCKER YOU!!!!! and they will just take more and more and more and promise to do everything FOR YOU including wipe your ass and comb your hair IF YOU JUST KEEP GIVING US THE MONEY!!!!! So every time you see this fine looking and articulate man on TV (and he IS DEFINITELY BOTH … best looking pres, best sounding pres we’ve had since JFK no doubt) just think about the guy in picture #1 picking your pocket … it’s coming folks

impartial on June 18th, 2009 @6:37 pm  

kjinx: stfu, like you could do a better job you fucking whiney bastard. learn how to spell for a start

ncalvin on June 18th, 2009 @8:37 pm  

Funny how your typical Obama-hater is an inarticulate fool.
Anyways, very nice portraits. Kinda makes me wish he still smoked…

Cynic on June 18th, 2009 @8:41 pm  

I’ve got a thrill going up my leg!

Bobby on June 18th, 2009 @9:33 pm  

He does still smoke. Its pretty awesome. He obviously does have to keep it on the down-low, you know, being President and all. I read some Fox article where they were trying to slander him because he still enjoys a cigarette once in a while. It just made me think he is more bad ass.

Bryan on June 18th, 2009 @10:44 pm  

Cig? Are you all retarded? It’s a joint, weed! I dont have a problem with weed, I just find it interesting that the media destroyed michael phelps for hittin the bong, and for some reason its ok that the president used to smoke budd. My political views are pretty neutral, but liberals, get off your high horse. It gets really annoying. Reminds me of the south park episode where the Smog goes to San Fran. Stop smelling your own farts and just live.

creamart on June 18th, 2009 @11:22 pm  

kjinx is a wanking republican racist. Get a fucking life

MWL on June 19th, 2009 @12:27 am  

Don’t criticize Kjinx , when you can’t come up with a legitimate argument of your own. Also, Kjinx raises some very good points. I’ll raise some more. Why has unemployment raised to %9.5 and is still on the rise? It’s because the “Stimulus” isn’t working. What is worse is that courts are forcing states to take stimulus money, which is a total violation of states rights. All the while our national debt has raised to 11.5 trillion dollars. It’s to the point that other countries don’t even take us seriously anymore; Russia even traded their U.S. bonds for INS bonds. I mean all of the liberals were pissed at bush for running up the bill, what Obama has done in a few short months dwarfs any damage bush ever did. Obama doesn’t have any plans to stop spending either. Nationalized healthcare is going to destroy healthcare in this country and make the USD worth even less. So, what kjinx says is actually pretty accurate… we are going to see the price of all this frivolous spending very soon, and the damage it causes will echo through our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren. They have unbelievably high taxes, and much less freedom, unless we stand up now!

robin on June 19th, 2009 @12:46 am  

Ummm, 20 years ago lots of people smoked “rollies”, roll your own cigarettes. Derrr.

Matt on June 19th, 2009 @12:48 am  

Come on people…one can roll their own cigs.

Nic on June 19th, 2009 @1:10 am  

Nope you cunts lose; it’s weed. Look @ the 9th pic. But I’m fine if it’s tobacco, it makes this damn tobacco bill look dumb as shit. It’s not the government’s job to limit how much nicotine I get from a cigarette. And now they they want to take sugar out of soft drinks, how ’bout make the little chubbies run or take PE classes. Fuck it I’m moving to New Zealand.

Stephen Ackart on June 19th, 2009 @1:37 am  

Knee-Grow!

chorb on June 19th, 2009 @1:41 am  

dude look at his eyes…its bud

mrsleep on June 19th, 2009 @2:25 am  

I love all the idiot republicans who bitch and whine about the state of the nation, forgetting who firmly put us in this cluster fuck.

Obama is just trying to run damage control on what your boy did the past 8 years.

AM on June 19th, 2009 @2:45 am  

From a neutral point of view:

Left liberals have always had a tough time. The problem is: their “spending” solution takes a while to affect the society. The lowering of taxes by conservatives is pretty easy, and so is buying more weapons or getting hands out of the healthcare.

For liberals, it’s a different story. Their ideas about the government “doing the job for you” take time. You can’t just turn things around in four, or even eight years. In most western countries, shifting of governments between left and right, liberal and conservative, have kept balance. The problem with the US is: for years, the Democratic Party has been fairly right and conservative. In Europe, the Democrats would have been about the most conservative party you’d get. No joking. Only in the last two decades have the Democrats really turned their heads to the left side.

Barack Obama is really only balancing out what the decades of conservatism have created. Note that it has nothing to do with left or right being better, it’s just a statement.
All changes cost money. It’s true.

Obama is not actually just spending those trillions on toys or something like that. Having a good health care for everyone can work tremendously well for the country.

katdoe on June 19th, 2009 @2:48 am  

All the Kool-Aid drinkers don’t seem to have an answer to spending our future away. It’s easy to devalue someone’s opinion by calling them names. But the fact is some one is going to have to pay for all this. Here in California we just had the largest tax increase in the history of the state and now the democrats are talking about raising them more. Who’s going to pay for all this? The rich? Anybody who believes that doesn’t remember the tax exiles from England. A lot of the rich and creative minds left the UK when taxes were raised and it will happen in in th US.

dazed & confused on June 19th, 2009 @2:55 am  

i’m sick of people giving obama shit.
lets see any of you take a job where no matter what you do there’s gonna be people saying how horrible you are.
i gotta give him props for even trying to fix this shit hole country.

jackass republican on June 19th, 2009 @4:08 am  

Nothing but another stoned ni@@er.

Some Guy on June 19th, 2009 @7:49 am  

That’s not a joint on the first pic, is a cigar. Look with your eyes, not your prejudice.

Seriously, come talk with me on June 19th, 2009 @8:49 am  

Wow, gotta love all the Obama lovers, calling the other side prejudiced, inarticulate, racist. Too bad they’re all political morons. I ask you all, why do you think so highly of him, besides the fact he can speak in public, and he smokes?

Dazed & confused, you are confused. What is he doing to fix the country? Spend trillions of dollars we already don’t have? Adopt the withdraw plan from Iraq from the previous administration? Keep our economy in the gutter by raising taxes on everyone to pay for his crazy spending? Small business taxes here in Colorado will more than double for this coming year, and they will only get worse. What was your selling point in his campaign? Has he delivered?

AM, you stated that a good health care system would benefit the country, I agree, however, do you honestly think that forcing insurance companies to charge less for coverage is a good idea? Sounds like an AIG bust for several big companies. Insurance prices are high because medical costs are high. Medical costs are high because doctors get sued for everything. My solution, make a few law changes so that people will not win as easily (not impossible to win mind you) in a court case. Hospitals will lose less money, bills will drop, insurance with it.

There are my opinions and questions, let the bashing begin.

Kortnee on June 19th, 2009 @9:51 am  

These are great pictures. I voted for Obama, but that’s not really what I’m here talking about. Mostly talking about the fact that, artistically speaking, these are nice portraits.

AM on June 19th, 2009 @3:43 pm  

Oropher,

Thanks for actually discussing something with arguments! A smart soul on the internet!

I agree with you that the fact that small companies get higher taxes is a bad thing. However, if that’s needed for the country as a whole to recover, it’s ok. Remember that larger companies (at least that’s what I understand of it) will have to pay more as well. In their cases, the absolute amount of money will be much higher.

You state that medical costs are high, and therefore insurance costs, because doctors get sued for everything. I disagree. I think the reason for the high prices is the fact that hospitals have to make profit, since they are on their own. They don’t have extra governmental funds to pay for what they do. By the way, a primary health care problem in the US is the fact that hospitals are actually companies, and have to compete. Following the law of supply and demand, hospitals will have to cut *somewhere* to lower their costs. The result: bad healthcare. People working for less than they should, because the hospital won’t make any profit. In the end, this process will lead to fewer, bigger hospitals, that eventually can decide how expensive something gets, because people can go nowhere else.

Of course, this isn’t true for every single hospital. But even in one case, it is a bad case. Every person should get good healthcare in any hospital, no matter their insurance! I personally believe that everyone should be insured for anything for a low price. However, I do realise that this is quite impossible to achieve on a short term. (It is possible, look at Scandinavian countries in Europe, where there actually is free healthcare)

This is just the opposite of your opinion. I always keep in mind that the truth is somewhere in between.

gonz on June 19th, 2009 @5:01 pm  

apart of all the political discussion: will he legalize the shit? y’know… recreationwise…

don’t be offended… i thought someone might ask…..

luv!

John Duke on June 19th, 2009 @10:00 pm  

These are great photos. Thanks for putting them up here.

All this discussion is interesting. It reminds me how lucky it is that the jackass republicans are a far outnumbered minority in this country.

Snark away dudes. You have turned into an impotent party.

Susierr on June 20th, 2009 @2:25 am  

Obama ROCKS

non us on June 20th, 2009 @3:24 am  

We are truly watching the sun set on the US empire. Thousands of blogs are currently being filled with hate-filled comments about the man’s skin colour. Get over it!

He strikes me as an intelligent person who is passionate about his country. Yet I will be impressed if he makes the next elections alive.

If you stopped every US citizen who has made a few mistakes in their past from being president you would not be the country you are today.

And his so called economic failings? Spending you’re tax dollars? Really? Your last president spent billions on an absolute cluster fuck of a war and no one seemed to mind.

The rest of the world is mesmorised by this latest reality TV show “So You Think You Run The World?”

The real irony is that you are resorting to ‘evil’ socialist techniques to bail out your car industry. I say let capitalism take it’s course, let them go under and kiss US supremacy goodbye.

“Hello motherland China!”

GMan on June 20th, 2009 @4:27 am  

He was a tool then and he’s a tool now !

