“They were exactly as I had hoped”

[bigtree]

LAST Thursday night, ReGina Newkirk from Nashville sat down for dinner with President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and four other grassroots supporters. She jokes about it, saying it’s no big deal—just had a meal with “some old friends.” But when she first heard the news that she was a winner of Dinner with Barack and Michelle and she could bring a guest, ReGina pinched herself—and immediately thought of her dad.

“I was just in shock. Of all the people in all of the country who support the President, I couldn’t believe I had been chosen. I was deeply honored and really excited to provide that opportunity for my father. My dad is a huge supporter of the President, and for somebody who grew up in the segregated South, to sit down with our first African-American president and really appreciate the things that have happened over his lifetime—it was an amazing chance for him to see how much the country has grown and we have progressed, and to see that in a very unique way. To provide him with that watershed moment in his life, I was so thrilled I could do that.”

The three winners and their guests hit it off from the start. Then, the President and First Lady walked into the restaurant. ReGina already had a positive picture of the Obamas in her mind, and she says the real-life couple didn't disappoint—it felt like she had known them for years.

“They just instantly joined in and they immediately put us all at ease. We did talk some about policy, and also told a lot of funny stories. There really were times when I forgot that I was talking to the President and First Lady because they were so comfortable with us. You would think at one of these events that you would get the campaign image that they want to project, but we got a chance to meet the genuine Barack and Michelle Obama. They seemed genuine to me before, and they were. It was really thrilling that they were exactly as I had hoped.”

When she’s not dining with the first couple in D.C., ReGina works as the executive director of a non-profit that uses creative outlets to give teens a positive alternative to negative influences. Over dinner, she got a chance to discuss her passion.

“I talked about what’s happening with the kids I’m working with back home, about how do we get kids to understand about responsibility and accountability. Mrs. Obama was talking about things they do with their daughters, about how we make that kind of impact with kids who don’t have those role models telling them they have to practice to be the kind of person they want to be. And you can see the difference it makes.”

Barack and Michelle told her they were impressed with her work.

“The President said it’s important for us to recognize that we serve as role models, and we have to stay positive and support ourselves, making sure that we’re in connection with others who do the same work—make sure we’re not on an island and don’t get discouraged when it’s hard. They were very encouraging, extremely supportive.”

There was one unexpected moment during dinner, ReGina says. The President asked two other guests, John and Cathleen, who was watching their two boys while they came out for dinner. When they told him it was a friend, the President asked for her name and wrote her a quick thank-you note.

“You’re talking about one of the most powerful men in the world, and he took the time to have dinner with us, people who gave two-digit dollar donations to the campaign, so that already said a lot. But then he asked about their boys, and took time to thank the babysitter for making it possible for them to attend. It shows the level of consideration he has. What it tells me is that he does think of every American. We all matter, we’re all important to him.”

read: http://www.barackobama.com/news/entry/they-were-exactly-as-i-had-hoped

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd with big thanks! Loved this! nt

[sonias]

2. I loved this story too

I love these people. They are human and compassionate people.

President and First Lady!

[siligut]

3. Wonderful story

And everything I would hope for too.

[Spazito]

4. Great read!

Thanks for posting this, it was wonderful to read.

[Bonobo]

5. "We all matter, we’re all important to him."

Sounds almost like talking about God.

[bigtree]

8. because she believes we all 'matter' to the President? That we're all 'important' to him?

Seems to me that would be a prerequisite for the job.

I'd wager Ms. Newkirk reserves something more reverent and more monumental for her description of her personal religious belief. You fail horribly here in trying to define her support for this President in terms of something akin to hero worship (your pet subject). It's rather insulting.

[zappaman]

11. Well, that certainly says more about you than it does the person who said it. n/t

[classof56]

6. What a lovely story!

Makes me feel better about not winning dinner with my President and his wife. And ReGina took her Dad--how special is that!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. Wonderful! Love it!!

[cbayer]

9. K & R - I am so glad you are back to doing stories like this.

[madokie]

20. +1

You know I've been wanting to say the same thing to bigtree

[southernyankeebelle]

10. Thanks for sharing the story. I wish we could see more of these kinds of stories on the

national news. It really does show a president who is connected with people.

[lsewpershad]

12. They

are blessed.

[bonzotex]

13. This is just plain cool....k/r nt

[freshwest]

14. Love the pictures and the story there.

[riderinthestorm]

15. Pres Obama needs to do a LOT more of these and get to hear MORE stories

from those of us who aren't in his inner circle....

K&R.

[whathehell]

19. Yes, I was contacted to give a donation so that you can win this "dinner date".

I've done it a few times...So far, no cigar.

[sabrina 1]

16. A very nice story.

K&R

[lovemydog]

17. Love this story

and the photos. I wish more stories like this ran as leads. I always benefit from positive information.

[lovemydog]

18. it's so cool she brought her father

+ 1 for dads

[byronius]

21. There are two stories about this guy that I carry with me.

1) the Swedish lady stuck in the airport because she didn't have the money to pay an expensive luggage fee. Barack lent her the money, (over a hundred dollars) and she paid him back some time later. Much later, she found who he was. At the time he lent her the money, he was a starving student.

Stranger Story

2) He was phonebanking during the 2008 campaign, and ran across a couple that were being foreclosed on and couldn't donate. He called up a Chinese restaurant and had dinner delivered to them.

Can't find the link for that. But I remember it well.

They're part of why I trust him. And considering that a big chunk of the nation is ignorant/insane, we're lucky to have him.

[babylonsister]

24. byronius! Thanks for jogging my memory;

I recall both those stories, but didn't until you mentioned them.

[byronius]

26. It's the little human things that tell me who people really are.

For instance, 'corporations are people, my friend.' Freudian slip, not.

[jerseyjack]

22. I am happy for her. Glad she won. Glad she enjoyed the evening....

I didn't enter the contest. I couldn't sit across from Obama.....Afghanistan? Wiretaps? Killing of U.S. citizens without due process.. (even with due process I am against capital punishment)?

I will vote for him but if I won the contest, neither of us would have had a good time.

[uponit7771]

25. I'm sick of those also but I look at the whole person and I don't think those things define

...Obama or his presidency as much as the good he has done.

Wasn't it under FDR when Japanese people were encamped and FDR was no real friend of Jewish people either.

Jus sayin, if we wait on the perfect we'll be waiting a very very long time

[dballance]

23. I missed any coverage of this in the MSM

Was there any? I hope not. Because it's such a great story I'd like to think it was just a genuine moment between our President and some typical citizens without any PR or campaign implications.

Can you imagine W dirtying himself with such contact with the unwashed?

Romney will do it if he thinks it will get him votes but I bet rushes to the showers right after he's done.