President Makes Sandwiches for Low Income and Homeless Families

[bigtree]

Last edited Mon Oct 14, 2013, 04:56 PM - Edit history (2)

(Screenshot of Twitter/Josh Lederman with AP)


As the government shutdown entered its 14th day, President Barack Obama spent some time away from the front lines of the budget battles on Monday to visit Martha's Table, a D.C. nonprofit that helps low-income and homeless families. Many of those volunteering there are furloughed federal workers. The president donned an apron and helped with making the sandwiches, getting his hands dirty.

"Can I just say just in the few moments I've been here I'm feeling a little sticky," Obama said. "I think I got some PBJ on my fingers."

Obama then got some pointers for bagging, according to a pool report:

"Show me the right technique here," he asked. He accepted some pointers and made some light banter. First, it was the bags. "I got the Ziplock down," he said after a bit. "And then I just slide the sandwich in," he remarked, on learning the method. "It's got to be sealed." He said the sandwich he made had the "presidential thumbprint" on it . . .

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)


US President Barack Obama talks with children and adult volunteers that are making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at Martha's Table in Washington, DC, October 14, 2013, as the crisis over a US government shutdown and debt ceiling standoff continues into the third week of the shutdown. The non-profit organization helps low income and homeless families and many of the current volunteers are furloughed federal workers. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)





US President Barack Obama speaks to the press as he makes bologna sandwiches alongside Dolly Garcia (R), a federal employee from the US Census Bureau, and Chantelle Britton (L), a federal employee from the Department of Health and Human Services, at Martha's Table in Washington, DC, October 14, 2013, as the crisis over a US government shutdown and debt ceiling standoff continues into the third week of the shutdown. The non-profit organization helps low income and homeless families and many of the current volunteers are furloughed federal workers.


(Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick-Pool/Getty Images)


President Barack Obama stands with volunteers preparing lunches as he speaks to reporters during a visit to Martha's Table, which prepares meals for the poor and where furloughed federal employees are volunteering, in Washington, Monday, Oct. 14, 2013. Speaking there Obama said that if Republicans can't resolve the standoff over the debt ceiling and the partial government shutdown, quote, "we stand a good chance of defaulting." (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
























watch:

more: http://dcist.com/2013/10/obama_visits_marthas_table_to_make.php

pics: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/14/obama-marthas-table_n_4098102.html

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/10/14/a-special-guest-2/

[bigtree]

1. kick

[ChangeUp106]

2. Is Paul Ryan in the back to clean the dishes?

[treestar]

7. nah he only washed already-clean dishes!

[Skittles]

19. LOL

he's such a tool

[flamingdem]

21. Hah! I forgot about that

What a twerp

[rdharma]

29. SNAP!

Thanks for bringing that image back! The dishes that were already washed photo-op!

[Cha]

3. Bless his heart..

President Obama walks back to the Oval Office after he visited Martha’s Table, Oct. 14

With the weight of the world..

thanks bigtree

[bigtree]

4. great bookend, Cha!

. . . thanks for the pic.

[Cha]

5. You're more than Welcome, bigtree~

Here's the link..

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/10/14/a-special-guest-2/

[yuiyoshida]

6. You know what? Some how I can not imagine

A Republican President (Or Candidate like Romney) Ever doing this. Seriously, this President is also my hero!

[datasuspect]

8. it would have been cool to see him eat it.

[NightWatcher]

9. damn I want a bologna sandwich. I had ham sandwich for lunch, but a fried bologna sounds good

Honey, I'm going to the market.

[FarCenter]

10. Cut his pay to minimum wage -- We hired him to be President, not make sandwiches.

[dionysus]

11. .

[JI7]

12. where does it say the PResiden't can't make sandwiches ?

[struggle4progress]

13. He's such a horrid horrid man! First this, then that, and then another thing!

[bigtree]

14. this is volunteering

. . . these folks are volunteering in their free time.


. . . but, you can't be serious. That would make your comment a classic . . .

[maxsolomon]

16. you need to use :sarcasm: around here

i got it. but things are mighty touchy lately.

[darkangel218]

27. Oh man, wtf???

He's volunteering!!! Not asking to get paid for this!!

When was the last time you volunteered????

[madokie]

15. Thank you Bigtree

for bringing us these moments of a sincere President that we have today

[maxsolomon]

17. Optics

well played, Obama admin - a little better than standing in front of the stars n bars, i daresay.

hopefully, there are teahadi aneurysms bursting in anger.

[hopemountain]

18. sure as hell wouldn't see cruz or palin,

much less boehner or mcconnell out there volunteering and actually making sandwiches. ryan tried. but it was staged.

[heaven05]

20. you won't

see a rethug trying to feed people, ever.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

22. He looks tired.

The stresses of being President sure does take a lot out of them. It is always interesting to me to see the before and after pictures. That is the main reason I cut him slack on things he does I find appalling. I don't know what he knows.

[Catherine Vincent]

23. Volunteering always helps

I just wish there would be no cameras or videos. I also think it's sad that PBS has to disable comments on these types of videos.

[Kahuna]

24. Prez loves the kids...

and the kids love the Prez.

[malaise]

25. Just look at the thrill on the faces of those kids

Fabulous

[darkangel218]

26. Awesome!!

[steve2470]

28. this is really great, I'm sure the kids especially loved having him there nt

[bigtree]

30. inspiring!

[bigtree]

31. .

[Kablooie]

32. In a way it's nice but it is just an artificial political photo op.

I remember my reaction to this kind of thing when Bush did it wasn't very positive so I have mixed feelings about it now.

[bigtree]

33. that's not entirely true

. . .seeing the volunteerism at the presidential level will certainly inspire others to do the same and also serve to highlight the needs and opportunities that the agencies he's helping offer lower income Americans and the working poor.

The cynicism is way too short-sighted and misplaced, I think.

In this case, he's also demonstrating solidarity with displaced and furloughed federal workers who volunteered along with him.

[ehrnst]

36. He's doing more than washing clean dishes, or carving a turkey - he's actually doing something.

A president that leads by example, and chooses good acts to model is doing better than one who truly does nothing.

[bigtree]

37. quite right, ehrnst

. . . that example he sets comprises most of his effort, no matter what he's advocating. I'm grateful that he's chosen to spend part of his time drawing needed attention to these very useful and vital efforts to assist folks out here who need help and other aid and assistance.

[bigtree]

34. kick

[fadedrose]

35. Thank you for posting

Gee I love that man...

Who was lucky enough to be there to take the pictures?

[KansDem]

38. Mr. President, don't forget desert!

Maybe a slice of pie?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

39. thank you :) pics made me smile :)

no faking here......