IamwhoIam on June 20th, 2009 @5:55 am  

Regardless of who you are, and what party (if any), race(s) or beliefs systems you claim as your own, what are you doing to make the United States a better place for everyone else and yourself? Do you have any idea how hard it is to run a country? So, we are having serious problems. What good is it going to do to blame the whole thing on Bush or Obama. That is like blaming the Holocaust entirely on Hitler. There are Senators and Representatives that have never gotten so much as a phone call or letter from you. There are public service initiatives that have never had the benefit of one second of service from you. So, if you are getting irritated…get active.

Nat000 on June 20th, 2009 @6:40 am  

Well, love him or hate him, you can’t deny that our President’s got style.

Also, I’m wondering why these pictures were taken? They’re not just casual shots; they’re some kind of photo shoot. If they were more recent I’d think they were Facebook pics…

Analeah on June 20th, 2009 @9:16 am  

Let’s all just remember that he has been in office a whopping 6 months. And that he inherited a national catastrophe that took 8 years in the making (economic failure was predicted about 5 years ago). And that he has Iran, North Korea and Gaza to deal with on top of national difficulties. So please, stop your bitching, get the fuck off your computer, go outside and do something to make your environment better.

Eyes on June 20th, 2009 @10:36 am  

You people and your opinions mean nothing. You spout them off because you believe they matter. They do not. Almost all of them are wrong. You are fun to watch.

McLaughlin on June 20th, 2009 @6:07 pm  

So funny, he looks stoned in half the pictures. (No offense intended, great choice as Prez)

Blue American on June 20th, 2009 @10:48 pm  

It is not “bud” that he is smoking. It is a hand-rolled cigarette. I smoke them all the time. And the thing with his eyes? That’s just how Obama looks sometimes ;)

Great portraits. I hope his first term works out well for us ALL.

Koolit on June 21st, 2009 @3:55 am  

It’s amazing how civilized people become verbal barbarians when the subject is politics. There is no need for words like “moron”, “idiot”, and “ni@@er”. Those who disparage Obama for his skin color are in the same boat as those who rail on the “cowboy” from Texas. They are not political and we should not associate them with either party for they are not representative of the values of either. They are hateful and don’t know why. If we must have these battles, let us not be drawn into such useless banter but let us honestly discuss the issues we differ upon such as the borrowing and spending that threatens the country with bankruptcy and will, if unchecked, quadruple the national debt, government ownership of what should be private assets, socialistic health care, and a president who apologizes for the “arrogance” of the very nation that is responsible for setting at liberty most of the free countries in the world. Those are a few of the issues and there are many more so there is no need to fall back upon bigotry in these exchanges.

Bluegill62 on June 21st, 2009 @6:18 am  

I read these posts and can’t help but be afraid for America. The absolute
stupidity of what I am reading. There are many posts with insight and intelligence. But most only show ignorance. If you disagree with Obama you are a racist. The really ignorant resort to name calling when they have nothing intelligent to say.

This last election was all about race and sex.
The Democratic Party put up a woman and an African American only to garner votes. The media had a field day telling us how to vote. Remember how the media told us what a great country we have because the Democratic Party is fielding a woman and an African American? Obama is President only because he is black. If the voter wanted experience, knowledge, or ability to be a requirement for the Office of the President, in the last election Clinton or McCain would be President now. Obama met none of these requirements. I am certain there are thousands of African Americans better suited to be President than Obama. By the time Obama gains any experience, knowledge, or ability, America will be a third world nation. Congress is right there helping him along.
People sit and bandy accusations about present and past presidents. Everything is their fault. Bush screwed up the ________, Clinton screwed up the _________, insert any word you want. The fact is, until now, the President didn’t make up the laws. Congress did. The President may come up with stupid ideas, but it is Congress that passes those stupid ideas.

I am curious to find out how badly Obama has trashed the constitution in his quest to socialize America. We will have to research the information ourselves
because the media will not tell us. Shades of South America! Obama is Nationalizing the United States. He is forcing States to take TARP money and then says “I will tell you when you can give it back!”

Article I of the Constitution vests all legislative power in the Congress. The House and Senate are equal partners in the legislative process (legislation cannot be enacted without the consent of both chambers); however, the Constitution grants each chamber some unique powers. The Senate is uniquely empowered to ratify treaties and to approve top presidential appointments. Revenue-raising bills must originate in the House of Representatives, which also has the sole power of impeachment, while the Senate has the sole power to try impeachment cases. (Wikipedia)

How is Obama legally taking over our country?

