No, President Obama did not take First Lady Michelle to CVS pharmacy for Valentine's Dinner. The Obamas enjoyed their evening meal at Table 52 - an upscale eatery located on Chicago's Gold Coast.
(UPI/NEWSCOM)Photos (1 of 1)
Obama’s Valentine dinner - IHOP? Denny’s? Applebees?
By Jimmy Orr | 02.15.09
You might think with these tough economic times, the First Couple might have had Valentine’s dinner at IHOP or maybe even Denny’s. They could have ordered the Moons Over My Hammy dish in honor of the Republican governor from Florida who endorsed the president’s economic stimulus plan.
But there are some days where you just don’t skimp. Valentine’s falls under that category.
Nice place
So President Obama took Michelle (who will be on the March issue of Vogue magazine) to Table 52, a hoighty-toighty restaurant on Chicago’s Gold Coast.
The eatery, owned by Oprah Winfrey’s former chef, has been lauded in the Chicago press.
“[The chef] and his staff exude Southern charm . . . and the hospitality here — from the moment you enter till the time to leave — is as thick as the Spanish moss on the oak trees in Savannah,” writes the Chicago Sun Times. “And it is sincere, a pleasant graciousness without fault or faux.”
That means they must have perfected the art of hanging tractor parts on the walls.
Double date?
Some of our more right-leaning readers, as evidenced by the comments on yesterday’s Blagojevich story, would undoubtedly think the First Couple hosted the Blagos for dinner.
But, the First Couple enjoyed a quiet night to themselves. Well, patrons reportedly erupted in applause upon their arrival.
Menu
No word on what the Obamas had for dinner either except the Chicago Tribune writes that the menu “features decadent southern fare such as pan-seared catfish, low-country shrimp with stone-ground grits and buttermilk fried chicken. Red velvet cake was the dessert special Saturday evening.”
You can check out the restaurant here. But these silly guys forgot to put the prices on the menu! Makes it difficult to know whether you should super-size the dish or not.
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2. nic | 02.16.09
Don’t they understand that millions of Americans are out of jobs and they can’t even dream of going to a restaurant like this??? What are the Obamas, royalty? Do they feel entitled to luxury at taxpayer expense?
3. nil | 02.20.09
He’s the president. He deserves anything he wants at taxpayers expense if it will keep him doing good work.
4. annoying ppl | 02.20.09
The least he could do is take his wife out for a nice dinner for Valentine’s day. Give the man a break ppl. You would do the same as a man for your wife if you could.
5. Adam Roth | 02.22.09
The writer, Jimmy Orr, is a myopic right wing Republican who consistently attempts to degrade our nation’s first African American president and first
lady. When he worked for Bush there was no mention of Valentine dinners at
IHOP or questions about the cost of the meal. In fact, those readers who
raise questions about the use of air force one or other expenses
are, like Orr, engaged in practicing a clear double standard. Please check the record, during Bush’s first month and throughout his eight years in office he avoided work whenever possible and took time off as much as he could. He ignored the numerous signs of financial trouble and pending economic disaster, like the alarming rise in federal, state, municipal, and personal debt or the need for greater regulation of financial markets.
6. Adam Roth | 02.22.09
The writer, Jimmy Orr, is a myopic right wing Republican who consistently attempts to degrade our nation’s first African American president and first
lady. When he worked for Bush there was no mention of Valentine dinners at
IHOP or questions about the cost of the meal. In fact, those readers who
raise questions about the use of air force one or other expenses
are, like Orr, engaged in practicing a clear double standard. Please check the record, during Bush’s first month and throughout his eight years in office he avoided work whenever possible and took time off as much as he could. He ignored the numerous signs of financial trouble and pending economic disaster, like the alarming rise in federal, state, municipal, and personal debt or the need for greater regulation of financial markets.
7. Lilly Langtry | 05.07.09
President Bush visited his ranch often for personal trips during his term and used Air Force One to get there. Each president is entitled to a certain amount of leeway when it comes to taking a reasonable amount of personal time, even if its as taxpayer expense (heck, virtually everything they do is at taxpayer expense).
President Obama is not the first president to use Air Force one for a personal trip, and he can’t go too far from Washington, DC, without taking it. So unless you want to mandate that presidents make no personal trips outside of Washington, DC, for their entire term, I think we should show a bit more understanding…or if scrutiny is made, place it in historic perspective.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Nancy Evans | 02.16.09
Did they use Air Force One to fly to Chicago, and if so, do I as a taxpayer, pay for that trip? I don’t begrudge them their dinner, but I don’t want to pay for it, either.
Thanks.