Brian W. Hangs With Obama

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:01:37 PM EST
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NBC's Brian Williams promises an inside look at the White House tonight in a special report. He spent a full day with President Obama.

Did you learn anything? It's just beginning here.

Update: The best segment was Obama and Williams going out for hamburgers for them and staff to bring back to White House. [More...]

Least believable part: Obama carrying the big, greasy grocery-size bag of burgers from the restaurant to the limo and from the limo into the White House. I bet that was done for the NBC cameras. Who cares though, it was great to see him shaking hands in the burger joint and asking people what their names are.

Shorter version: Obama is adjusting well, still Obama and the West Wing seems like a well-oiled machine. Everyone can sleep better tonight.

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Brian W. Hangs With Obama | 45 comments (45 topical)

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so far the best part (5.00 / 0) (#1)
by Lil on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:05:10 PM EST

is when he heads out to get hamburgers for the staff. The people at the burger joint were so happy. for some reasom it made me tear up. Proud I guess ( and envious)

: Yes, I just updated with that (5.00 / 0) (#7)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:54:53 PM EST

and then saw your comment. Agreed, it was great to see.

I watched a new show on (5.00 / 3) (#2)
by Anne on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:10:14 PM EST

Fox - "Mental" - which is excellent, by the way.

No real interest in A Day in The Life of President Obama - at least not the way I suspect Brian Williams presented it.

See, I would be very interested in knowing how Obama can justify trying to make FOIA irrelevant in relation to the torture photos, and I think it would be interesting to know why he has "on the table" a plan to tax health benefits that landed like a big rotten egg when McCain proposed it during the campaign, and I'm really curious just how committed he is to women's rights and the right to choose, but I'm pretty sure NBC was only going for fluff and glitz and feel-good stuff. You know, Camelot Redux.

Which was why I passed in favor of actual entertainment - much better for the blood pressure. :-)

Just started watching.... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by magster on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:12:38 PM EST

...it's a pretty interesting/fun look. I can't believe Obama gets anything done because it's all briefings from senior advisers.

I don't see how Bush could have handled this job compared to Obama's obvious intelligence.

Whatever it is (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:18:11 PM EST

It's the dramatized version, not reality, staged for the camera. Might as well watch reruns of the West Wing.

Me, instead I'm watching my dog lobby for her share of my dinner. She is quite persuasive.

I ended up with you Teresa (none / 0) (#14)
by Militarytracy on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 06:19:37 AM EST

I saw that this was on, and I'm glad that I have a President Obama over a President McCain but I'm not a glamour shots girl. I'm in for the job that Obama is doing and going to do for us and by the way....I have a couple of beefs with him right now that a burger isn't going to fix :) I decided to waste my time in a different way by once again explaining to my twenty year old daughter some notion about time, dedication, and effort put in that leads to self satisfaction and monetary means to take out later on while she rolled her eyes at me and sighed a lot. This is why I also grow a lot of flowers too among the children. They don't roll their eyes at me and sigh.


: That joke was soooo bad, it was great (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by samtaylor2 on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 07:44:01 AM EST

I thought it was very interesting. (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Tony on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:30:07 PM EST

What a job.

You folks are entitled to your own opinions (5.00 / 5) (#6)
by rdandrea on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:33:24 PM EST

Myself, I'm happy that this wasn't Brian Williams spending a day with President McCain.

It had its moments (5.00 / 0) (#8)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 09:56:23 PM EST

and it was probably the closest most of us will get to see it in action.

I haven't seen (5.00 / 0) (#12)
by indy in sc on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 02:15:12 AM EST

any of the other "Day in Life" programs NBC has done with other administrations in the past, so I don't know how they compare, but this was a very interesting and well put together look. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's installment where we will get to see more of Michelle Obama.

I assume all of these Day in Life segments are meant to be fluff pieces. They wouldn't be granted such access if they were using it to grill the subjects. If it was just a straight interview, then it would be appropriate to ask some of the harder hitting questions that others seem to have wanted.

I guess I need to go to (5.00 / 2) (#18)
by lilburro on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 08:20:13 AM EST

Five Guys, huh? I didn't realize it was a chain. There's one nearby actually...maybe I will ask my boss to get me a burger...

We have them here (5.00 / 0) (#25)
by ruffian on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:24:34 AM EST

Good greasy burgers, if you like them that way. I like the cheese sticking to the wrapper...

Fresh french fries.

Kind of like In n' Out in California.