Both Democrats and Republicans lambaste each others membership. Blame the President for everything. In the past 40 years has anything really changed? We still bitch about the same old stuff. Your party (President) screwed this up! Your party (President) screwed that up! Presidents have come and gone. Nothing has changed. So, what is the constant? What one thing
that remains to screw up our Country? Could it be Congress? Why yes, it is. The really sad part of the sorry situation is that the dumb / lazy voter keeps reelecting the jackasses causing all the damage. One little example is our housing mess. Fanny and Freddie. Run into the ground by Congress. The Bush
White House tried, on a number of occasions, to pass legislation to help solve the problems only to be thwarted by Congress (Barney Frank for one). See for yourself. It is easy to find information about Fanny and Freddie. Just make certain you find a reliable source.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/29/video-democrats-insist-nothing-wrong-at-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-in-2004/

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html

http://blogwonks.com/2008/09/17/mccain-predicted-fannie-mae-and-freddie-mac-debacle/

My advise to all Americans is do not believe most of what you hear on the government run media and do not, I repeat, do not reelect incumbents.

Michelle on June 21st, 2009 @6:31 am  

Eyes: thank you. finally someone has said the truth. none of us really know what we’re talking about, we just blurt out nonsense to satisfy our pathetic egos. i wish we could learn to see our similarities as human beings, rather than quibble about such meaningless things, which ultimately divide us and prevent us from seeing the truth.

Hannah on June 21st, 2009 @9:38 am  

ok, first off all i want to say, in the eye of an art student, these are brilliant pictures. And really, why do you all care if he used to smoke– whatever it is: weed, cigar, cigarette; it does not matter. This was his past, obviously he has changed: he married, had children, got into politics. And because of these pictures no one has any right to label him as “another stoned ni@@er” or anything else. No one has no right to judge him, hell, you can disagree with his views or his choices in office but NO ONE has the right to say those kind of things. It’s funny how human kind has come so far but then so many people have been left behind. I just promise any of you with these stereotypical, racist ideas that if you broaden your views on people and broaden your acceptance of human kind, you will experience so many wonderful, different, brilliant, life-changing people. If you don’t want that and decide to be hateful towards people different than you, then it is your loss. Really, that sucks for you.

Derringer Payne on June 21st, 2009 @11:29 am  

Whoever thinks these pictures are of Obama smoking weed has no experience with the substance. LOOK at it, weed turns the paper black, even after the first couple hits. This is not weed, the prior posters are correct attributing this to a rollie, its a bit outdated, but so are the fashions and the poses. Big fucking deal. Your partisan bickering makes you all look stupid, liberals and conservatives alike. Reps, stop hiding from the consequences of your deviences. We all know why you live in the middle of nowhere with the shades drawn all day. You think no one will ever find out about whatever it is you’re hiding in your lives? Get a clue, you can’t molest your kids under the radar forever. And Dems, get over yourselves. If you’re gay, you’re super outspoken about gay rights; okay we get it, but you’re not helping anyone alienating everyone else. Dems blatantly act in self-interest no matter what the subject of discussion. Both of you, LOOK PAST YOUR OWN INTERESTS. IF you give a shit about your children, this country, or your own futures, you’ll quit this stupid, socioeconomic flame off now before you make the rest of the world fix the mess you’ve caused.

Seriously, come talk with me on June 22nd, 2009 @7:58 am  

AM

I believe we both have points on the health care system, and I will only argue one more point, the government has absolutely no buisness getting involved in the system. The federal government already is into way more than they are supposed to be. I’m always impressed when I read the constitution at how much bigger the governing forces are they they were ment to be.

On taxes, higher taxes, cannot help the nation, especially when money is being spent faster than it is coming in. Makes a great example for all these people in heavy debt doesnt it? Anyway, buisnesses are going to make a profit, because, they are buisnesses, it what they do. When no buisness makes a profit, thats socialism, and history shows us that usually doesn’t work too well. Higher taxes cause the following,

1) Sending of jobs overseas

2) Lower paying jobs

3) Higher prices on goods and services

4) Layoffs

I live in a town where a Chaco sandle factory was located. Emphasis on was. The factory recieved a deal to pay no taxes in the first 5 years in order to get a foothold, they became a serious part of our small town economy. Five years ended this past year, and now they factory has moved to China. Buisnesses will do what they need to to maximize profit, reduce costs, compete in the market. Taxes in this country provide a somewhat hostile environmet toward that, so they go overseas, and then people complain that the jobs are going overseas and companies are evil blah blah tax them more blah blah and then more jobs go overseas and it just keeps getting worse.

BJ on June 22nd, 2009 @9:46 am  

Look at the first picture. Nobody smokes a ROLLED cigarette like that…

It’s a joint. ;)

cimmaron on June 23rd, 2009 @5:24 pm  

One fact stays true, the chance for being anonymus makes stubborn and stupid people say what they like with total disregard for everything.

Religion, race and politics. Any topic online will always end up with silly debate over these three topics.

Go watch a youtube video about Rostropovich playing cello, and youll see idiots posting comments about war, or which race is better, or a history of protestantism.

Our former leader was just a drunk, insecure fratboy who wanted to outdo his brother jeb just to please his dad. Id take an ivy league weed-smoking leader anytime.

a on June 23rd, 2009 @9:18 pm  

“fro + cig. = total looser sorry liberals”

spelling “loser” as with two O’s = total moron.

