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Any Vegan Options POTUS?
June 3, 2009 1:18 PM Subscribe

Every once in a while in the busy urban working environment, the boss buys hamburgers for everyone from Five Guys.

I tried to find videos of Dubya doing the same thing. There weren't any.

posted by Xurando (139 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite

Maybe W didn't, but Reagan did. Except he did it at McDonald's.
posted by Pastabagel at 1:22 PM on June 3

For everyone? The article only says he ordered something for himself.
posted by subbes at 1:23 PM on June 3

Those of us who live and work in the neighborhood are getting a bit tired of the random motorcades. Sure, yeah, his Friday night dates with Michelle are great and all romantic and shit, but not when I'm trying to get somewhere.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:23 PM on June 3 [9 favorites]

That's awesome. Plus, FIVE GUYS burgers are delicious. (Always get the small fries or you'll end up with a sack of fries the size of your head.)
posted by Ron Thanagar at 1:24 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

Obama says, "I have to say, I generally don't... It feels like WWF."

It's been WWE for 7 years now. Something he might have known after taping a message for Monday Night Raw during the campaign.

Just sayin'.
posted by Joe Beese at 1:25 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

The article only says he ordered something for himself.

The video indicates otherwise.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:25 PM on June 3

What struck me was that after he greeted and shook hands with all the patrons seated outside the restaurant, they were all squealing, jumping up and down, shaking each others' hands. Strange, that.
posted by heyho at 1:27 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

I like how the article makes a big deal of the fact that Obama pulled money out of his own pocket to pay for the food. Look, I have no doubt Obama is a good guy. But he, and everyone else, knows this is being filmed. Brian Williams is there. What's he going to do, walk away from the service droids without making eye contact and idly wave his hand at a lackey to take care of it? While on film?

Nah.
posted by Justinian at 1:27 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

It's been WWE for 7 years now. Something he might have known after taping a message for Monday Night Raw during the campaign.

I find it very comforting that Obama did not know this.
posted by fusinski at 1:29 PM on June 3 [94 favorites]

I, for one, am proud to have a president who doesn't know the distinction between WWF and WWE. I know I can google this but for the life of me I can't think what the E stands for, other than maybe "embarrassment," or "enema."
posted by aught at 1:29 PM on June 3

It's been WWE for 7 years now. Something he might have known after taping a message for Monday Night Raw during the campaign.

Just sayin'.

Au contraire. A true wrestling fan knows it will always be the WWF. Obama's just kickin' it old school.
posted by stenseng at 1:30 PM on June 3 [18 favorites]

The NRA has thanked President Obama for dining out, and setting a good example for the rest of us.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 1:30 PM on June 3

Oh, yeah. There are two NRA's.
posted by dirtdirt at 1:33 PM on June 3 [20 favorites]

aught: "I, for one, am proud to have a president who doesn't know the distinction between WWF and WWE."

That doesn't bode well for his environmental policies.
posted by Joe Beese at 1:34 PM on June 3 [18 favorites]

Always get the small fries or you'll end up with a sack of fries the size of your head.

You say that like a sack of fries as big as your head is a bad thing. But seriously, that is a good guideline.

I was tired and headachy after work one day and a friend dropped by with a Five Guys burger for me. It was like ambrosia.
posted by marxchivist at 1:35 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

The man is fearless. No way in hell I'd go anywhere without a phalanx of security people, I were in his shoes. And the honest reactions of people on the street who suddenly see the president coming up to pat them on the back? Goose bump city. My man-crush endures.

That said, he totally cut in line.
posted by jbickers at 1:37 PM on June 3 [5 favorites]

Yeah, the people outside who were jumping up and down and hugging each other in the NBC footage were funny.

DC doesn't have the rule about posting calorie count like NYC does - it makes ordering Five Guys in New York a bit more disturbing.
posted by yarrow at 1:41 PM on June 3

WWF is just his euphemistic acronym for WTF.
posted by pracowity at 1:41 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

That said, he totally cut in line.

Eh, he's The President.
posted by Scoo at 1:41 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

FIVE GUYS burgers are delicious.

While Five Guys burgers are good, my vote has to be cast for Elevation Burger. Five Guys (cajun) fries easily win that battle, though. Plus Five Guys is downtown, so they usually get my business.
posted by inigo2 at 1:42 PM on June 3

Staged? No doubt

Abnormal Behaviour? I don't think so.

