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Obama on the Auto Industry: 'I Got the Corned Beef'

November 21, 2008 7:13 PM

ABC News' Matt Jaffe Reports from Chicago:

Taking a break from a week full of private meetings at his transition headquarters in Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama went out to lunch Friday at Manny's, a famous Windy City deli, greeting locals and basking in the cheers of hometown supporters.

In the crowded eatery, one reporter asked him about the troubled auto industry, just days after Detroit executives went to Washington in hopes of $25 billion in federal aid.

"I got the corned beef," replied a smiling Obama.

Minutes later, he saw some diners dressed in suits.

"You look like smart guys -- give me some advice on the economy," Obama joked as the gentlemen laughed.

Patrons of the packed restaurant ditched their lunches of corned beef, mac & cheese, blueberry pie, and chocolate-chip cheesecake to get a glimpse of the President-elect, accompanied by senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.

"I love you," one supporter told Obama.

"I love you back," he reciprocated.

At the counter, Obama greeted Ken Raskin, the restaurant's owner and son of its founder, and signed a photo of himself with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley taken after the Illinois senator's election victory in 2006.

After just over a quarter of an hour, Obama left the popular eatery with three corned beef sandwiches and two cherry pies, at a cost of $48.34 paid in cash.

The President-elect took the grub back to his Chicago headquarters, where he spent about most of the morning and afternoon.

-- Matt Jaffe

November 21, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (44)

User Comments

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It's amazing that so many people say 'I love you' to Obama.
I wonder if anyone ever said 'I love you' to Bush.

Posted by: iml | Nov 22, 2008 12:30:31 AM

This is it folks ! This is what the 21st century media looks Like ! They think this is an article with meat!

Posted by: disgusted in Ohio | Nov 22, 2008 12:27:57 AM

Welcome to America
Real word of Obama

Posted by: Bob | Nov 21, 2008 11:43:22 PM

well if we had had bush back in the
old days we would still have the
Horse and Buggy....
NO check that they would have went
broke too .............lol.

Iraq 50 make it 100 years.... what a joke

The Big three Auto makers ... just one
more BAILOUT IS ALL WE NEED .... BIGGER
JOKE............

I DO LIKE their company jets..
what kind of fuel mileage they get
on those...........

Posted by: Anita Yova | Nov 21, 2008 11:20:19 PM

Now that Obama has Hillary will she
be able to help the economy by
getting great investment like White Water.

Posted by: Petey | Nov 21, 2008 11:16:11 PM

Jake's blog devolves into a bitter Repub Friday night circle.

IT'S GONNA BE A LOOOONNNG EIGHT YEARS FOR YOU.


WELCOME TO REAL AMERICA.

Posted by: R Mutt | Nov 21, 2008 11:04:13 PM

As if someone is going to make major policy statements while picking up take-out food.

What's the matter with your brains?

The 'right wing' brain seems to have atrophied due to lack of intelligent use over the past 8 years.

Posted by: pefros | Nov 21, 2008 10:53:18 PM

PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.

GET USED TO IT!!!


AMERICA - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT.

Posted by: R Mutt | Nov 21, 2008 10:33:02 PM

Obama's Senate election victory was in 2004, not 2006.

Posted by: Steve | Nov 21, 2008 10:30:02 PM

What a measured response...from a deep
thinking leader! Hope there are many
more examples of his brilliance in the
coming years. But if he ordered the corned beef, what does that make Hillary
...............chopped liver ?

Posted by: grizzly bare | Nov 21, 2008 10:28:55 PM

By the way, our Greatest Leader took him off even a "present" from the Senate, leaving the good Illinoians only half represented in the US Senate.

Mr. Biden has no intention of coming to the Senate floor, yet for a political game, he is not going to resign until the new Governor is sworn in.

I am not surprised of our Greatest Leader in view of his past, "present", but I am disappointed in Mr. Biden.

Mr. Biden, come down to the Senate and fulfill your obligation and duties to your constituents, if not the country.

Posted by: fat cat | Nov 21, 2008 10:21:52 PM

This corned beef article may have explained Mr. Obama's many "present" votes.

Posted by: young_voter | Nov 21, 2008 9:25:49 PM
-------

You are absolutely correct. The economy is tanking seemingly as if no bottom in sight. There is absolutely no leadership, anywhere, to be seen.

You certainly cannot expect George W. Bush to come up with a great idea; after all, he is incompetent and a lameduck. The Congress of Pelosi and Reid has done nothing for two freeking years, except promoting their Affirmative Action candidate, ridiculing and ignoring correct solutions by people like Hillary Clinton.

Our Greatest Smartest Changest Leader, Pres. 0bama, took his first "present",
to have got his corned beef, rather than taking an future leadership role and telling the american people what he is going to do.

Does he know?

We are f...ed.

Posted by: fat cat | Nov 21, 2008 10:14:01 PM

Vanessa,
Sorry, it wasn't a landslide. He got 52.8% of the vote. A landslide would be 60+%. I'm surprised you want to continue your diviseness post-election. Do you work for Acorn? By the way, guess who is going to be Secretary of State? You guessed it - Not the Bill Richardson. Hmmm, I guess Obama figured out she would be the best to deliver the 3 AM phone call. Won't be long before he has Bill answering the call. All those Clintonistas for Mr. Change. How come you aren't explaining that? Obama is clearly a delegator-in-chief. What's going to be left for him to do? Simple, it's Obama's turn to get paid. By the way, I voted for Obama so I'm free to criticize, that's the kind of change I'm bringing to the table.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Nov 21, 2008 10:12:42 PM

This corned beef article may have explained Mr. Obama's many "present" votes.

Posted by: young_voter | Nov 21, 2008 9:25:49 PM

What to do about the troubled big three auto makers is something on which even the experts cannot agree, so we might as well talk about corned beef sammiches. I personally am not pro-corned beef, but some of my best friends are. Cherry pies are ok if there is no chocolate around. Dark chocolate will buy my vote every time.

Posted by: Shockolit | Nov 21, 2008 9:01:06 PM

President-elect Obama showed his consummate leadership skills and did the absolutely correct thing in ordering the corned beef sandwich at Manny's, a Chicago institution famous for them. It's been said that their corned beef sandwiches rival those of the famous NYC delis!

Posted by: chuck | Nov 21, 2008 8:46:59 PM

MBNA Joe,

Obama graduated Harvard Law. Former President of Harvard Law Review. Wrote two books.

I'm sure he can speak English?

What are you're accomplishments?

Get use to President Obama. He was elected... elected by a landslide. As I predicted.

Posted by: Vanessa | Nov 21, 2008 8:45:24 PM

one reporter asked him about the troubled auto industry, just days after Detroit executives went to Washington in hopes of $25 billion in federal aid.

"I got the corned beef," replied a smiling Obama.

"You look like smart guys -- give me some advice on the economy," Obama joked as the gentlemen laughed.
==========================

Unbelievable!

We got it too! You, our Greatest Smartest Changest Leader got the corned beef, while millions American workers a facing the prospect of losing their jobs.

What a pity for the rest of Americans to suffer from what it is means "presence" that his Southside is so proud of!

Posted by: fat cat | Nov 21, 2008 8:45:06 PM

MBNA Joe,

what Jake doesn't tell you is that somebody had just asked Obama what he 'got' for food. He responded with 'i got..." Normally I would have defended Jake from allegations of bad reporting. but i'm inclined to agree with you today.

Posted by: Question | Nov 21, 2008 8:40:59 PM

"You look like smart guys -- give me some advice on the economy,"...here's some socialism doesn't work...just ask Europe.

"I got"...nice English.

Jake, why don't you ask him why his nominee for AG had clients who were part of the Weather Underground...you sorry excuse for a reporter.

Posted by: MBNA Joe | Nov 21, 2008 8:35:09 PM

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