International   

For them, a lunch to savour for ever

— Photo: AP

President Barack Obama having lunch at a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday.

He's got a unified opposition party trying to scupper his most ambitious policy. He's being criticised for not being quick to fix an economic crisis he didn't create. He's feeling the heat for American soldiers dying in a war in a distant land; and bringing them back could lead to something worse. Give the man a break — or even better, get him some deep fried chicken wings.

President Obama on Wednesday took some time out of his permanently hectic schedule to sample some the local cuisine and hospitality at Savannah, Georgia. On a trip to the Deep South to announce his administration's green initiative, the HOMESTAR programme, Mr. Obama paid a visit to the famous Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House Restaurant and lunched with some of the regulars there.

In a clear indication of the excitement that the impromptu presidential visit generated, a sign outside the restaurant read, “Sorry we are full right now, please form a line and we will seat you” and hoots of excitement and applause could be heard as he was entering.

“Something smells good up here” the President declared, doubtless anticipating that he'd be offered some chicken wings soon.

While the regulars at his tables offered to not ask him questions so he could focus on eating, Mr. Obama replied, “How often you gonna have lunch with the President? Might as well ask some questions.”

In the lunch-table conversation that ensued Mr. Obama said, “I think we've come through probably one of the toughest years we've had since the 30's, objectively speaking”.

He added, however, that he thought that the country was now at a stage where it was “out of the worst part of it”. The main task at hand was to make institutions responsive to new challenges as opposed to putting that off, he said.

“And that's hard to do”, Mr. Obama argued. “We're like folks who have had a long party… then there is a little bit of a hangover and you have to… clean up and nobody wants to“.

Towards the end of the meal, in a candid moment, the President confessed, “One of things about being President is, you're always in this boat, everywhere you go you're always cramped a little bit. So having the chance to get out, go to a restaurant, sit down with some people – it is a great treat”. And he couldn't get his mind off the chicken wings. Even until the end of the lunch he could be heard muttering, “I'll take a drum stick. If there was a wing I would have taken a wing. Let me just have one now, I don't want to get carried away”.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Growing calls for reform in China
Obama pushes for energy-saving homes
For them, a lunch to savour for ever
TULF for Indian model in Sri Lanka
Cabinet voted out
Ian Paisley steps down as MP
Ex-tycoon slams Russian justice

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu