Obama Played 'Strong, Silent Type' in Court
Presidential contender Barack Obama, known for his oratorical skills, played the “strong, silent type” when he was practicing law, according to a feature Monday in the Chicago Sun-Times.
The paper reviewed cases Obama worked on while he was at Miner Barnhill & Galland and found that other than making introductions, he stepped aside “to let other lawyers do the talking.” The only time he appeared before the 7th Circuit and Judge Richard Posner, Obama never lost his cool and won, the paper notes.
As an associate, Obama is quoted saying he did mostly research and writing. “I was one of the better writers. I ended up doing the more cerebral writing, less trial work,” he says. “That’s actually something I regret—not doing more trial work.”
One of his most celebrated victories was a push, on behalf of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, to get the federal “Motor Voter” law implemented in Illinois. But even in that case, he stepped aside when the Justice Department joined in, a strategy that the Sun-Times says ultimately proved effective.