People at work have been talking about it all day. There is much love for the seeming return to normalcy that Obama brings to the White House.
posted by djrock3k at 1:43 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

I saw that on tv last night. People were excited to see him.
posted by caddis at 1:43 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

God I love Five Guys. They opened one in Austin and it was incredible. Then I moved to Burbank and I have to drive all the way to Inglewood to get to one. Why are there not more locations here?
posted by Nattie at 1:45 PM on June 3

I miss Five Guys, even though the biggest cockroach I ever saw in a restaurant was in Five Guys. Still, not a bad fast food burger.
posted by crush-onastick at 1:46 PM on June 3

Clinton in a burger joint.
posted by caddis at 1:46 PM on June 3

This post is really the worst of metafilter. It's a single link to a non-story about Obama going to lunch (which is also by now a familiar non-story: the man appears to like burgers, and the press likes to watch him order burgers). I'm hard pressed to think of a more banal use of the blue.
posted by ornate insect at 1:47 PM on June 3 [26 favorites]

When the President of the United States asks you if you want fries with that, you say "YES!"
posted by steef at 1:47 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

I liked the post.
posted by caddis at 1:47 PM on June 3

I'm hard pressed to think of a more banal use of the blue.

Oh, I bet I could come up with something worse. But it wouldn't be any history of miniature golf.
posted by marxchivist at 1:51 PM on June 3

FIAMO, ornate insect.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:51 PM on June 3

Yeah -- this clip is from NBC News two-part special: Inside the Obama White House (there are numerous other clips online). Part 2 airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. (ET).

Slideshow: Behind the scenes at the White House.
posted by ericb at 1:51 PM on June 3

ornate insect: " the press likes to watch him order burgers"

They liked watching Bush II clear scrub too. And if Palin wins in 2012, they'll like watching her mow down wildlife from helicopters.

That's what they do.
posted by Joe Beese at 1:52 PM on June 3

It's been WWE for 7 years now.

Well, he "changed" it back.
posted by chillmost at 1:53 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

That doesn't bode well for his environmental policies.

Things will pick up once he puts China's PM in a headlock, does a piledriver, and then hits the ref from Greenpeace with a folded chair.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:54 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

He ain't the taxpayers' bitch. He bought his own damn fries.
posted by barrett caulk at 1:57 PM on June 3 [17 favorites]

Blazecock Pileon: "Things will pick up once he puts China's PM in a headlock, does a piledriver, and then hits the ref from Greenpeace with a folded chair."

He'd probably use the Barack Bottom .
posted by Joe Beese at 1:57 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

The visit to the hamburger joint also turned out to be an educational opportunity about our country's intelligence services.
posted by Slap Factory at 1:58 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Five Guys started in DC. Weird to see it all over the country. I liked it better when there were only two of them and it was like a secret :(

Five Guys Trivia: The CEO decided to start a franchise after reading Franchising for Dummies.
posted by empath at 1:59 PM on June 3

Five Guys is, indeed, fantastic. It's also dumb as hell to order for lunch, unless you want everyone in the office to be asleep at their desks for the rest of the day.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:59 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

People at work have been talking about it all day.

Seriously? Do you work at Five Guys?
posted by Slap Factory at 2:00 PM on June 3

I'm hard pressed to think of a more banal use of the blue.

There's always complaining in a thread, instead of just flagging.
posted by inigo2 at 2:00 PM on June 3 [4 favorites]

I liked the post.

Fair enough, but out of curiosity what about it appeals to you? It's a single link to a HuffPo "story" that's not even fresh: it happened last week (and was "covered" by the press then), and it happened a few weeks after Obama and Biden's much-ballyhooed lunch trip to get burgers (which Wanda Sykes joked about at the WH Press Corespondents dinner). It's like the second "Obama gets a burger" story in less than a month, and it's already a week old. And it's about as non-story as one can get. We've already figured out that Obama gets out of the WH more than Bush did.

Obama is in Saudi Arabia today. The news is literally overflowing with possible overlooked stories that might be posted about. Just saying.

FIAMO, ornate insect.

I have no idea what that means.
posted by ornate insect at 2:00 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

Things will pick up once he puts China's PM in a headlock, does a piledriver, and then hits the ref from Greenpeace with a folded chair.

Ohhh, YEEEAAAAHHH!
posted by adamdschneider at 2:01 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

"I have to say, I generally don't... It feels like WWF."

Maybe he thinks political pundits are an endangered species.
posted by ALongDecember at 2:01 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Thanks, OP. Thanks a lot. Now, I'm craving Five Guys. Why don't you just mention Fatburger, The Angry Dog, and The Burger House while you're at it?
posted by cheap paper at 2:02 PM on June 3

What struck me was that after he greeted and shook hands with all the patrons seated outside the restaurant, they were all squealing, jumping up and down, shaking each others' hands. Strange, that.

I noticed that as well. They were a shade away from tearing their clothes and rubbing their faces around on the sidewalk where he stepped.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:04 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Obama is in Saudi Arabia today.
Lunch at ALBAIK!
posted by Thorzdad at 2:07 PM on June 3

I have no idea what that means.