Sorry, republicans.

Bob barker on June 24th, 2009 @1:52 am  

Well it seems to me that most of you guys are in a star gaze over Obama. Whats more important to me is how much money i get to keep at the end of the day not if the president of our country looks cool and talks a big game. I also do not like losing freedoms in which our four father so selflessly provided. Also he says hes going to change health care so that the 47 million people that do not have it can have it. I don’t have a problem helping people but what it sounds like to me is that hes going to tax me and every other person who already has health care to pay for something we already have. Don;t change health care just find a way to help the people who don’t have it. It just doesn’t make any sense. Then every two weeks when i get my paycheck I look at how much the government took before I even got a chance to touch it and times that by about 230 million other people and wonder where all of that moneys gone. So lets just keep talking about how cool and smooth and just plan awesome obama is while he robs this nation blind and leaves it in shambles.

FrankO on June 24th, 2009 @2:33 am  

This freak has been elected as president of the USA? Am I having a nightmare and just can’t wake up or is this the New Twilight Zone…

FrankO on June 24th, 2009 @2:41 am  

“fro + cig. = total looser sorry liberals”

spelling “loser” as with two O’s = total moron.

Sorry, republicans.

Liberal taking the time to do a post with a misspelled word and then making it appear it was a republican= Loser without a life. Don’t worry Obummer will make sure you continue to get your welfare checks. Being a total MORON is a step up for your kind.

FrankO on June 24th, 2009 @2:54 am  

cimmaron on June 23rd, 2009 @5:24 pm Says

“Our former leader was just a drunk, insecure fratboy who wanted to outdo his brother jeb just to please his dad. Id take an ivy league weed-smoking leader anytime.”

Let me guess Mr. Intelligent. You learned that little bit of information from watching a movie called “W”. This is what we called well educated these days in America. The more TV and movies you watch the more intelligent you become. After all they are all based on fact just like a politicians speeches right? I would be laughing at all the Liberal Idiots when their paychecks are 100 bucks a week after taxes but so will my paycheck. The five year wait for a routine physical should be real cool. Sure hope your not bleeding to death. 2 years might be too long to wait to get in to see your doctor about it. But hey, big daddy guberment will take care of all your needs eventually…

DJinx on June 24th, 2009 @10:27 pm  

He was 18 when these pics were taken. Who cares if it was a joint? I’m the same age as Obama, and I know I was a total moron in 1980 and there are pics of me that, when seen through the prism of time and maturity, are scary/funny. That’s all this is, an 18 yr. old kid posing for a camera trying to look cool. It doesn’t make him a ‘looser’ it makes him normal.

Jenny on June 25th, 2009 @6:01 am  

Is that a cig or a doobie. LOL

摇滚帮 ROCK BUNCH on June 25th, 2009 @6:09 am  

I wish our president is cool as Obama.

technosexxual on June 25th, 2009 @7:20 am  

You idiots…

This IS bud.
You can tell right away… He’s stoned as hell.
Look at his eyes.

YGCB on June 25th, 2009 @2:20 pm  

A lot of people here seem to be infatuated with Obama and think he can do no wrong. Just because he is black and a Democrat does not make him the Messiah. Aside from the one-line insults, most of the people criticising Obama are making genuine arguments to which your only response is “racist” or “stupid Republican”. It is pro-Obama commenters that are bringing race into it by assuming that anyone who criticises Obama has a racist agenda. After being in power for only a few months Obama has already flip-flopped on many of his policies, such as withdrawing from Iraq. On the flip side, Obama is by no means a socialist.

At the end of the day Obama is a politician, and all politicians are crooks whether they be Democrat, Republican, Black or White. Obama is no different, he still works for the same interests as Bush. Stop being wowed by his charisma or blinded by his skin colour and judge him the same way you would judge a white president.

Having said that, these are good pictures. Not sure whether that is a joint he is smoking but he certainly looks pretty stoned.

Zach on June 25th, 2009 @9:40 pm  

S T O N E D… very nice…

Ryan on June 26th, 2009 @12:19 am  

Hey con-spear. Crawl back in your fucking hole you goddamn ignorant bastard. Stop fucking complaining and go suck off the GOP a little more. I know its hard to speak with the lingering taste of primordial semen stuck in between your teeth, but just save it for your charlatan comrades and keep it off of the internet. I am personally so exhausted with the republican and democratic parties, but if you cant think of anything better to say other than that, then maybe the world should take some advice from the good book that im sure you follow blindly and publicly stone you to death. You and the rest of your kind are nothing but an agonizing existence that prevents freethinkers from making headway in the world and i wish unending, undying torment on the former mentioned. Fuck you.

db on June 27th, 2009 @10:40 pm  

Gotta love the right wing conservatives… “STONED” is he stoned, or are you?

