A Barack Obama relative gets a new job
Just in time to help out in the walkup to Oregon's May 20 primary, Barack Obama has a strong supporter moving to the state -- brother-in-law Craig Robinson.
Robinson, whose sister is Obama's wife, Michelle, has been named head basketball coach at Oregon State University, located in Corvallis. At the least, he gets points for being willing to take on a challenge -- the Associated Press begins its story on Robinson's hiring with this phrase: "Taking a job that others turned down..."
Why was the job not so popular? Well, it seems Oregon State has had all of one winning season since 1990 -- and finished at 6-25 this year. So Robinson has his work cut out for him (and we imagine the myriad of NCAA rules include a ban on dangling overnights at the White House as a recruiting tool).
Robinson had been coaching the last couple of seasons at Brown University in Rhode Island. His record there -- in terms of politics -- wasn't so hot; Obama lost the state's March 4 primary by double digits to Hillary Clinton.
-- Don Frederick
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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I cannot help but wonder if coach Robinson's pride in American is also of recent vintage and election contest inspried, as is his sister Michelle's.
Posted by: StephenG | April 08, 2008 at 09:22 AM
This guy made sexist remarks about Hillary Clinton, making fun of her emotional moment in NH, so I am not very impressed with him and his sister as well (who seems to find every fault with America even though she is living in amazing comfort and luxury). These two siblings should be ashamed of themselves!
Posted by: Observer | April 08, 2008 at 03:43 PM
You people are idiots -- get over yourselves. She was talking about being proud of our political system for the first time in her adult life, because people are getting involved in the process. Stop being so childish.
Posted by: Karen | April 08, 2008 at 05:34 PM
It's the right of any thinking American to be able to criticize this country. But that's right, I forgot, if you're black you're not allowed to criticize your country right? You're supposed to be grateful to whitey for merely existing.
Posted by: Jeff | April 08, 2008 at 05:37 PM
Jeff: I am so glad someone finally said that!! I am not African American, but why do people and the media keep knocking Michelle Obama over her perfectly reasonable statement?? I too am proud that this election is bringing out such passionate supporters on both Hillary and Obama's side. This is such a non-issue.
Michelle's brother made a rather tasteless remark about her tears before the New Hampshire vote....if that's the biggest mistake (or should I say mis-spoke) his family makes, I'm not at all worried!
Posted by: Ellen | April 08, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Correct
Posted by: George Jacobs | August 20, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Is there any suitable job for Geologist in United State.
Posted by: albert swe | December 01, 2008 at 06:21 AM