Ooh, I know this one!
posted by Horace Rumpole at 2:07 PM on June 3

Five Guys' burgers are indeed excellent, they taste like beef, the toppings are fresh and tasty, and an order does take much longer to get than from any drive through fast food joint. Their fries however suck and were not worth the the couple of bucks I spent, nor the physical effort expended to move them to my mouth a couple of times before tossing the bag away.

I also found the peanuts less than satisfying, but in fairness I wasn't really in the mood for peanuts at the time, I just thought I'd try them.
posted by Science! at 2:08 PM on June 3

Blazecock, have you tried red mill?
posted by lucasks at 2:13 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

More hard-hitting journalism from our proud American press corps.
posted by Joe Beese at 2:14 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

FIAMO, ornate insect.

I have no idea what that means.

Flag It And Move On.

It's too late now, but good advice for next time.
posted by scottreynen at 2:16 PM on June 3

Obama says, "I have to say, I generally don't... It feels like WWF."

Well, your personal assistant is named Reggie Love. If that doesn't sound like an old school WWF manager, I don't know what does. That said, I would love to see Obama do a Piper's Pit style interview that culminated in him hitting John Boehner with a folding chair.
posted by electroboy at 2:17 PM on June 3

Hey Blazecock, maybe this will help.
posted by tristeza at 2:18 PM on June 3

I also found the peanuts less than satisfying, but in fairness I wasn't really in the mood for peanuts at the time, I just thought I'd try them.

And those free napkins they give away? Scratchy as all get out!

Really though, for decent burgers in downtown DC you've also got the ostrich burger at Teasim or Good Stuff.
posted by now i'm piste at 2:18 PM on June 3

Too bad about the WWF derail, but...

Comparing the cable pundits to wrestling in the words "they all have a role to play" and adding the coda about their individual soundbites implies a slightly above average understanding of wrestling on the part of Obama.
posted by sleslie at 2:25 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

Clinton was famous for getting everyone late-night pizza.
posted by grobstein at 2:26 PM on June 3

Seattle fucking sucks for burgers. No In-N-Out. No Five Guys. We have Dick's. It's horrible. This city needs Obama to lead a federal burger bailout plan.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:06 PM on June 3 [+] [!]

You could do a lot worse than Red Mill, on Phinney Ridge.
posted by Pantengliopoli at 2:26 PM on June 3

Ornate Insect: I totally agree with the underlying points you've made, but for someone like me, who lives outside the US and doesn't have cable, I probably wouldn't have come across the clip and I really enjoyed it.
posted by hector horace at 2:27 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Too bad about the WWF derail, but...

Derailed from....?
posted by electroboy at 2:29 PM on June 3

The comments on that site border on the ridiculous...all that gushing just because the President went out and bought a hamburger. ("Oooooh, isn't he just.....so normal, just like a real human?! He's the best president ever!!") It sounds like 12-year-old girls squealing over Duran Duran or Donny Osmond, for heaven's sake. And I remember when President Clinton stopped by McDonald's for lunch, the main gist of all the comments were "he should be watching his cholesterol" and "Our president has nothing better to do than buy a Big Mac when he's supposed to be running the country? Can't he send an aide out for such trivial errands?" Remember when George W. was roundly chastised for continuing to read a book to Florida school children after being informed of the attacks on the World Trade Center? I'm betting that if had been President Obama, he would've been praised for maintaining his poise and not frightening the kids.
posted by Oriole Adams at 2:33 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

What's the deal with Five Guys? I grew up in DC and moved to LA around 2003. I thought it was just a DC chain. When did it expand?
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 2:37 PM on June 3

This just in: President shats like an ordinary fellow.

I'm shocked, really.
posted by Malice at 2:38 PM on June 3

The comments on that site border on the ridiculous...all that gushing just because the President went out and bought a hamburger....

Well, it's a liberal leaning site, sure. Read the comments on this same story on Politico, and it's all "Obama is the laziest devil man ever!!!!!"
posted by inigo2 at 2:40 PM on June 3

What's the deal with Five Guys? I grew up in DC and moved to LA around 2003. I thought it was just a DC chain. When did it expand?

A few years ago, they went from 2 to about 10 or so, spreading in the DC/VA/MD area. Then all of a sudden, they were EVERYWHERE. I pulled off at a reststop in the middle of nowhere on the PA turnpike (I think?) once and found one.
posted by inigo2 at 2:42 PM on June 3

This just in: President shats like an ordinary fellow.