Just can’t get over the fact that “W” gave the Whitehouse away, with all the undying support of the GOP, Wall St., GM, Ford, Chrystler, The Religious Right, and let’s not forget, the ever supportive hands of DICK Cheney.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also give credit to John McCain for his help in getting Obama elected, by selecting Sarah Palin as a running mate.

So to all involved, how about a nice hot cup of Shut The F&#* Up.

archane on June 28th, 2009 @11:47 pm  

STALKER!!!!!

jane on July 1st, 2009 @2:47 pm  

Where were you assholes complaining about money when Bush was spending two billion dollars a week on a war that should have never been started? Bush is the reason for the mess we’re in, and yet people aren’t even giving Obama a chance.

It is pretty obvious how ignorant Republicans are. Sorry, I refuse to take anyone seriously who constantly talks about drinking koolaid or wild spending when the previous president they voted in was the most irresponsible, criminal we’ve ever had in office.

And it’s hilarious that they whine and whine about taxes when uh.. they pay for things that you probably use every day, police officers, sidewalks, firefighters, on and on and on.

GW Bush gave tax cuts to the wealthy, and then he heaped the burden on the middle class. That is the cut and dry of it all.

And as for the people complaining about Obama naysayers being called racists.. well, the attacks on him are pretty racist. If he was white.. do you really think that people would be accusing him of not being a US citizen? Every day I read about a Republican saying some racist joke or sending out emails about watermelon patches at the white house.

You’re all disgusting. We have control of the white house. The congress. The senate. Suck it. It’s our turn.

anyone on July 1st, 2009 @8:53 pm  

All these hateful comments.

But seriously how are we going to get out of the 8 trillion dollar debt that the devil (the bush cabinet) put us in.

When it boils down we all need to stop our dependency on commodities. But this country is full of sleep walking consumers so we wont stop.

Poor Obama…
Because of the moral and economic turmoil we are in, the whole world hates us, in my eyes, we are the weakest nation and will soon suffer because of the greediness that tears this country to pieces. Not even God could clean up a mess like this.

Only WE can. Grow your own food, ride your bike to the liquor store, stop looking at this screen and think of a way to make a piece of green worthless paper revolve less around your life.

I imagine only a handful of people will read this. But I just want you to know that no president is my president because I govern myself. I hope you all have the freedom to do what I am.

And weed is awesome.
So fuck you.

daomid on July 2nd, 2009 @7:52 am  

these comments have nothing to do with the pictures .

Or I am High!

Or both!

f…..k D. Chaney

Seven Ft on July 3rd, 2009 @6:38 am  

I knew I liked him but now I like him on a whole new level.

Sarah on July 4th, 2009 @8:59 pm  

Obama is just like any other teenager, during his teenage life. Nothing too special except for the fact he is destined to be the president of US. Great pictures there.

Grace on July 10th, 2009 @7:54 am  

So in 4 maybe 8 years when someone you love gets sick or is injured is able to live along and happy life because they had health care, and they were able to afford the cost of the medication . Are you going to say to yourself, “damn Obama bringing fucking social medicine into America”?

When you or your child are able to have a higher education, without starting life with thousands of dollars in debt, are you going to think ” yeah cool I get to go into a career I love, but shit high taxes”?

And when all the stoners of the U.S. are finally able to smoke openly and without fear, are they going to say to themselves “fucking president he only cares about being an icon”?

No. You are, or you should be, grateful. It’s not a perfect system but he is just one man, and I believe this is what he is striving for.

Sam Cornwell on July 10th, 2009 @10:27 pm  

I suppose you can blame the smoking on the fact people thought it was cool back in 1980.

Because it’s not cool - it’s vile. I hope he looks back and cringes.

Nice pics though. Excellent.

billibob on July 14th, 2009 @12:34 am  

they took our jobz

Alexandria on July 15th, 2009 @12:08 am  

Very beautiful images, the contrast of the black and white add great depth to the photos and make the man that is leading our nation very incitinve and intelligent, even here.

So, he’s smoking a joint, big deal, it looks to be in the mid 80’s. Drugs were common then, and as much as people would like to deny it, they are now. We seem to think of pot as something that’s bad, but many great artists, writers, politicians, and speakers smoked pot.

Lighten up people, it’s in the past, and you can’t blame a man for doing his best at something that everyone seems to be against him on. Intelligence may not come with using drugs, but experience does. And with experience people are able to relate to the common people. Whether he does them still or not, it really makes no difference. At least countries are starting to like us now, and not thinking of us so much as power-hungry, moronic, idiots.

Truth on July 19th, 2009 @6:11 am  

The way American’s cope with their country’s decline is interesting.

You all seem so confused. It’s like you want to accept that you can’t wear your “America’s Number 1″ foam fingers anymore, but you keep holding out a desperate hope that one man will fix your country for you. And the people who believe that one man will just fuck it up offer absolutely no alternatives. Both sides are doing nothing but watching, while their country collapses around them.

Beastie on July 19th, 2009 @7:36 am  

Why exactly was he posing for photo shoots back then?