Well check out this (none / 0) (#28)
by lilburro on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:33:46 AM EST

apparently NC's five star burger attraction...

Cook Out

from wiki:

Cook Out has patriotic messages and Christian references on much of the packaging. For example, "John 3:16" and "God Bless America" are printed on the cups, "God Bless the USA" and Galatians 6:10 are printed on the french fry bags and "THANK YOU GOD FOR AMERICA" and Psalms 119:165 are printed on the full size bags, but Bible verses vary.

Watch out Chic Fil A! I haven't been there but I'm going to make a trip sometime soon I guess...unless wingnuttery makes me lose my appetite. And it well may.


: WWJO? (5.00 / 0) (#29)
by ruffian on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:40:28 AM EST

Probably the fish sandwich.

it's still gotta be better.... (5.00 / 0) (#19)
by rise hillary rise on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 08:22:04 AM EST

than the horrible arrogant, snotty right wing shill Steve Inskeep from NPR earlier this week. funny how he's always nice to Republicans but nasty to Democrats.

The President of the USA on a reality tv show (5.00 / 0) (#21)
by angie on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 09:05:18 AM EST

Darwin was wrong.

Time to start over.

Five Guys? (5.00 / 0) (#22)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 09:16:27 AM EST

Just another example of Obama supporting a sexist agenda. And, how dare he leave the confines of the White House.

The nerve of this man.

Funny? This is heresy. (none / 0) (#23)
by ricosuave on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:06:52 AM EST

Ordinarily I would find this very funny. But Five Guys is a sacred burger joint in DC and I feel you might be besmirching their honor.

I used to go to the first one out in the VA suburbs, eat the peanuts while I waited, and sit on the ground in the parking lot to eat it (no tables). Now they are a national chain, and I have been to the one in San Antonio--they are still pretty good, but they seem to think they need to install tables in their restaurants now.

Obama earns points from me for choosing a good burger joint.


They've got a couple... (5.00 / 0) (#24)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:15:50 AM EST

...opened up out here now. They're OK, but while a bit cheaper than Smashburger, not quite as tasty.

Of course, we still lack In n' Out and White Castle out here in fly-over country.


White Castle.... (5.00 / 0) (#26)
by kdog on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:26:30 AM EST

Thanks Mile...now I know where I'm headed for lunch...it's belly bomber time!


Oh yeah... (none / 0) (#30)
by dutchfox on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:45:58 AM EST

Lived for 23 yrs in Texas (now in Vermont). I miss Whataburger, cuz it's made-to-order!


: Love whataburger (none / 0) (#45)
by ricosuave on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 09:27:44 PM EST

no reason to eat the big yellow/red fast food chains with whataburger around.
Alas, I am dieting right now, so no trips to whataburger or five guys (or the myriad other chopped-cow-on-a-bun options available here in texas)

Have a couple for me! n/t (none / 0) (#34)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:01:20 AM EST

: I'll have more than a couple.... (none / 0) (#38)
by kdog on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:27:49 AM EST

for my main Mile High man:)

Obviously (none / 0) (#31)
by CoralGables on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:46:56 AM EST

a misogynist hamburger chain. Having never heard of them, I googled their locations and found one just 4 miles away. Talk Left might be good for Five Guys business as I will give them a try someday. Even quicker should they rename it Three Guys, Three Girls, Two Hispanics, and an Inuit.


So (5.00 / 0) (#32)
by jbindc on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:50:53 AM EST

Obama goes to Five Guys and Ben's Chili Bowl, and he's "cool", Bill Clinton went to McDonald's and he was a big fat slob.

Got it.

What sheeple.

That's silly (5.00 / 0) (#36)
by CoralGables on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:10:26 AM EST

everyone knows sheeple don't eat hamburgers. They prefer mutton burgers.

And I remember the stories of Clinton dropping into McDonalds while out for a jog because the Secret Service would go into a tizzy since it wasn't pre-planned. I never remember anyone referring to him as a slob but rather a normal guy that eats like the rest of us. Looks like Bill laid the groundwork for fast food gastrointestinal delight tours for future residents of the White House.


Well (none / 0) (#35)
by CST on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:06:55 AM EST

you've got to admit, Obama's in a lot better shape than Bill. Obama looks like he can afford an extra burger or two. Bill, not so much.

Obama probably would've gotten a lot of flack if he went for something healthier, you know, too elitist or something.

And yes, this is an absolute fluff piece I have no intention of watching.


