Power Forward: My Presidential Education

by Reggie Love

Every path to adulthood is strewn with missteps, epiphanies, and hard-earned lessons. Only Reggie Love’s, however, went through the White House by way of Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mentored by both Coach Krzyzewski and President Obama, Love shares universal insights learned in unique circumstances, an education in how sports, politics, and life can define who you are, what you believe in, and what it takes to make a difference.Power Forward tells the story of the five years Love worked as a personal assistant to Senator Obama as a candidate for president, and President Obama, and it is a professional coming of age story like no other. What the public knows was well put by Time magazine in 2008: “[Love’s] official duties don’t come close to capturing Reggie’s close bond with Obama, who plays a role that is part boss and part big brother.” What the public doesn’t know are the innumerable private moments during which that bond was forged and the President mentored a malleable young man. Accountability and serving with pride and honor were learned during unsought from co-coaching grade school girls basketball with the president; lending Obama his tie ahead of a presidential debate; managing a personal life when no hour is truly his own; being tasked with getting the candidate up in the morning on time for long days of campaigning. From his first interview with Senator Obama, to his near-decision not to follow the president-elect to the White House, to eventually bringing LeBron, Melo, D-Wade, and Kobe to play with the President on his forty-ninth birthday, Love drew on Coach K’s teachings as he learned to navigate Washington. But it was while owning up to losing (briefly) the President’s briefcase, figuring out how to compete effectively in pick-up games in New Hampshire during the primary to secure support and votes, babysitting the children of visiting heads of state, and keeping the President company at every major turning point of his historic first campaign and administration, that Love learned how persistence and passion can lead not only to success, but to a broader concept of responsibility.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Memoir, Biography, History, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2015

About the author

Reginald L. Love served as the special assistant and personal aide, commonly referred to as body man, to United States President Barack Obama. Love left this position at the end of 2011, to complete his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

Reviews

[J Beckett]

Title: Power Forward
225 pages
Publication Date: February 3, 2015
By Reggie Love

Political memoirs are not at the top of my literary must-read list, nor are they even at the bottom. The fact is, they aren't on the list at all. I've read several (a couple were memorable) and without fail, most left me emotionally arid, dry to my core, bored, filled with questions and weary from their tireless, one-dimensional commentary. I was often rendered, for reasons still difficult to explain, overcome with the feeling that I had fallen, somehow, beneath the 'caste' radar of privilege and intellectual equality when compared to the book’s cartoonish characters, settings, and plot. More often than not, I found myself pouring over amber pages occupied by ivy league tales, the family business, elaborate trips, family trusts, Martha’s Vineyard or some impressively surreal sexual tryst at a Gregorian “compound” in eastern Europe. These memories, while expressive, never reflected the life with which I am familiar, so the highly beloved memoir is usually not a viable contender on the list of my next great read.

Surprisingly, I found, purely through curiosity, an inspiring book based on political reflection that had me more entertained than I would have ever imagined. What separated this memoir from most, aside from its subject matter and immediate personal connection, was the fact that it was written by a true insider; what was referred to as "a body man," a personal assistant. Not surprisingly, it was a memoir based on the ever mesmerizing and incomparably tantalizing Obama presidency. The book, Power Forward, was written, respectfully (almost ad nauseum), by President Obama's "body man," Reggie Love.

Because I think everyone should read this book, whether a fan or opponent of President Obama, I will try to avoid giving too many spoilers, but... will say this...

Love has written a political "adoration" story, uniquely allowing glimpses into the day (more like a year or two) of the life of a budding, and eventually, the American president, before and after he took office. Impressively, he was able to effectively capture the feelings, magic and mayhem of campaigning [upon these American trails] as an African American with no initial national clout and then, almost magically, granted the very high and likely possibility of being victorious and becoming a historical "first".

Love writes with a gentle pen. Certainly he could have exposed some sort of muck that makes a writer's career, especially considering the position he was in, but opted to show that his respect superseded that quest for notoriety and temporary exposure. The stories are relatively light and kind, bonding and special, reminiscent more of big brother / little brother or father and son than employer/employee. Undoubtedly, Love knew then, although he opted, it seems, to act aloof throughout the book, that he was a pretty damn lucky guy.

