Reggie Love

American personal aide, former college athlete, and media editor

Reggie Love
Personal Aide to the President
In office
January 20, 2009 – November 10, 2011
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byJared Weinstein
Succeeded byBrian Mosteller
Personal details
Born (1981-04-29) April 29, 1981 (age 43)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationDuke University (BA)
University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
Basketball career
Personal information
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High schoolProvidence Day
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
CollegeDuke (2000–2005)
PositionForward
Number42, 30
Career highlights and awards

Reginald L. Love (born April 29, 1981) is an American personal aide, former college basketball player, and media editor. Love served as the special assistant and personal aide, commonly referred to as body man, to U.S. President Barack Obama.[1][2][3][4] Love left this position around the end of 2011 to complete his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.[5] In July 2015, Vice Media announced that Love would become an editor-at-large for its sports site, Vice Sports.[6][7]

Early life

Love attended high school at Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina.[8]

He graduated with a degree in political science and public policy from Duke University. While at Duke, he was a two-sport athlete, playing both football and basketball.[9] He played wide receiver for the Duke Blue Devils football team on a football scholarship. [10][11]

Love also played forward for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team. He was a walk-on as a freshman, and later became team captain as a senior.[12] He played on the 2001 team that won the NCAA national championship.[13]

Career

Obama Administration

Love, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett take a ride on camels in Egypt on June 4, 2009.

Love applied for an internship on Capitol Hill in 2006. He was interviewed by Robert Gibbs, Obama's communications director, for a position in Obama's Senate office.[1] He eventually rose to become deputy political director on Obama's Senate campaign side.[3] He became Obama's personal assistant in 2007, during the 2008 presidential campaign.[14]

As Obama's aide, his job was to anticipate any and all of Obama's needs.[1][3][15] In reference to the myriad support duties Love performed, Obama referred to Love as his "iReggie", a play on Apple's iPad, humorously stating that "I have an iReggie, who has my books, my newspapers, my music all in one place".[16] Love and Obama played basketball every day there was a primary during the 2008 presidential election, and they played regularly in the following years, always on the same side.[17] Love and Obama's friends organized a game of basketball on the White House basketball court to celebrate Obama's 50th birthday. The game featured the NBA players Shane Battier, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Maya Moore, Alonzo Mourning, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose in addition to Obama's friends from high school. Kobe Bryant and Bill Russell were spectators.[18] Obama has described Love as his "little brother."[19]

Post-White House

Love left the White House Office to complete his MBA at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2012.[20] After graduation, he became a partner and vice president for RON Transatlantic Holdings.

Love authored a memoir, titled Power Forward: My Presidential Education, about his time working for President Obama.[21] The book was released in February 2015.

In July 2015, Love became an editor-at-large for Vice Sports, in addition to his role at Vice Media.[7]

In 2019, Love endorsed Pete Buttigieg in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b c Parker, Ashley (May 27, 2008). "On the Court and on the Trail, One Aide Looms Over Obama". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Going from one tough job to another: Love working for Obama, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, March 12, 2008
  3. ^ a b c Wolffe, Richard (October 29, 2008). "The man behind the man: Obama and the aide who makes his campaign tick". The Guardian.
  4. ^ Parnes, Arnie. "Reggie Love turns 27". Politico.com. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  5. ^ Kantor, Jodi (November 11, 2011). "Leaving Obama's Shadow, to Cast One of His Own". The New York Times. p. A24. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  6. ^ Gold, Hadas (July 9, 2015). "Reggie Love Joins Vice Sports". Politico. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Vice Sports editorial team grows, adds former Obama aide Reggie Love". Vice Sports. July 9, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  8. ^ "Providence Day School". Providence Day School. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  9. ^ Dennis, Abby (Duke Sports Information Office) (March 21, 2001). "Love Balances Football And Hoops". Go Duke. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  10. ^ Staff report (April 21, 2011). "Two-sport athlete charged with DWI". Duke Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 1, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ Martin, Nick (February 4, 2015). "Love details time with President Obama in new book "Power Forward"". Duke Chronicle. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  12. ^ "How Reggie Love Got His Presidential Education". Wharton School. May 14, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  13. ^ "GoDuke.StatsGeek.com - The Official On-Line Home Of Duke Statistics". statsgeek.com. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  14. ^ "This is what it was like to be President Obama's 'surrogate son' and 'chief of stuff'". Business Insider. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  15. ^ "Obama's West Wing: Can reality match the liberal White House fantasy?". The Guardian. January 21, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  16. ^ Education of a President, The New York Times Magazine, October 12, 2010
  17. ^ "Former Duke athlete now starting in the political arena - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. January 16, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  18. ^ Chris Mannix (April 4, 2020). "Inside the Iconic Obama Basketball Games at the White House". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  19. ^ Kornblut, Anne E. (November 9, 2011). "Reggie Love, Obama 'body man', to leave White House by year's end - Washington Post". Articles.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  20. ^ Wilson, David McKay (October 27, 2014). "Declassified: The Alumni Files". Wharton Magazine. The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  21. ^ "Interview: Reggie Love, Author Of 'Power Forward' : NPR". NPR.org. February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  22. ^ Phillip, Abby (December 5, 2019). "Pete Buttigieg scores endorsements from former Obama officials". CNN. Retrieved December 6, 2019.

External links

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Office Name Term Office Name Term
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10
Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13
William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17
Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10
Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14
Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17
Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17
Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009–13
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009
Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10
Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12
John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009
Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009
David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13
Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15
Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17
Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11
Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14
Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16
Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17
Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11
Director, Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13
Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17
Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13
David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17
Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11
Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13
Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17
Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13
Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17
Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11
Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13
Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16
Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016
Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17
Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11
Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16
Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13
Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14
Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15
Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17
Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11
Director, Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12
Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13
Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17
Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11
White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15
Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17
Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11
Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14
White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17
Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17
Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11
Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15
Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17
Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17
Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12
Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14
Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17
Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10
Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12
Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13
Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014
Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17
Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11
Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14
Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17
Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13
Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17
White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon† 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14
Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17
Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14
Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15
Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17
† Remained from previous administration.
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Duke Blue Devils men's basketball 2000–01 NCAA champions
Head coach
Mike Krzyzewski
Assistant coaches
Chris Collins
Johnny Dawkins
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