An ordinary fellow who just ate at Five Guys, maybe.
posted by ckolderup at 2:46 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

In the car at the beginning, is Brian Williams really acting so bored and impatient to be sitting next to the president in a limo? It certainly seems that way. Or maybe Obama's just so chilled he makes everyone look jumpy and irritable by comparison?
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 2:48 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

I wish I was at Red Mill right now. I can taste the the peanut butter milkshake on my lips.
posted by yeti at 2:51 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Clinton was famous for getting everyone late-night pizza.

Although he made his staff pay for the pizza.

With bjs.
posted by incessant at 2:51 PM on June 3 [6 favorites]

You know what else was on TV last night? CW's "Hitched or Ditched" - man, that had some surprise twists.
posted by GuyZero at 2:54 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

For some reason the staffer (?) asking "what do we owe the President?" cracked me up.
posted by The Bellman at 2:56 PM on June 3

This just in: President shats like an ordinary fellow.

POTUS POO
posted by Burhanistan at 3:06 PM on June 3

that looks great in Recent Activity:

POTUS POO
posted by Burhanistan Fresh [+]
posted by Burhanistan at 3:08 PM on June 3

Seattle fucking sucks for burgers. No In-N-Out. No Five Guys.

There's a Five Guys in Renton now. And there's a Sonic in Puyallup that opened last month. I want a cherry limeade now, damnit.

(I think Red Mill is overrated. And I've lived in Seattle since 1995 save my year overseas, so you can't take my cred.)
posted by dw at 3:09 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

One thing I miss about living in Maryland is easy access to Five Guys. Mmm, cajun fries...
posted by Alterscape at 3:14 PM on June 3

For those wondering about the sudden explosion: empath's link notes that you have to buy 5! franchises at at time.
posted by zenon at 3:23 PM on June 3

"Can't he send an aide out for such trivial errands?"
Photo ops. Part of the job. What I did notice, and appreciate, was the brusque undertone he had there. It was not "look I'm buying burgers" - which was much like Clinton - it was more "Ok, photo op. Fine. I've got things to do - let's GO!. No? Ok, I'll do it myself."
Gotta like a guy that doesn't listen to the PR courtiers.
By the same token, if you're going to listen to anyone, top of the list has to be your Secret Service protection.
posted by Smedleyman at 3:25 PM on June 3

I have to say, I used to think Five Guys was the best fast-food burger on the planet right up until I took a job that involved a temporary relocation to California and I was able to experience In-N-Out for the first time Those burgers are so far beyond good that I think if I had moved out there permanently, I would have been like a year away from having to be cut out of my house.
posted by deadmessenger at 3:26 PM on June 3 [6 favorites]

Five Guys rules. That is all.

I'm on a mission to hit an In-N-Out before I die, though
posted by jquinby at 3:29 PM on June 3

Remember when George W. was roundly chastised for continuing to read a book to Florida school children after being informed of the attacks on the World Trade Center? I'm betting that if had been President Obama, he would've been praised for maintaining his poise and not frightening the kids.

I have little to no respect for President Bush, but I've always wondered what the Secret Service told him at that moment. I suspect it was something along the lines of: "We have a situation. Two planes just crashed into the World Trade Center. Our country may be under attack. That's all we know. Stay here. We'll secure your exit route and be back in a moment."

The Agents were certainly capable of dragging him out of there immediately, but they didn't. It seems logical to me that they were assessing the situation and determining whether it would be safe for him to leave the room.

Presidents are supposed to defer to their Secret Service handlers in times of crisis. To do otherwise might place themselves in danger. So I don't personally fault Bush for his immediate inaction, especially when I might not be aware of that situation's context. On the contrary, it's the actions he took in the days, weeks, months and years that followed for which I condemn him. That seems far more appropriate.

Regarding Obama, if something were to happen, the right would self-righteously announcing that they warned us this would happen, and call for an immediate trial and impeachment.

Conservatives are so worried that Obama's getting a free ride. The outrage is almost palpable. "Why won't the media hold him to the same standards that they did for the Bush administration!?" Thanks, but I'd rather they held our current President to higher standards than that. If the Bush administration had been held responsible for their political fearmongering, jingoism and the flimsy evidence we were given to launch the ill-advised Iraq War, he and Cheney probably would have been impeached before 2003.

The FPP's fluff piece is American journalism at its worst. There are literally dozens of honest-to-goodness domestic and foreign crises reporters should really be focusing on. (Someone accidentally leaked our nuclear secrets through the Government Printing Office website last night!) Instead we get "President Obama's just zis guy, you know?"

We deserve better than this bullshit.
posted by zarq at 3:33 PM on June 3 [9 favorites]

(Someone accidentally leaked our nuclear secrets through the Government Printing Office website last night!)

Public information is by definition not secret.
posted by inigo2 at 3:34 PM on June 3

self-righteously announcing

Er... "self-righteously announce"

Sorry.
posted by zarq at 3:35 PM on June 3

Public information is by definition not secret.