For most of the memoir, Love quietly references possible careers in basketball, football or corporate America (going as far as try-outs and practices), but seems to put his position as "body man" to a politician--a political icon-- on the cusp of significant governmental tremble, in the same category as boy scout or "oops" man. He spends an exorbitant amount of time informing the reader of his numerous mistakes and graceless blunders, mistakes that, for as minor as they seemed, sometimes stole away the fact that he had attended Duke, has hard earned stock, and pretty sharp wits. There are several moments in the book when Love gives the impression that working as the young senator's assistant was a: "I had no other choices," type gig, rather than, as the writing of the book proves, a stepping stone or gateway to a dream come true.

There are more depth and anecdotal moments as the memoir progresses, but not in the same vain as a great novel or season writer's non-fiction. The reader is exposed to and gets swallowed up in fraternity type interactions, a constant thrill of competitiveness, and several doses of 'bro-therapy', giving the reassurance that Obama is real in his naturalness, but carries himself in constant awareness of his purpose. Jokes and playful manly interactions are sincere, but it is clear, according to Love's commentary, that everyone knew Obama was the Alpha. There is so much remaining to comment upon, but the methods used in the writing of this book does not permit for much to be said without treading upon that forbidden zone of spoiling the story further.

The book is episodic, almost oppressive in its choppy approach. But it is, as aforementioned, entertaining and a relaxed read. Truthfully, it would make a decent documentary if ever produced for television; more HBO than VH1.

Despite its valleys, as it does have some magnificent peaks, Power Forward is a worthy read and a personal journey which helps one to understand why ("firsts" aside) the world loves this president.

[George Briggs]

Basketball Connection

Duke University basketball captain and football player shared a love for basketball, and soon after became Senator Obama's personal assistant. Reggie Love pens a very insightful story of not only his personal growth, but also reveals the behind the scene experiences of a president who has already impacted America in many positive ways. Reggie Love lauds the intelligence, patience, and vision of his boss who from day 1 had to deal with negativity and obstruction from the other side of the aisle in Congress. At times, I saw many of the same themes mentioned by President Obama in his book Audacity To Hope.

[Kevin C]

This book, "Power Forward: My Presidential Education" by Reggie Love, has been on my household bookshelf for about six months, I have always been interested in the "Political Process" so I new this book would bring great insight to current and former trends in Washington D.C. After finishing the first chapter I knew this book was a perfect fit for my Sophomore Year Reading Challenge September Book.

Reggie Love was just your typical teenage boy, growing up in Charolette, North Carolina. Love attended High School, at the Providence Day School also located in Charolette. Love's family struggled to make ends meet and could barely afford to send him to the Providence Day School, but with his fathers strong work ethic he was able to attend school where he excelled in the classroom. Although Love was a stellar student he was an athlete at heart. Love played both Basketball and Football at the Providence Day School. Following his senior year, Reggie Love committed to Duke University where he was on a dual athletic scholarship for both Football and Basketball. At Duke, Love majored in Political Science, which was the dawn of his time with Senator and soon to be President Barack Obama. Following Graduating from Duke, Love applied for an Internship on Capitol Hill with Senator Barack Obama. In 2006, Love was interviewed by future White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, instantly a bond had formed and Reggie began about two weeks after the interview. The transition from life, from Charolette to Washington D.C was extremely difficult. In Charolette, life was much more relaxed as D.C was scheduled second by second. On February 10th, 2007 Senator Barack Obama (a democrat) announced his intentions to run for President of the United States. Soon after this Reggie Love began to serve in the Obama Campaign as Senator Obama's assistant, in this he was responsible for completing every task that the candidate had asked for. Reggie soon learned about Obama's love for basketball. He saw this as an opportunity to bond with the candidate so he took advantage of this. Love noted that Obama and him would play one on one basketball before every public event. Love said one of his most valuable lessons that Obama had taught him was to interact with people in any political presence. Love and Obama would often play games of Basketball with teenagers in inner city settings. Up until the day of the election the Chaotic campaign stops would bring stress to Love and Obama's day to day life. On the evening of November 4th, 2007, Barack Obama had one the presidency which was a bittersweet moment for Love. Love was preparing to head back to Charolette and begin an Office Job like many of the people he graduated with. He was wrong. Obama offered Love a Position as the Personal Aid to President and he began on January 20th, 2008.