JT on July 24th, 2009 @10:35 pm  

Shut the fuck up everyone, it is a roll your own cigarette.

Eric on July 26th, 2009 @8:39 am  

I’m so much more open-minded than the rest of you because I voted for a black man. And I don’t even care if he’s a socialist, because this makes up for all that evil racist stuff that earlier generations did to his “peeps.” (Lord knows I couldn’t be a racist, even though somebody told me I was–my vote is proof!) I voted for him, I feel great, and nothing else matters!

Take that, Dad!!!

I felt like shat because of the economy, girls don’t find me very manly, guns frighten me, blacks smoke crack, illegal immigrants are getting compensated less than minimum wage with no paid vacation, and I couldn’t sleep knowing all those old people are dying outside hospital doors with no insurance! Now that I voted for Obama, I’ve proven to myself that I’m not a racist whitey, and none of those other things even matter to me anymore! Three cheers for Barack, the Magic Negro!!!

/sarc

Ewok on July 27th, 2009 @6:16 am  

That is NOT a joint, if you look carefully at the later pics from the same (hat) shoot you will see that it is a tailor-made (commercially produced, for non-English). Joints or Rollies are much more tapered and less cylindrical than the one in the photo. In England, having a woman as Prime Minister was a disaster, good luck with a Black President. Remeber, he hasn’t been in power long and if he has to tax you higher it is because of Goerge W who allowed the banks to screw the economies of most of the developed world and he has to clean the crap up. Give the guy a chance, come back after a year and then complain, if you have to……

Foxy Queen on August 6th, 2009 @1:02 pm  

At the moment Obama official declares that he quits smoking because in White House smoking is banned.

ObviousMan on August 7th, 2009 @1:44 am  

So how’s that hope and change working for ya?

Hope you still have a job in 3 months…

european18 on August 11th, 2009 @8:57 am  

We’ve got more than other people would dare to wish for. Take a look at the world, at other humans, humans.. just like us! How come they’re happy with so little?

__

I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change

rest in peace, king
HE KNEW

sharpes eagle on August 12th, 2009 @1:48 pm  

he was very self aware even back then !

TheMothaFuckinMan on September 1st, 2009 @10:16 am  

You’re all fucking retarded.

When was the last time someone blew cig/cigar smoke through their nose?

Its a fat fuckin bleezy you little bitches.

Obama = the motha fuckin MAN.

bill on September 2nd, 2009 @3:39 am  

What a DOUCHEBAG.

Motorod on September 3rd, 2009 @10:00 pm  

Nice pics. Very humanizing.

The Obama-hater Repugniscum comments here are ridiculous.

All the Health Care Reform fear mongering, Town Hall disruptions and Tea Bag Revolt bullshit isnt’ going to change the fact that there is a black man in the White House, and he was put there by White People like us who have had enough of your greedy, selfish, ignorant, racist, cowardly little world view.

STFU.

Get a fucking life.

dude on September 11th, 2009 @1:27 am  

I can’t believe ‘this’ is the President of the United States .. how low we’ve dropped

IRIX on September 23rd, 2009 @7:30 pm  

Seriously… Whats the point of being one of the most powerful people on the planet and you cant even smoke??? Really.. think about it…

Foolish on September 24th, 2009 @7:48 am  

Joint or not, he’s already admitted to overusing alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine in his teen years. For anyone who thinks drug use makes him cool, he has called it his “greatest moral failure.”

And THAT is what makes him cool. G.W. Bush had lost weekends in Mexico and years of missing records, now we have a president who owns up to his failures.

Calling Kanye West a “jackass” makes him a little cool, too. I mean, come on, we were all thinking it :P

Alex on October 5th, 2009 @11:36 am  

This man has done and will do wonderful things for the United States. It’s a shame that sore losers can be so hateful, and for so long! Hopefully, backwards-thinking individuals won’t impede the successful futures of everyone else. Also, pot is harmless.

Ellie on October 8th, 2009 @3:40 am  

I think these pictures are pretty fantastic, and I wish that people could give the political ramblings a rest for five fucking seconds to enjoy some good photography.

Morgan on October 10th, 2009 @12:53 am  

My president is BLACK and HELLA SEXY!

Lucretia on October 10th, 2009 @1:02 am  

kjinx: Two words; universal healthcare. With higher taxes our people will be taken care of alot better(i.e. Canada or Denmark, Much better countries with alot better plans). We’re finally going that direction and catching up with the rest of the world. Get over you greedy careless self, asshole.

Judy Phillippi on October 13th, 2009 @7:13 pm  

Oh my he was young once and looky there he did the same kind of things that 90% of the Americans did when they were young. Did anyone of you stop and think of the things you tried or did when you were that age? Oh wait, that probably don’t count because it was you! Get over yourselves, he’s doing the best job he can, look what he walked into. Give the guy a break, can’t be any worse then anyone else that’s been in his shoes…..

welting on October 30th, 2009 @12:47 am  

it’s clearly a cigarette, he’s just holding it like a joint in the first picture. If it was a joint, there would be resin discolouring on it. He does look like Jimi Hendrix a bit, though.