Read the article. It wasn't public, it was classified.

But David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, a private group in Washington that tracks nuclear proliferation, said information that shows where nuclear fuels are stored “can provide thieves or terrorists inside information that can help them seize the material, which is why that kind of data is not given out.”

posted by zarq at 3:37 PM on June 3

Read the articles it was labelled "sensitive" but specifically not "Classified".
posted by Science! at 3:48 PM on June 3

I think the security detail should have checked those bags a little more carefully....

OH NOES! They took mah cheezburgers!!!
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 3:51 PM on June 3

Read the articles it was labelled "sensitive" but specifically not "Classified".

Crap. Sorry.

Actually we're both wrong.

The report details the locations of hundreds of nuclear sites and activities. Each page is marked across the top “Highly Confidential Safeguards Sensitive” in capital letters, with the exception of pages that detailed additional information like site maps. In his transmittal letter, Mr. Obama said the cautionary language was a classification category of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspectors.

"Highly Confidential" and "Sensitive" still isn't "Public".
posted by zarq at 3:55 PM on June 3

Obama has good taste in food.
posted by kldickson at 4:11 PM on June 3

It may have been stated here or somewhere else but it seems like Obama eats a crazy amount of burgers.
posted by wcfields at 4:17 PM on June 3

When the President of the United States asks you if you want fries with that, you say "YES!"

Correction: When the President of the United States asks you if you want fries with that, you say "YES, SIR."
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:22 PM on June 3

Five Guys is, indeed, fantastic. It's also dumb as hell to order for lunch, unless you want everyone in the office to be asleep at their desks for the rest of the day.

Yep, that would be like eating a bunch of barbecue, snooze.

I watched the report last night. I wish there would have been a little bit more on Rahm's funny ass. he was like, "Don't bullshit me, I hate all of you" as he walked past some people to his office.

There was one server at Five Guys getting pictures of Obama with two phones, she was all business.

One guy, who's name I can't remember, was listening to U2. Axelrod's office was tiny. And they funniest thing about the report was the music. I think they were playing JayZ. It was like a really cool episode of Cribs. Which is a show they shouldn't have fashioned themselves after. But, it was still good.
posted by Flex1970 at 4:31 PM on June 3

Gah, stop glad handing and start Governing (in a positive people-oriented way, not more bank bailouts and more "domestic reconstruction")
posted by NiteMayr at 4:31 PM on June 3

it makes ordering Five Guys in New York a bit more disturbing.

Especially since Craigslist changed their personals policies.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:34 PM on June 3 [8 favorites]

Once inside, President Obama orders "one cheeseburger and one fries for me" and pays for the food with money from his own pocket.

He then touches the scrofulous wretches and cures them of the King's Evil.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:36 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

I'm on a mission to hit an In-N-Out before I die, though

Aren't you confusing In-N-Out with a McDonalds double cheeseburger?
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:38 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

I watched this last night, and the best part is when "body man" Reggie Love is passing out burgers to all the staffers that had the guts to give the president of the US their lunch orders, a staffer (I don't remember who so he probably isn't a major name) tried to pass him a double sawbuck and he pushed it back and said "No brother this one's on The Audacity of Hope"

I'm sure W could have splurged for the staff with some of the money he made from tanking the companies his daddy’s friends gave to him to play with, but Obama earned his money with his brain!! (And a good publisher)
posted by Megafly at 5:02 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

We have a Five Guys here in Fayetteville. I think they cook the fries in peanut oil, which doesn't really do it for me, but the burgers are good.

But is it wrong of me to be totally tired of all these photo ops? Did Clinton and the Bushes have this much media? I think not. I'd feel better if I saw him sign papers or invite heads of state to Camp David or something.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:07 PM on June 3

Bush didnt' do this in DC. because he'd have been booed and spat on.

We booed him at both inaugurations, remember.
posted by empath at 5:19 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

We even have a Five Guys in Brunswick. They have free roasted peanuts to snack on in the restaurant.

Free!
posted by JHarris at 5:51 PM on June 3

They're in Houston also. But, it's just a goddamn burger and not something to get worked up about.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:54 PM on June 3

Joe in Australia: "He then touches the scrofulous wretches and cures them of the King's Evil."

This may be my single favorite MetaFilter comment of all time.

When I drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, I immediately proceed to the In-N-Out. And it's usually the last place I eat before I drive back.
posted by Joe Beese at 5:57 PM on June 3

It is a little ridiculous to report every little thing the President does, but I think people are responding to this because for so long the government seemed to have no clue, and no interest in, what most of us really did every day. Now he seems to, and so we are just returning the favor.