In this Book, the Contrast between personal stories and professional stories really compliment each other perfectly. Love reflects on the Bond that he built with Obama from a Profession Standpoint. The Only thing that I dislike about this book is the way that it is set up, the Book starts in 2008, then Jumps to Loves Childhood then Jumps to 2006 which can be confusing to some readers. I highly recommend "Power Forward: My Presidential Education"

[Naeemah Huggins]

Reggie Love was President Obama's Personal Aide or bodyman from the time he announced his candidacy in 2007 to 3 years into his presidency. He talks of what he has learned through this unique and once in a lifetime experience and how he has personally changed and become a better man by it. President Obama comes off as the down to earth fatherly figure that we know and love, and I'm not sure if this was intentional but Reggie came off as a cocky self involved whiner. POTUS had to put up with some less that desirable attitudes from him, in the beginning he was less than serious about his responsibilities, a product of being Generation Y I'm sure. Given he was 23 when he started working for Obama, I'm issuing a presidential pardon and hoping that he truly did learn from the experience. The book as just an OK listen. I think Reggie may have picked up some of Obama's staccato speech characteristics through osmosis. The book gets a solid 2 for effort and an extra star for giving me an intimate look at the man behind the nation.

[Mike]

This book was a quick memoir by Reggie Love that focused mostly on his time as Barack Obama's body man during the 2008 campaign. There are many asides to his youth, his time at Duke as a student and athlete, and working for then President Obama - but most of the story was campaign related.

Love basically uses his stories to convey short life lessons and philosophies to the reader. It is a simple book and a quick read but I enjoyed it - especially the parts about his interactions with Obama.

[Alex Jones]

Great read and I really enjoy the book. He mostly talk about his personal journey behind campaigns with senator Obama. He also talk about his personal growth and professional development as result of his association with Obama. I get close up look at evolving of Obama who eventually become the president.. Great insights and it help me a lot in term of perspective of what required to be a man and what required to success in America!

[Scott Dieterle]

I enjoyed hearing Reggie Love's story going from College athlete at Duke to working in then Senator Obama's office in DC. After getting his foot in the door, Reggie was witness to history. The book not only gives you a glimpse of the more personal side of President Obama, but Reggie's personal story is a great story of a young man maturing and gaining life experience in a way he never imagined for himself.

[Williams Parker]

The title is a basketball term, and that's the right key for this book. Reggie Love walked on at Duke, got told by Coach K that he could see playing time as a forward or sit on the bench as a guard, and chose the version of himself that was useful. A few years later he was doing the same thing in a hallway outside the Oval Office.
Duke Today

Love spent 2007 to 2011 as Barack Obama's body man, the person one step behind the candidate and three steps ahead of the day. He describes the role with a long, funny inventory of what it actually involved: DJ, alarm clock, note passer, spades partner, gatekeeper, the daughters' basketball coach, and eventually friend. Obama's nickname for him was "iReggie," the human replacement for the iPad he never bought. It is a job defined entirely by other people's needs, and the book's central intelligence is that Love understood this early and never resented it.
CNN

What he gets in exchange is proximity, and proximity is the book's real subject. The Washington Post called it a rare Washington memoir in which the author isn't the central character and doesn't pretend to be, which is exactly right. The best moments here are small and unpublishable elsewhere: owning up to briefly losing the briefcase with the President's debate notes in it, lending Obama his own tie before a debate, working out how to play pick-up games in New Hampshire in a way that actually won people over. During the bin Laden raid, with nothing to do but wait, they played roughly fifteen hands of spades in the private dining room. That detail tells you more about how a president absorbs pressure than a hundred pages of analysis would.
Power Forward: My Presidential Education: Love, Reggie: 9781476763347: Amazon.com: Books +2

The lessons Love draws are not complicated. Persistence. Accountability. Manage your expectations, then outwork them anyway. Coached by anyone less likable they would read as motivational filler. What saves them is that each one arrives attached to a specific failure he's willing to describe.