People are being way too alarmist about the Obama administration. He’s got a lot on his plate, not the least of which is an economy that crashed not be cause of him, but because of terrible decision making in the last 8 years. Just give him a minute, and keep it fresh, America.

Colander Strainer on October 30th, 2009 @7:56 am  

The Republinazis are responsible for millions of people losing their jobs; for putting us into two wars unnecessarily; for losing the lives of 8,000 Americans; for removing the regulations which would have prevented the economic crisis; for global warming; for cronyism and corruption of Halliburton and its successors; for Blackwater and on and on and on. The HELL with the Republinazis.

oldworld on November 4th, 2009 @4:49 pm  

the difference between republicans and democrats?
republicans want your money to kill people, democrats want your money to save people.
it’s as simple as that.
the wars were not necessary and simply worsened the situation and attitude towards western society and the socioeconomic condition at the affected locales.
the health care plans on the other hand are a long term investment for the sake of the general public and an ambitious attempt to finally ensure every single person the same rights and access to medical services.
don’t think you are that great, americans. you are not the greatest or richest and certainly not the most efficient country on this planet. nobody takes you seriously anymore since you elected bush.
so try welcoming and maybe even supporting a guy who is at least trying to change that.

corman on November 17th, 2009 @9:15 pm  

I LOL’D

Toby on November 24th, 2009 @9:09 am  

I look at these pictures, and I feel like i know Barack as a close friend, a long lost best-friend I knew many years ago, forgot everything we did together, but not the emotions that went along with those actions. I feel like we grew up together, and have always been friends. I feel like we smoked our first joint together, like we sat in the glow of a lava lamp and talked about whatever passed through our brains. I miss my best friend, and I wish we could go back to being kids and spend a few more summers blowing up army men, and burning leaves with a magnifying lens. Never mind what he grew up to be, whether you support him or not (I do). I will look to Obama, and remember the days of innocence in our childhood.

Ty on November 27th, 2009 @2:26 pm  

I love all these comments saying they hate how our president used to smoke, cigs or weed, who cares. Look at our last president, he was a drunk frat kid from Texas, I’m sure he never smoked weed or cigs! Get real people, and just because they did these things in the past doesn’t mean they are doing them now, and it doesn’t make them a worse person.

Candian on January 22nd, 2010 @8:43 pm  

Ok first off he may not be the greatest president in the history of America but he sure isn’t near the worst of them. On another note Obama doesnt run the country he represents the people of the country to the Senate.

The senate with is elected within itself are the people that actually pass, make and create the laws and policies that everyone seems to hate so much.

So to just dislike and blame 1 man elected by the people for all the wrong things that are going on in the senate is kinda foolish and childlike.

But I’m Canadian so what do I know about American Politics.

raharah on January 22nd, 2010 @9:43 pm  

Uhm… these are pretty awesome pictures, but they are from 30 years ago not 20… :D

bellevue on January 27th, 2010 @2:12 am  

I love all the partisan comments.

Just so you know…….Republican or Democrat = politician (professional lying scum bag).

Can any of you see what is plainly before you?? It must be all the integrity in Washington that is clouding your vision.

long ron daniels on January 27th, 2010 @3:50 am  

i have no opinion on these pictures, but what bothers me most is how people worship this guy the same way people worship celebrities (that’s a whole other discussion). people need to understand that the president of the united states is really insignificant when it comes down to it. he’s merely an actor. the real power in this country, and in this world, lies with the big international banks/businesses. they own our government, as well as our media, and they use both to advance THEIR agenda - which is to rob us all blind and essentially enslave us. obama was SOLD to us as the “anti-bush” - someone who is charismatic, intelligent, young, and can actually speak in complete sentences. however, he is just a puppet of the real owners of this country. all of these wars, “terror” attacks and threats, draconian laws, and the economic crisis are all engineered events. please educate yourselves.. study the truth about the federal reserve (which in reality is NOT federal at all, and is a privately owned, for-profit bank). search for “money as debt”, “the money masters”, “the fall of the republic”, and “zeitgeist” on youtube… to get started. i’m not trying to be preachy, i’m just someone very concerned about our future. has obama really changed anything for the better? more troops to the middle east, no end to the wars, more of YOUR money to the crooks on wall street, more erosion of your personal liberty (naked body scanners at airports?? really?), and on and on. the red pill is hard to swallow, but as more of us do it, our chances of really turning this thing around increases. peace and love.

Pingbacks & Trackbacks

Who Are You: (required)

Email: (required, will not be published)

Website:

Your Comment:

Available tags: <img src="" title=""> <a href="" title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strong>

Please note: some comments will be hand modified so any over offensive comments will be removed and your submitted comments will be appreared after approved.


Losing is a Good Thing  |  Reminders