Plus, it's just nice to see a POTUS saying, "You know, I feel like having a burger," instead of, "You know, I feel like declaring war on someone."
posted by misha at 6:02 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

Is ... is it wrong that I sleep better at night knowing things like this?
posted by jabberjaw at 6:05 PM on June 3

But is it wrong of me to be totally tired of all these photo ops? Did Clinton and the Bushes have this much media? I think not.

You think not? Really? Every other week there was a shot of Bush clearing brush out in Crawford. There was nothing like this, because Bush didn't go out in DC at all. And Clinton had this type of thing, to a lesser extent, b/c the media's only gotten more ravenous. But how many shots of him jogging, or buying McDonalds did we see?
posted by inigo2 at 6:14 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I can't help it. I just love hearing the man talk. So nice to have a real President again.
posted by Afroblanco at 6:18 PM on June 3

What a bunch of bullshit. The president can order a burger from the whitehouse kitchen whenever wants and probably get one with Kobe beef or something. Who knows. But probably tastier then whatever they serve at five guys.

The president was joined by NBC anchor Brian Williams and a crew that was filming a behind-the-scenes "Inside The White House" special

Yeah, totally normal.

If you ask me we should get rid of the office of the presidency. What exactly is the point of giving so much power to one person, who then gets fawned over and adored.
posted by delmoi at 6:57 PM on June 3

But is it wrong of me to be totally tired of all these photo ops? Did Clinton and the Bushes have this much media? I think not. I'd feel better if I saw him sign papers or invite heads of state to Camp David or something.

Yeah they had photo ops but they were never posted on metafilter.
posted by delmoi at 6:59 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

empath: I remember when Five Guys was only in Northern Virginia, back before they started franchising in DC and the rest of the known universe. I am glad they expanded, though, if only because the East Coast has long needed an equivalent to In-N-Out. And I love being able to get one at Dulles and National Airports.

The fries are still awesome, but I wonder about the quality of the burgers. They claim to use fresh, non-frozen meat but how can they maintain consistency across so wide an area? (That's what keeps In-N-Out from expanding too far beyond its distribution centers in the West.) As long as they can do that, more power to them.
posted by armage at 7:02 PM on June 3

What was kind of funny was when he poked in the room where Geitner was having a conversation and he and the staffers kind of looked bemused like "what the hell is he up to now?".
posted by Burhanistan at 7:04 PM on June 3

I really love their fries.
Darnit, still not a location near me.
posted by batgrlHG at 7:12 PM on June 3

It's been WWE for 7 years now. Something he might have known after taping a message for Monday Night Raw during the campaign.

I find it very comforting that Obama did not know this.
posted by fusinski at 4:29 PM on June 3 [56 favorites +] [!]

I, for one, am proud to have a president who doesn't know the distinction between WWF and WWE. I know I can google this but for the life of me I can't think what the E stands for, other than maybe "embarrassment," or "enema."
posted by aught at 4:29 PM on June 3 [+] [!]

In 2016, when you're crying over your microbrew at the landslide pouring in for President-elect Palin, wondering how an idiot from the middle of nowhere could ride into office on a platform promising to boot the elitists out of Washington - think back to this moment.
posted by googly at 7:17 PM on June 3 [5 favorites]

Never been to Five Guys but this president makes me feel inexplicably happy, even if he's just eating lunch.
posted by bluesky43 at 7:30 PM on June 3

There's a Five Guys down by Foxborough Stadium now, about a half hour drive from me.

Is it worth it? No, really; seriously, to those that have had them. Are the burgers really that much better? Are all the restaurants of the same quality?

Barack, on the other hand, rocks. Yeah, thats my President.
posted by yhbc at 7:40 PM on June 3

If nothing else this thread provides: an endorsement for Five Guys! Didn't know we had them here in MA. Thanks yhbc for the tip!
posted by ericb at 7:50 PM on June 3

Is it worth a half-hour trip just for the burgers? Probably not. But if you're going to be in the area anyway, it's worth going a little out of your way for.

(confession-- i live about a 10 minute drive away from one and i still just go to mcdonald's usually -- cheaper and faster, but definitely not as good.)

On a 5 star burger scale, where 5 is metaphysical perfection and 1 is dog food, Five Guys is about a 4, Mcdonald's is about a 2 1/2 and Wendy's is about a 3.

The thing about Five Guys is that every single ingredient is noticeably higher quality than the other fast food joints -- Better meat, better bun, better fries, better toppings. But it's still a greasy burger and fries when you get down to it.

Now, El Pollo Campero? Worth driving 30 minutes for.. yum.
posted by empath at 8:12 PM on June 3

Oh, my favorite thing about five guys? The customer bulletin board. I don't know if all of them have it, but it amuses me in the ones that do.

Some things I have seen on it:

"Why don't you take credit cards? --J"
[posted directly underneath it from another customer:] "Why the FUCK would you want to pay 20% interest for a cheeseburger?"