Clinton never smoked (none / 0) (#39)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 12:09:25 PM EST

As far as comparing the two of them for health, I wouldn't be so sure that Obama's heart is in any better shape than Clinton's was at the same age.


well (none / 0) (#40)
by CST on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 12:53:42 PM EST

he never inhaled :)


: And those cigars... (none / 0) (#41)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 01:00:09 PM EST

...were intended only for other purposes--but never for smoking apparently.

It was partially snark (none / 0) (#43)
by jbindc on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 01:19:52 PM EST

and meant as a commentary on the media. We heard about Clinton going to McDonald's and other fast food restaurants, and it was so.....common, and ew! he's eating gross fattening food! But now that Obama does it (and with a member of the media!) it's SOOOOOOO cool - he's like a regular guy!

(For the record - I like Five Guys, although I can't go there too often).


Vegan here, so I cannot in (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by brodie on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:55:46 AM EST

good conscience endorse Obama's habit of making frequent runs to scarf down those fatty and environmentally unsound beef burgers. The Five Guys burger-run story belongs in the retro thread above where Phil and the Teddy Bears sing that silly pop song from the 50s.

Plus, didn't Pres Bill Clinton rather famously make those visits to McDo's, at least in his first term, only to find out later his arteries were so badly clogged that he needed emergency surgery?

Michelle sets a good example for America's youth with the organic garden; her spouse, not so much.

: Not a vegan but (none / 0) (#44)
by nycstray on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 03:27:51 PM EST

reading about all the burger chains really just turns my stomach. Factory farmed beef burgers . . .

Isn't "Bri" a pentagon shill, (1.00 / 0) (#13)
by host on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 04:44:29 AM EST

and Obama an unprincipled, overly ambitious politician so determined to win a second term as a "centrist" (fascist-lite?), it is becoming almost reasonable to reserve a holding cell in the Hague for him, next to Bush's and Cheney's?

Obama is creeping me out....bigtime, and, unfortunately, so is the adoring tone in too many of the comments displayed with this non-story.

Disgust supplants "pride", for my reaction to this staged media event: Heeeeeres Bri !!!:

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/29/958477.aspx
By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor
"...A few of you correctly noted I've yet to respond to the recent Times front-page article on the military analysts employed by the television networks, including this one.
I read the article with great interest. I've worked with two men since I've had this job -- both retired, heavily-decorated U.S. Army four-star Generals -- Wayne Downing and Barry McCaffrey. As I'm sure is obvious to even a casual viewer, I quickly entered into a close friendship with both men...."

Didn't even know it was on (none / 0) (#9)
by CoralGables on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 10:38:17 PM EST

Was so caught up in Gator Softball last night and tonight, I've been oblivious to all other happenings. Thanks for the heads up. Although missing tonight's first part, I can still see the second half tomorrow as I rejoin the real world.

The folks at Daily Kos hated (none / 0) (#10)
by hairspray on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 11:16:59 PM EST

Brian Williams. Wonder how they feel about this new best friend bit.

: I find Brian Williams to be insufferable (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by shoephone on Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 11:59:45 PM EST

Anyway, a friend and I just got back from dinner at the new Italian joint in the neighborhood, then picked lettuces from my garden. Watching B. Williams now would just ruin the evening.
Priorities.

Lopsided (none / 0) (#15)
by Gary P on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 07:17:45 AM EST

Brian Williams and the rest of his staff are pro Obama. This was seen during the last election, with the way NBC treated Obama with kid gloves. When will they do a inside look at how the change that he talked about was just for show?

Pony burgers? (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by lambert on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 08:07:19 AM EST

Just sayin.


: Pony burgers are French cuisine (none / 0) (#20)
by Militarytracy on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 08:27:24 AM EST

We're respectful and bipartisan now lambert. Don't want to make any natives restless so probably no French burgers......most likely a meat substitute.

I'm glad things are going well (none / 0) (#27)
by ruffian on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 10:33:22 AM EST

But there is nothing that will make me watch Brian Williams.

BurgerMASTER (none / 0) (#37)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:23:01 AM EST

in the Seattle area is the best. They don't call them the MASTERS for nothing.

We apparently now have a 5-Guys in Renton....not worth a trip to (ugh) Renton!

(I lived in Renton when I first moved to Seattle. No reason to go back)

5 guys site (none / 0) (#42)
by SarahinCA on Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 01:07:42 PM EST

Pretty funny the example used to use the store locator:

Enter any valid U.S. address or address component:

Full address (ex. "1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC")