Talking hot dogs in Hanoi with President Obama

[babylonsister]

Talking hot dogs in Hanoi with President Obama
Anthony Bourdain

By Anthony Bourdain, Host
Video @ link~
The season premiere of "Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown" explores Hanoi on Sunday, September 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.


snip//

'He answered without hesitation'

What can I tell you about what it's like to sit across from the President of the United States and drink beer from the bottle?

I can tell you that Barack Obama was, in spite of having had a high-ranking leader of the Taliban whacked in Pakistan a few days previous, very relaxed and at ease. He seemed to enjoy himself sitting on a low plastic stool eating noodles and pork bits with chopsticks.

I talked to him as a father, as an enthusiast for the region, and he responded with real nostalgia for the Indonesian and Hawaiian street food of his youth.

When I asked him if it was okay that I get along with Ted Nugent, who has said many, many deeply offensive and hateful things about him personally, he responded "of course" -- that that was exactly the sort of person we SHOULD be talking to: the people who disagree with us.

He was oddly resigned to and forgiving of his enemies. And when I asked him if -- given the very likely ugly and frightening contents of the daily intelligence briefings to which he is privy -- if it was "going to be okay" for my daughter as she grew up, he replied with confidence that on balance, it would.
In general, he spoke with the lack of careful calculation of a man who is no longer running for office.
My hot dog question might have been diplomatically problematic for a first-term president. He answered without hesitation -- like a Chicagoan.

He was funny, quick to laugh. When I asked him if he ever missed being able to go out to a bar, sit down by himself and have a cold beer while listening to old songs on the juke, he smiled and said "in about six months."

He put my crew at ease. Was kind to them. So much so that we were not nervous while we were with him.
Only afterward, when he had gone, did we all look at each other and say, "Did that just HAPPEN?"

more...

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/22/travel/bourdain-parts-unknown-obama-hanoi/index.html

[roamer65]

1. I think President Obama in his former presidency...

will be very similar to former President Carter. I hope Hillary draws on his expertise.

[MicaelS]

2. I'd like him on the Supreme Court. n/t

[malaise]

10. Absolutely not

that would silence him

[MicaelS]

12. Good point. n/t

[dhill926]

3. Obama and Bourdain...

whole lotta cool there. Can't wait to watch...

[awoke_in_2003]

5. Agreed...

to be a fly on the wall.

[lillypaddle]

4. Delightfully written

delightful to imagine. Coolest President ever. In his own way, he truly is a citizen of the world.

[DFW]

6. Been there, done that

Not in Hanoi, and I hate beer, but sat and talked with him for an hour. Touched on the 2102 re-election campaign (it was in 2012), but also health insurance reform, Syria, even the Egyptian economy. A LOT of etc.

Yeah, he's really like that.

[annabanana]

14. Somehow I knew that.. You can't fake being easy in

your own skin.

will miss this Presidency

[DFW]

17. This was the post. Note my post #125

http://www.democraticunderground.com/125170848

I wrote: "If the election were held today, this discussion would be over, and he could have McConnell over to say, "OK, your number one goal has failed. Are you ready to get to work, or do you think you're gonna drag this grudge fight out another four years?"

This was August 19, 2012. Little did anyone imagine that McTurtle's answer would turn turn out to be a loud "Yer damn right I do, and I will!"

[annabanana]

18. And he DID too, the toad. . .n/t

[DFW]

24. Did he ever

Who ever heard of trying to ruin your own country for a personal grudge? It's has been done throughout history as a result of psychosis (Stalin, Hitler, Mugabe, etc.) many times, but just just for spite? How low can you get? Well, Mitch McTurtle and his pals have answered that one in the clearest terms possible: pretty fucking low.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. You know, I read that headline and I see this, in my head:

I know, there's probably something wrong with me.

[babylonsister]

11. Haha! nt

[Eleanors38]

13. I was wondering if the dogs were complaining about lack of A.C.

[betsuni]

8. K&R

[malaise]

9. Thanks sis

Will be watching

[pinboy3niner]

15. Hot dogs in Hanoi is a bridge too phở

But with Obama, this looks to be a good show, worth watching.

[babylonsister]

16. I see what you did there.

[malaise]

19. ROFL

Will be watching

[pinboy3niner]

20. I never had Vietnamese food when I was there in the war

Finally got the chance on 3 month-long visits much later, and loved it!

Of course, by that time they had plenty of Western fast food joints and even hot dogs. I remember seeing Wimpy's in Saigon, and even a Hard Rock Café.

I once had a sweatshirt with a modified logo, "Hard Ruck Café."

[bigtree]

21. k&r

[Hekate]

22. I just watched and enjoyed that episode very much.

Sometimes Bourdain is just too full of himself -- but this time he did very well. And of course Our Guy was exceptional while loving the local food!

[CJohnson_LS]

23. I'm going to miss this man so much when he leaves in January

Mr. Obama is definitely among the best presidents we've had in the last 50 years. By virtually every measure, we are so much better off than we were back in 2008, during the dark days of W and his cronies. I wish HRC lots of luck in continuing Obama's legacy.