Reggie Love

Reginald L. Love (born April 29, 1981) is an American political aide, former college basketball player, and media editor. Love served as the special assistant and personal aide, commonly referred to as body man, to United States President Barack Obama.[1][2][3][4] 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.[5] In July 2015, Vice Media announced that Love would become an editor-at-large for its sports site, Vice Sports.[6][7]

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
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materDuke University (BA)
University of Pennsylvania (MBA)

Education

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 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 was hired with the title of Deputy Political Director.[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 organised 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 2013.[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. 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. 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. "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.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. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  20. Wilson, David McKay. "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.
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