And several variations on this:
"I had FIVE guys last night, and I've never been more satisfied! --Cindy"
posted by empath at 8:16 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]

The President likes hamburgers? Hey! I like hamburgers!
posted by device55 at 8:47 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]

Hot damn, do I ever want a cheeseburger.
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 9:11 PM on June 3

It's probably been said since there have been 120 comments; but WTF?

Your press is treating Obama like a celebrity more than a president. Cover the things that he does that's, you know, relevant to being a president or important.

yes, yes, he's "just some guy" and "he treats people like real people treat people" and whatnot. but cripes. this treatment is probably pissing him (or is that Him or B H O off far more than it does me.
posted by porpoise at 11:45 PM on June 3

My personal Five Guys was the Wisconsin Ave. branch, and the burgers were always tasty, and the fries were always too many, and there were free peanuts.
posted by fraxil at 1:15 AM on June 4

We've had a couple of Five Guys pop up in the Indianapolis area within the past few years. I have two within ten minutes of me. And I'm hooked. I love that their jalapenos are fresh, not pickled. Chile peppers aren't just about the heat; they have a flavor, too, and that flavor comes through much better with fresh chiles than with pickled ones. I wasn't that impressed with their fries the first time I had them, but that was because I had the regular and not the cajun. The second time I went I had the cajun fries and now I'm hooked on them too. I love that they have both raw onions and grilled onions among their topping choices. I love that they have a board which tells you where the potatoes for today's fries came from. Always from some place in Idaho, at least when I've been there, but not always the same city. And I doubt it really makes much difference, but all the same I'm tickled that they're advertising the origin of the potatoes as if they were oysters or wine grapes or something.

My preferred topping combo: pickles/jalapenos/grilled onions/A-1 sauce.

If you ask me we should get rid of the office of the presidency. What exactly is the point of giving so much power to one person, who then gets fawned over and adored.

This is exactly why many countries have a head of state separate from the head of government.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:31 AM on June 4

I like Obama, Five Guys AND World Wrestling Entertainment, who wants to fight me.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 5:32 AM on June 4

Your press is treating Obama like a celebrity more than a president. Cover the things that he does that's, you know, relevant to being a president or important.

If you pull up any major US newspaper, sure, this article might be there. But there will also be numerous other articles about, well, everything else he does/doesn't do/thinks about/doesn't think about. Just because there's a freaking fluff piece about the President going out for burgers -- and, as a sidenote, this sort of thing is actually received well by a lot of DC residents, because it means that he's at least a little bit part of the community -- doesn't mean they're not critical of him.

yes, yes, he's "just some guy" and "he treats people like real people treat people" and whatnot. but cripes. this treatment is probably pissing him (or is that Him or B H O off far more than it does me.

I hate that "Him" shit. So people like their president, and think he's a huge step up from the previous one. That doesn't mean they think he's some kind of god. So please take your strawman home.
posted by inigo2 at 6:11 AM on June 4

But, it's just a goddamn burger and not something to get worked up about.

especially because it probably doesn't feature beetroot, which is essential if a burger is going to be any good at all.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:13 AM on June 4

It's been WWE for 7 years now.
Well, he "changed" it back.

That's not all he changed, either; the World Wildlife Foundation is now World Wildlife Entertainment, and has a mandate to live up to its new name, too.

Look at the cute panda! Look, it does hula hoops! *sigh*...
posted by Anything at 7:55 AM on June 4

Five Guys is OK. I went there a few times in DC when I was visiting family. But I resent them spreading out so cancerously. My city has a bunch of great burger joints - classics like Top Notch, Fran's, Hut's, The Frisco and Dirty Martin's to the new-school places like Mighty Fine and (the exemplary) P. Terry's.

Your city probably has some good ones, too. Go to THOSE places, not Five Guys. Unless you live in DC/VA, I guess (which Obama does, he says, veering dangerously close to the topic).

Basically, I'd rather go to McDonalds for a hamburger than a Five Guys in Austin. At least McDonalds isn't competing with Top Notch.
posted by dirtdirt at 8:30 AM on June 4

ericbYour press is treating Obama like a celebrity more than a president. Cover the things that he does that's, you know, relevant to being a president or important.

