President is told "You're a hottie with a smokin' little body"Almost as soon as he landed in upstate New York at about 1:30 today, President Obama made a pit stop at local landmark eatery Duff's Famous Wings, in Cheektowaga. The pooler on duty, ever aware of the influence at home, noted "Dozens of onlookers are waiting and watching outside, no doubt eager to learn what he's eating and how it squares with the First Lady's obesity initiative." One onlooker wasn't at all interested in national health policy: Luann Haley, 45, told President Obama "You're a hottie with a smokin' little body."
The President, laug
hing, gave Haley a big hug (in photo). It's a long way from kissing babies up there in New York, wink wink wink. But there was some of that, too."He gave me a squeeze!" Haley said, and the President advised her that Mrs. Obama would be watching it all on TV.
"That's all right,'' Haley said, and turned to the cameras. "Hi Michelle, eat your heart out."
The President strode to the counter to speak with the receptionist, Mary DiGiacomo, who told him Duff's had a lunch special but he demurred, and quietly placed a different order. She tried to tell him it would be on the house.
“No, I’ve got to p
ay,’’ President Obama insisted, pulling out his wallet, which sported a $5 bill on top.Pool, who is Sheryl Gay Stolberg of NY Times, asked the President what he got.
“Wings!’’ the President declared. “This is the wing capital!”
A painted sign on the restaurant wall says: Duff’s Famous Wings. Medium is HOT. Medium hot IS VERY HOT. Hot IS VERY VERY HOT.
President Obama ordered his wings medium, but was told halfway through his meet-and-greet with what turned out to be about 100 guests and customers that he needed to get them extra spicy. So he called out to the restaurant staff that he would have five regular, five extra spicy. They cost $10.82. Pool didn't see him pay.
Update, May 15: Haley's "hottie" comment to President Obama got her a bit more than fifteen minutes of unwanted fame, she told told her "hometown" Buffalo, NY TV station, WGRZ:
From the Today Show and MSNBC to the New York Post and USA Today, Luann Haley's comments calling the President a "hottie with a smokin' little body" are making national news.
On Thursday, just a few hours after she flattered Mr. Obama inside Duff's, Luann spoke exclusively with 2 On Your Side and said she usually just says what's on her mind.
"People tell me I should think before I open my mouth," Luann said. "But I just was trying to be funny. I was excited. We were all excited."
After Luann made the saucy remark at the wings restaurant, she got a hug and then posed for a picture with Mr. Obama. She said the President took it in stride with a great sense of humor.
Now, even Jay Leno is poking fun at the spicy encounter. It was the first joke during his Thursday night monologue on "The Tonight Show."
"Woman walks up to President Obama and says, 'you're a hottie with a smokin' little body,'" Leno joked. "She said that to the President of the United States. I tell ya, Betty White is out of control."
News organizations around the country and world have headlines calling Luann a "gal", a "fan" and even an "admiradora" of the President. But the truth is, she's a Republican. Still, she didn't let politics get in the way of a funny and memorable moment.
"I was only being funny," Luann told 2 On Your Side. "I didn't mean anything by it."
The 60-second encounter has garnered Luann her 15 minutes of fame, but it's attention she'd rather avoid. In fact, she told MSNBC by phone that she is driving around wearing sunglasses so nobody will notice her.
The rest of the original post:
A hovercraft & Pepsi bottle rockets
The President's hot lunch happened because he's in the wilds of upstate New York to chat about how to lock in the Recovery. After his wing-ding, he visited Industrial Support, Inc, a multi-purpose small manufacturing facility in Buffalo. The rest of the afternoon pool report, from Steve Thomma at McClatchey:
Call it Barack Obama's Excellent Adventure in a factory, with grudging help from a member of the pool.
The highlight: a lot of presidential laughter when he exhorted New York Times reporter Sheryl Stolberg to sit down on a small hovercraft that briefly levitated off the surface of the freshly painted shop floor. (Above)
"Who wants to try this out?" A broadly smiling Obama said to the pool, when shown the roughly three-foot wide disc.
Spotting Stolberg, he urged her to try it, telling factory employees she was from the New York Times.
"You"re levitating!" he exclaimed with child-like enthusiasm, as a slightly embarrassed Stolberg skidded a few feet across the floor.
He hugged her and later told her as he walked past the pool, "You kids are going to love it …not just writing about the Supreme Court."
Obama also watched a demonstration of a small bottle rocket launcher as it sent three Pepsi bottles flying about 100 feet. "I never had this stuff in science class," he said.
Earlier, he toured a more traditional shop room, stopping to chat with machine operator Adam Drauot of Buffalo. Drauot, who smiled and said no comment when asked by your pool who he voted for, said he and everyone at the plant were excited by the presidential visit. He said the factory is doing well and running two shifts. "We're doing OK," he said.
*Reuters photos