It isn't a policy book and it isn't an exposé. At around 220 pages it runs short, and there are places where you want it to press harder, particularly on what four years of having no hour to yourself actually cost him. The restraint about the Obamas reads as loyalty rather than evasion, but readers hunting for revelation will leave hungry. The prose is plain, occasionally to a fault.

Still, the closing movement is the most grown-up thing in it: recognizing when the job you love has finished teaching you, and leaving before it starts diminishing you. Love left for business school in 2011, at the peak, on purpose.

A coming-of-age story that happens to take place in the West Wing. Generous, unpretentious, and more useful to anyone starting a career than most books written for that purpose.

[James Williams]

Reggie Love was Barack Obama's body man from 2007 to 2011, the guy who was DJ, alarm clock, spades partner, and note-passer all at once, and this memoir is less about politics than about what it's like to spend your twenties in someone else's orbit. The good stuff is small: losing the President's debate notes for a few panicked minutes, lending him his own tie before a debate, fifteen hands of spades played to kill time during the bin Laden raid. Love isn't the main character here, and he knows it, which is what makes the proximity feel earned rather than name-dropped.

The lessons he pulls out, persistence, accountability, know your role and outwork it, are plain, but he's paid for each one with a real story, so they land. It's a quick read, occasionally too restrained about what the job cost him personally, but the ending, walking away from a dream job at its peak because he knew it had taught him what it could, is quietly the smartest thing in the book.

A coming-of-age story set in the West Wing. Short, warm, and worth the afternoon it takes to read.

[Newt Taylor]

There are plenty of heartfelt American success stories out there(Love’s boss being one of them). The uniqueness of this memoir is actually the inside story of a Presidential campaign, so Love missed a golden opportunity to create a 4 star book that hasn’t been told numerous times over. His saving grace is his humbleness(unlike the JD Vance’s of this genre). Throughout, Love acknowledges his good fortune, gives credit where credit is due, and never overestimates his writing skills. Reggie Love aside, Power Forward is recommended for anyone interested in the unbelievable demands of a Presidential campaign, or an affirmation of Obama’s stellar character. Duke basketball fans may enjoy Love’s journey, as well.

[Phillip Travis]

For four years, Reggie Love was the guy standing just behind Barack Obama, the aide who carried the bags, called the plays on the schedule, and somehow ended up playing cards with the President during the tensest hours of the bin Laden raid. That's the kind of detail this book runs on: small, human, and impossible to get anywhere else.

Love isn't trying to write history. He's writing about what it means to be useful, to mess up (he once misplaced the President's debate notes) and own it, and to know when a job has taught you everything it's going to. The lessons are simple ones, persistence, humility, showing up, but he's earned the right to say them plainly.

Light on politics, heavy on heart. A fast, likable read that leaves you liking both men in it

[Clint]

Relatively brief book CD by former Duke University basketball player-turned-President Obama "body man" details what he calls his maturation as a close associate of the 44th president. The North-Carolina native Love intersperses his childhood and career at Duke with his association with Obama's first presidential campaign and then his three years with the president in the White House. Although his writing is a cliche-ridden puddle and his view of Obama is man to God and nowhere balanced, he nevertheless spins a few interesting stories about the campaign and some of the inglorious things he had to do as a presidential aide.

[Amanda]

Probably 3.5 is a fair rating.
Really enjoyed the book, which was both a memoir of Love and his family and an account of his job as "body man" for President Obama. I loved hearing all the stories of how he messed up in front of one of the most powerful men in the world. It felt human and relatable. But the fun stories left the book thin on details of the job within the White House and that was what I most wanted. I still think the book is of great value, but don't expect a lot of insight into the White House, instead expect that journey of a black man finding himself, which was satisfying but not what I expected.
Quick read. Not my favorite listen, Love is only okay as a narrator.

[Phil Lawless]

Reggie Love was Barrack Obama's body man with the election campaign for a year and then in the White House for three years. Reggie played basketball at Duke and was on one of the championship teams in 2001, one of the reasons I bought the book. Reggie gives a very inside view of the campaign, the incredible amount of work required and how Obama responded to all the pressure.

It was a very engaging book. Reggie and Barack became very good friends. Reggie matured in his job and it shows in his own critiques of his life.

[Emily]

Memoir by Reggie Love - assistant to Obama as he made the transition from senator to POTUS. Reggie is from Charlotte, went to Duke, and fell into a position with Obama as his porter, confidant, basketball opponent, and friend. I wished there was more about his time with Obama, most of the chapters talk about his time with Obama in relation to lessons he learned playing college football and basketball at Duke. The story was OK, but the writing was unimpressive.

[Erin B SC]

I really enjoyed this book by Reggie Love, former Duke basketball walk on and “body man” to Barack Obama during his campaign and the first part of his presidency. Love reads the audiobook himself, and at just over 5 hours, it’s a quick listen. I found Love charming, humble, intelligent, and straightforward. It’s a memoir and a book of lessons. Some fascinating insider views of men Love considers great role models. Worth the listen!!

[Lisa]

The book is mostly about Love’s personal growth — an interesting and important account of a guy who learned a lot in the course of a few short years. I would have enjoyed more anecdotes from behind the scenes on the Obama campaign and in the Obama White House — but there were quite a few, so fans of that sort of thing will be at least partially satisfied. Overall, a quick and satisfying read.

[Williams Paul]

Reggie Love spent four years as Obama's body man, carrying the bags, calling the plays, even playing cards with him through the tension of the bin Laden raid. It's less a political memoir than a coming-of-age story about proximity, loyalty, and knowing when to walk away. Short, warm, and genuinely likable.

[Andrew Peterson]

Really enjoyed this one. Reggie Love spent four years as Obama's body man, and the small moments he shares, like playing fifteen hands of spades with the President during the tense hours of the bin Laden raid, are what make it stick. Less about politics, more about loyalty, growing up, and knowing when to walk away. Quick, warm, and worth your time.

[Robbin Hanks]

Really enjoyed this one. Reggie Love spent four years as Obama's body man, and the small moments he shares, like playing fifteen hands of spades with the President during the tense hours of the bin Laden raid, are what make it stick. Less about politics, more about loyalty, growing up, and knowing when to walk away. Quick, warm, and worth your time.

[Robin]

I would say a solid 3.5 stars. There were some good things to take away from the book, and I appreciated it being read by the author. That added a lot of nuance to the stories that would have been missed if read by someone else.

[Nkj Fletcher]

I essentially like this book for all the same reasons others gave four stars. It was a quick and easy read. I personally found several aspects of his youth relatable. Finally I really appreciated his unique insight into President Obama the person.

[Katelyn]

Love's lessons learned in his life playing sports and working as a bodyman (personal assistant) to Senator Obama and President Obama. I wish there had been more insider stories, but the lessons learned were interesting too and powerful at times.

[Jeff]

I've always admired Barack Obama, so it was fascinating to read Reggie Love's account of working close with the man. The only other thing I have to compare Barack and Reggie's relationship to is Martin Sheen (President Bartlett) and Dule Hill (Charlie Young) on The West Wing, a show I loved. Knowing Charlie's role in the White House made me see this book on the shelf and buy it.

I definitely see the comparisons to The West Wing. Reggie shares a lot of wisdom he received from working with the president, but also his time playing basketball under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University.

[Eric Mitchell]

A warm, unexpectedly moving read: four years at Obama's side told through the small moments, like fifteen hands of spades played during the tense hours of the bin Laden raid, that no history book would ever capture.

[pati]

A perfect example of Bildungsroman; I enjoyed the narrative, a very quick read.

[Mike Smith]

Great story of the start of the Obama presidency from his body man

[Barima Peprah-Agyemang]

This book has taught me quite a few lessons on how to approach the world and what values are necessary in becoming a better professional and person!

[Katie]

2-3/4 stars. It was interesting to read the behind-the-scenes stories, but each chapter had a "moral of the story" and those were a bit too shallow.

[Shavavian Allister]

It wasn't what I expected, but I did get a few nuggets of wisdom from it.