Barack Obama: 'I Have Been an Imperfect Father'

[BlueJessamine]

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20286116,00.html

President Barack Obama has written a heartfelt Father's Day message, in which he acknowledges his own shortcomings as a dad to daughters Malia, 10, Sasha, 8.

"I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes," Obama admits in a letter to be published in this week's Parade magazine.

"There were many days out on the campaign trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away," he writes, "and I knew I was missing moments of my daughters' lives that I'd never get back. It is a loss I will never fully accept."

Urging other fathers to become engaged in their children's lives, Obama says, "We need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."

[SunsetDreams]

1. K&R

[Peacetrain]

2. K&R

[rug]

3. It would be more meaningful if he had tucked it under their pillows and not published it in Parade.

[Fly by night]

4. Arf. (Yawn)

That's about all I have to say about your post.

[rug]

5. I'm glad you published it.

[BklnDem75]

20. Maybe it's a message to all fathers?

"Urging other fathers to become engaged in their children's lives, Obama says, "We need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."

Father's Day is coming up.

[LisaM]

21. I agree with you!

Your post made me laugh.

[beachmom]

6. Just to respond, you made the choice to put career above family, Barack.

Now I have no doubt Pres. Obama loves his wife and family, and relishes the time he spends with them. But he had an even stronger stirring in his heart to run for higher and higher office all the way now to being POTUS. It is not like his time away from family started with the Presidential campaign. In order to move up after his disastrous congressional campaign challenge of Bobby Rush, he needed to schmooze more at the capitol in Illinois, thereby being away from Michelle and the girls a considerable amount of time. At the time, Michelle was none too happy with this. But Obama's ambitions always were a higher priority than family. That is the choice he has made. And it seems to work for him -- he would have been unhappy had he had a job where he was home every night at 6 o'clock. But he needs to come to terms with the fact he CHOSE to spend great periods of time away from his family, just like I have chosen to be a stay at home Mom, and sacrificed my career at the moment. I can't then turn around and lament my loss of income or promotions (a loss I will never fully accept!!), since it was MY CHOICE to stay home with the kids.

Okay, rant over.

[HopeOverFear]

7. My, how unmerciful and bitchy of you nm

[Raineyb]

8. Well then you have no idea what a truly neglectful father is like.

He's a hell of a lot better than mine is and my father didn't have the type of job that would routinely pull him away from his children had he chose to be stationed closer to where we live.

[HopeOverFear]

10. For real neither did mine

[Arugula Latte]

17. My father had a job where he could have spent lots and lots of time with us

but he chose to pursue solo pursuits like reading, playing with his computer, and riding his bike alone. I always felt like any time he had to do something like drive me to an activity he resented it. I can't imagine what it would have been like to grow up with a father who loved to be with you and play with you.

But, then, most of the dads of that generation that I knew (my friends' dads) left a lot to be desired. I was left with a very negative opinion of men after I came out on the other side of adolescence, and it took me a long time to overcome that.

[jefferson_dem]

9. That's the point he's making.

Life is about choices and sacrifices, some which are terribly difficult.

No need to rant. Why the anger? ... :hi: neighbor.

[HopeOverFear]

11. Shhhhhh

That wasn't anger it was jealousy LOL

[CakeGrrl]

13. How dare he feel conflicted? And actually SHARE that with people?

His statement seems to bother you for some reason. I consider it pretty damned human to wish sometimes for things you can't go back and change.

[HopeOverFear]

16. That took a lot of stones to admit that

I couldn't have done it.

[Cha]

14. I'm fucking happy he choose public service..

The girls and Michelle are doing fine..thank you very much, miss self righteous.

[beachmom]

18. I am, too. But he knew when he decided to run for POTUS that he wouldn't

see his family. If he doesn't regret being POTUS, then he can't regret the sacrifices he made. I guess I did not write it very well, but that was my point. He made a choice, and I just don't see how he can't "accept" it. In the Newsweek article, he actually broke down and cried during the campaign at one point because he didn't get to see his daughters. I understand his anguish, but he KNEW this would happen.

[Cha]

19. So? So, he knew it..people are a little

more complicated than your boxes.

[Mrs. Overall]

23. Oh my f'ing god! Let's beat up the president we worked our asses off to elect because he ran for

president and didn't stay home with his family.

Running for public office involves many sacrifices, just like providing food for one's family involves being away from one's family to work.

Let's beat up on every politician who has a full schedule, on every military person who chose to serve and spends time away from their family overseas, on every parent working their ass off day/night to provide for their family.

Not all of us can afford to stay home and spend every minute with our children. You remind me of the upper middle class mothers I know who look down their noses at women who have their children in daycare because they have to work. Someone in your household must be making money so that you can spend time at the beach.

[Autumn]

12. There is no perfect parent

it is unreasonable to expect one, or to try to be one.

[Cha]

15. I've thought it would be wonderful

to have had someone like Obama for a father! Someone who cared about public service and that was the reason he was away and when he came home to have all that love and education..not because he couldn't leave the bars.

[jmondine]

22. In other news, water is wet and breathing is important

Dude, give yourself a break...

...on this.

[marshall]

24. How lucky that they have Michelle's mother to pick up the slack

Families should pull together.