Presidential Access (DUW)

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January 6, 2012 2:13 PM


(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON - (AP) -- In a sort of power lunch for the not-so-powerful, President Barack Obama broke bread Friday with four winners of a contest for people who give to his campaign in small amounts.

The suggested donation to enter the drawing: $3.


(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

The winners, including a teacher and an Afghanistan war veteran, gathered at a restaurant in Washington. The Obama re-election campaign has offered the meals with the president, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to boost online contributions.


(Jim Watson, AFP)

Obama's campaign said the lunch bunch was Kathie Toigo, an early-childhood special needs teacher from Yerington, Nev.; Bill Blackwelder, an Afghanistan war veteran from Fayetteville, N.C.; Val Grossman, a postal worker from Westminister, Colo.; and Scott Zoebisch, a firefighter from Atlanta.


((AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

read: http://www.newsday.com/news/obama-lunches-with-campaign-contest-winners-1.3433276

[limpyhobbler]

1. very cool! They should do this once a week.

And it should be a real lottery drawing. I doubt they picked a Afghanistan veteran, a fireman, a postal worker and a special needs teacher by accident. They were clearly profiled and selected based on what would look good for the campaign. Still I like the idea of it!
Except I wish it was more real and less staged. If it was a real lottery they might have ended up with a middle aged man on a mental disability for depression, a pot smoking coffee shop worker, and a Muslim guy that works at a donut shop. It would not have looked as good for the cameras and news stories. Campaign cameras can't handle "the real America", it's too freaky. So in a way I know this is a bunch of phoney BS. But still I love it because he is highlighting the fact that he gets small contributions from regular people. And it encourages more people to donate.

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2. I think these folks were picked at random like the dinner guests were

an account of one of the dinners: http://mandan-news.com/2011/11/mandan-grad-gets-chance-to-dine-with-the-president/



An opportunity of a lifetime landed on Casey Helbling’s lap, and he was more than happy to jump at the chance.

Helbling was randomly chosen as one of four individuals selected to meet and sit down to a meal with President Barack Obama.

Being picked to meet the President included a one-night stay and a free flight into the nation’s Capitol. The dinner was held on Oct. 27 at the Liberty Tavern in Arlington, Va.


. . . these folks enter by donating $3 dollars and are reportedly chosen at random.

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3. .

http://instagr.am/p/e7phk/

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4. .

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/6648925377/sizes/m/in/photostream/