Ryan worked Tuesday, August 12, and called to say he got to meet Michelle Obama, wife of the "presumptive Democratic presidential candidate" Barack Obama, Punahou '79 and local boy. The Obamas, including their two little girls, were spending a week on Oahu, visiting Barack's grandmother and sister, as well as friends and classmates. While Barack was at his alma mater Punahou playing basketball, Michelle and the kids (not just her daughters, but also kids of friends and relatives) visited the zoo! I had just been thinking about that in the morning, I wonder if they would visit the zoo, since it's a visitor attraction, but then I figured, nah, that wouldn't be exciting enough. Then Ryan called! He said someone took a picture of them together but it didn't come out. He tried to get another picture, but she said she had to go. And the only people around were Secret Service, but they had a "don't look at me to take your picture" look about them. But he did get a hug! He said she was really nice.
The news people were only following Barack around, so they reported that after leaving Punahou, he and his entourage stopped at Kua'aina Burger in the Ward Complex where "Obama ordered six half-pound cheeseburgers, eight third-pound cheeseburgers, 10 kids' burgers and 20 orders of fries." He then met his family at Magic Island to eat the burgers and relax while the kids swam. I tried to find the photo of them at Magic Island, sitting under a tree, looking so relaxed, that I saw on the newspaper website. Never would have thought that the man who may be the next President of the United States would be hanging out at Magic Island! They reported that he mentioned wanting to go Rainbows for a plate lunch or Zippy's for Zip-Min, totally sounding local. He took the kids for shave ice later in the week and went bodyboarding at Sandy's. The family left today so he could go back to campaigning and preparing for the Democratic National Convention next week.
My friend Karen is Barack's classmate from Punahou. Told her that their former classmates are being interviewed in the news for any little tidbit they might know about "Barry," as he was known then. All she has to do is identify herself as a classmate/friend, and she might wind up being interviewed on CNN! Go, Karen!
No comments:
Post a Comment