WATCH: Obama Causes Excited Frenzy During Lunch Stop At Chicago Deli

[democracy1st]

Link to video and pics

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/21/obama-having-lunch-at-man_n_145540.html


President-electBarack Obama arrived at Manny's Cafeteria and Deli at 12:29 pm to a crowd of about 25 people waiting outside.

Obama and Valerie Jarett walked to the front counter of the deli. 7 men in whte hats stood behind the counter waiting to make sandwiches.

Obama shook hands with Ken Raskin the restaurant's owner. Raskin's father, Manny, founded the Chicago institution.

"Rahm Emanuel sends his regards. I ordered him his corned beef," Obama told Raskin.

Obama signed a photo of himself with Mayor Daley after he won his Senate election in 2006. The photo was for Raskin.

"Alright, let me get my food," Obama said.

Someone suggested he get the mayo and mustard mix on his corned beef, and he said he would.

Asked by reporter what he ordered, Obama said, "we got the corned beef."

Asked by a reporter, "What do you think about the auto industry? and Obama smiled, said "I got the corned beef," and walked on to greet people in the restaurant.

The restaurant was packed. People had cell phone cameras out. They swarmed the president-elect, congratulating him on the election.

Patrons abandoned their plates of macaroni and cheese, blueberry pie, corned beef, dill pickles and chocolate chip cheesecake to get near the president-elect.

"I love you," one of them said.

"I love you back," Obama said.

One woman hugged him.

Obama left with 2 cherry pies and 3 corned beef sandwiches. The bill was $48.34. He paid cash.

Outside more people approched ObamaM he shook more hands. He went to get in his Surburban but turned around to shake more hands.

Lef Manny's at 12:45pm. Arrived at tranition headquarters at 12:53pm.



---

President-elect Barack Obama is having lunch at the iconic South Loop deli Manny's, according to the pool report from Politico's Carol Lee:

President-elect Obama left his transition headquarters in downtown at 12:24 pm. His motorcade is heading to a lunch stop called Manny's. He is expected to order and greet some patrons.

Earlier Friday the press pool was told that Obama would be making a "local stop" for around 30 minutes. Manny's, which serves what is often considered to be Chicago's best corned beef and pastrami, is a frequent meet-and-greet stop for politicians.

[glowing]

1. For that price, it better be good corned beef and pie.

[frazzled]

10. It's not ... but you've gotta love Manny's anyway

The corned beef is overpriced and fatty (and they put it on the world's chintziest, tiny slices of rye bread) and costs like twelve bucks. Never had the pie. The potato pancakes are cold.

But it's an institution, and everybody eats there: from the sewer workers to the lawyers and politicians. And they still have this crazy system where they ring up your food at the end of the cafeteria line and give you a ticket. And then you find a formica table and eat, and then you pay at the cashier as you go out. Crazy.

[glowing]

13. $12.00 for a sandwhich.. now that's crazy.

[Jennicut]

2. TWO cherry pies! That man sure loves his pie.

[democracy1st]

3. That's my president!!

[gblady]

4. glad to see....

Reggie right there beside him....

[AspenRose]

5. "Alright, let me get my food," Obama said.

:rofl:

Do NOT stand between the man and his FOOD when he's HUNGRY!!!!

[Clio the Leo]

6. Ok, I'm just gonna say it......

How HOT does he look in that overcoat...



And of course you know I gotta post this one, for all the obvious reasons..

[eleny]

7. Pie puts him in a zone

I can relate.

[ACTION BASTARD]

8. Pie is what fuels my President.

But, pretzels is for the putz in his house right now.

[eleny]

9. President Pretzel Putz!

I simply cannot say that three times fast.
:rofl:

[windbreeze]

11. I can...neener neener....LOL

but I honestly think 3 times is the limit for me...wb

[fujiyama]

12. He really has a great sense of style

and of course so does Michelle.

And you can tell he's still pretty down to earth. It was interesting to hear him on 60 Minutes about the loss of anonymity. That scene was the best example.

God that looked like a secret service nightmare though...I hope they do everything they can to keep him safe.

[nomaco-10]

14. I saw it on the news this morning...

He looked so relaxed and at ease and the crowd was ecstatic to see him.

gods, it's so nice to have a president that is so genuine and composed all the time instead of that drunken, tongue tied idiot that's been squatting in the whitehouse for eight years. It feels good to have a little faith and pride in my country again.

[saltpoint]

15. Blessed are the sandwich makers, and those who

in busy lines await their work.

I love it that these people were thrilled to see Obama and that Obama is thrill-inducing, and that a wildly capable guy can step into a deli crowd and transform an ordinary errand into a life milestone.

Suddenly, IMO, those sandwiches were not ordinary sandwiches.

[mucifer]

16. the pie staring photo is now on page 1 of the chicago trib

www.chicagotribune.com

[saltpoint]

17. As well it should be.

It reminds us to keep our eyes on the pies.

[saltpoint]

18. Obama seems brainy without being arrogant and also to be

authentically good.

As in one of the good guys.

And awfully smart and capable good guy, in this case.

It is a strong lift to imagine Barack and Michelle Obama in the people's house instead of the jabbering monkey who's lived in it the last 8 years.

This deli story is just a damned delight.