Vinson Cunningham on His New Book, “Great Expectations”

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Like most Americans, Vinson Cunningham first became aware of Barack Obama in 2004, when he gave a breakout speech at the Democratic National Convention. “What a great posture, that guy,” Cunningham said. “We put our faith in things, in people, based on the signals they give off,” Cunningham told David Remnick. “And that has certainly been a factor in my own life. The fast and immediate finding of patterns.” Although Cunningham aspired to be a writer, he was swept up in this historic campaign, working on Obama’s long-shot 2008 run for the Presidency, and later working in his White House. Cunningham’s adventures on the trail inspired his first novel, “Great Expectations,” an autobiographical coming-of-age story about where and how we look for inspiration. Cunningham recalled that Obama was seen as the “fulfillment” of so many hopes and dreams for people like him. Now he wants the former President to play a bigger role. “I’ll admit it’s disheartening,” in Obama’s post-presidency life, “to see him making movies and on Jet Skis while the world burns. . . . more like a movie star than someone with great hope to change the world.”