If you were to watch the two-hour NBC special (mentioned above) from which this snippet comes you'd see that this is a tiny portion of the Presiden't busy day that was captured on film. For the past several decades it has become a sort of tradition for sitting presidents to invite NBC into the White House to capture the workings of the West and East wings, to shadow the President, his advisors and staff for one day. NBC was invited to do so this past Friday (May 29, 2009) -- the 130th day of Obama's administration. The documentary depicts so much -- including the President's handling of a variety of issues that day: North Korea's nuclear test, answering right-wing critics of Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, cybersecurity concerns, GM and the auto industry, etc. At the start of the program Brian Williams points out that they were allowed to bring 36 camera crews and 25 producers into the White House that day. NBC had their agenda; the White House had theirs. And you can see from the FPP clip, even the President demonstrates frustration with the "handlers" wanting to stage the foray out for burgers. BTW -- Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, has little-to-no patience with the NBC crews and makes it quite apparent throughout the day, waving them away or shutting office and conference room doors when encountered.
posted by ericb at 10:19 AM on June 4

I like Obama, Five Guys AND World Wrestling Entertainment, who wants to fight me.

I'm here to kick your ass and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of whupass.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:56 AM on June 4 [1 favorite]

I watched the NBC special. Favorite moment on day 2, President Obama mentions that he does dog walking duty in the evening, around 9:30 at night. Paraphrasing, "Bo does his business, and I have the little baggie of poo in my hand, and I look up at the beautifully lit White House, and it's just a special moment, ya know!" Pretty damn funny and endearing too.
posted by Standeck at 12:03 PM on June 4

Just because there's a freaking fluff piece about the President going out for burgers -- and, as a sidenote, this sort of thing is actually received well by a lot of DC residents, because it means that he's at least a little bit part of the community -- doesn't mean they're not critical of him.

This was a missed opportunity. We don't need fluff pieces. We need constructive journalism. That doesn't necessarily mean they needed to be critical of him. Just objective.

Two hours of primetime television, complete with exclusive interviews of senior staff, and several one-on-one interviews (including one that was at least 70+ minutes) with the President himself. It was an interesting, fascinating look at the White House and the first family. But throughout, Brian Williams restricted himself to softball questions and allowed everyone who was interviewed to state their positions unchallenged. (Frankly, if that was the price of admission then he shouldn't have repeatedly described it as "unfettered" or "unrestricted" access.)

Americans already know that our President is popular. But he's not an airhead celebrity or a rock star. He's leader of the most powerful country on the planet, who is currently responsible for making sure our country weathers several simultaneous crises. If NBC was going to film at the White House to create a couple of hours of footage, they most certainly could have done better.

There were moments when I truly felt like yelling at the screen: "We're dealing with an economic catastrophe, record unemployment, the collapse of the financial and auto manufacturing industries and heaven knows what else. Stop showing the damned dog already!"
posted by zarq at 12:10 PM on June 4

It was an interesting, fascinating look at the White House and the first family. But throughout, Brian Williams restricted himself to softball questions and allowed everyone who was interviewed to state their positions unchallenged.

Check out Tom Browkaw's "Inside the W. Bush White House " (Jan. 23, 2002) [video | 44:05]. Same limited interviews.
posted by ericb at 2:40 PM on June 4

*Brokaw*
posted by ericb at 2:41 PM on June 4

There were moments when I truly felt like yelling at the screen: "We're dealing with an economic catastrophe, record unemployment, the collapse of the financial and auto manufacturing industries and heaven knows what else. Stop showing the damned dog already!"

Then watch C-Span or listen to NPR. You're never going to get real news from network television.
posted by empath at 3:01 PM on June 4

Here in Canada, I guess we seem to have slightly more open minded Prime Ministers when it comes to the media, in particular, with Rick Mercer, our favourite comedic political satirist. Here's a few juicy and hilarious vids:

Prime Minister Chretien with Mercer at the local "Harvey's" burger chain in Ottawa. I don't think half the people in line recognized them...

Prime Minister Paul Martin visits a Canadian Tire store with Rick Mercer; they went shopping for shrink plastic for the drafty windows at 24 Sussex Drive (the PM's official residence).

And lastly, Rick Mercer has a sleepover with PM Stephen Harper at 24 Sussex Drive, complete with hockey-themed PJs, building forts out of seat cushions and bedtime stories...
posted by Jade Dragon at 5:34 PM on June 5 [1 favorite]

Then watch C-Span or listen to NPR. You're never going to get real news from network television.

Perhaps not anymore. But we used to. Sadly, the likes of Murrow and Cronkite were replaced by non-controversial morons, thanks to spineless television executives like Bill Paley.

I see no reason why I should be expected to lower my expectations when they set the original standard.
posted by zarq at 10:10 PM on June 5

Check out Tom Brokaw's "Inside the W. Bush White House " (Jan. 23, 2002) [video | 44:05]. Same limited interviews.

That's a nice find, ericb. Thanks for the link.
posted by zarq at 10:11 PM on June 5

Talk about stimulus: Obama and Biden's run to Hell Burger prompts the restaurant to hire 25 new employees and open a new satellite eatery three doors down to cope with the overflow.
posted by CunningLinguist at 1:51 PM on June 11

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