Mawm and I paid a visit to the Obamas today. We were hoping that Michelle might invite us in for tea. Unfortunately, we were instead met by some burly security officials who told us to “keep on moving”. You know, I understand that security for these guys is important, but I used to live in DC and you can get closer to the White House than I got to the Obama mansion. Just sayin’. Here’s the video:
Mawm got interviewed by some fox news correspondent who was just hanging out by the house with her crew hoping to scoop a story. As we pulled the RV up she came running along asking if we would consent to an interview. Mawm did, so keep your eyes open (we’re not sure if they were national or local affiliate). Anyway I did my own interview of Mawm and here it is:
Finally, I just want to thank everyone for all of your encouragement as we have trekked across the USA, trying to spread our message to anyone who will listen. We will be home tomorrow (ugh…work on Tuesday) and I will try to write a more in-depth post of our journey. I just wanted to share one picture with you from the quintessential American tourist trap called Wisconsin Dells. Do you ever get the feeling that the whole world is upside down? I do. Here’s a pic
Upside Down White House
Filed under: Barack Obama, Media, Politics | Tagged: Obama's House, PUMA, PUMAmobile, Rezko
Hi guys!!! {{waving}} Is that upside down house for real or did Mawm patch that in?
BTW, what kind of reaction are you getting from the PUMA mobile? Are people asking about it?
Hey RD!! yes that was real. Wisconsin Dells reminded me of the typical seaside tourist crap for kids, except there was no ocean…kinda weird. Driving through Chicago was a trip. We have gotten plenty of attention, questions, comments….almost 100% positive. you know, I remember you saying that Obama’s support is soft. We have met several people who were for Obama but are now not. They really thought he was going to pick hillary
videos no longer available?
oops I have them set to private, just a sec
videos should work now
thanx!
H Guys, I’m from WI. Check out Noah’s Ark, if you have time. It’s the world’s largest water park. Also in the Dells, the Cheese Factory, a great vegetarian restaurant.
We love you both. Drive safely!
Great pics, they make me homesick. Have a deep dish pizza (Pizzeria Uno or Due) or a Chicago dog (Vienna beef) for me. Thanks for making the trip for all of us.
Gary, Mawm great work!!
That upside down building is how Obama’s campaign is probably feeling, post Palin bustin’ on the scene….
And oh, there’s another upside down structure near here in pigeon forge, TN too. It’s a science museum here…a tourist attraction.
actually we’re in outside of indianappolis right now. we broke down and got a hotel room. a whole week in the RV was getting old. but now we have a 10 hour drive to get home tomorrow….yuck..
I wonder what kind of impact Obama’s candidacy has had on the rest of the neighborhood. I bet they’ve been investigated by the SS. I don’t think it would be fun to have my neighborhood crawling with security people.
Thanks for the pics and video.
Mountain Sage
and by broke down, I don’t mean literally…
Holy Moly! It’s like an armed camp – Those are no ordinary security people, either – it’s secret service. Enjoy the last days of summer play, kids!
mountain, They searched me before I could walk down the street. the whole block is cutt off with concrete barricades and those crowd gates. there is a police officer, squad car and two SS agents. You saw that they don’t want you lingering. Funny though there were kids playing in the street with remote control cars. you can hear them in the background of the video. I guess they’re loving having all that space to themselves….I assume they live on that block,
or maybe they are secret service guys in disguise
Gary & Mawn:
Get back home soon and safely. We’ve got a lotta work to do.
Fascinating! I was at the Obama house about two weeks ago, and those barriers were not yet in place. I got right up to the house, and spoke briefly with the Secret Service officer there (his car was in the driveway). The house next door may be a decoy, because it has a large Obama placard out front.
After I and my partner for the shoot drove away from the house, we had a cop following us for about ten minutes.
They’ve really tightened things up!
I love it! And I love you guys!
What right did they have to tell you to keep walking on a public side walk? I would have been in their face.
You guys are awesome. Congratulations on such a successful trip. Travel home safely.
carol, I thought it was a bit much, but I respect what those guys do so I don’t mind complying. I thought the kids playing out front was a bit weird though….
What a trip–literally! Are you heading for St. Paul? (snark)
If you haven’t answered Greta’s question, “Are PUMAs real?” go over and tell her we sure as heck are. Some of the responses are fabulous.
http://gretawire.foxnews.com/2008/08/30/puma/#comment-1724230
Also -
the kids playing in the street probably go to the day school, which is situated next to the church (synagogue?) directly across the street from the Obama home. The Secret Serviceman described the building as a church, but it looked more like a synagogue to me. Just blocks away, Obama’s district is a total shambles. Symbol of hope and change, indeed.
Great photos!! Hey, I am attending the republican national convention tomorrow. I will be blogging live from my blog….I hope you take a peek in now and again.
Brad, we noticed that when driving from his street back to the freeway, just a few blocks away it is like a whole other world
These morans are out of their fucking minds.
Biden: Palin’s good-looking
Posted: 05:15 PM ET
From CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt
Biden and Obama campaigned in Ohio Sunday.
TOLEDO, Ohio (CNN) – Joe Biden says there are obvious differences between himself and fellow vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, but they’re not just on policy. She’s good-looking.
“There’s a gigantic difference between John McCain and Barack Obama and between me and I suspect my vice presidential opponent,” Biden said at an outdoor rally Sunday, getting ready to hit the GOP ticket for their economic policies.
“She’s good-looking,” he quipped.
“You are gorgeous!” a female supporter in the audience shouted out. Biden asked her to repeat it into the microphone so his wife at home would hear.
“I haven’t heard that in a long, long, long time,” Biden said as the audience laughed. “Being around this lean young-looking guy is making me feel pretty old, you know what I mean? I thought I was in pretty good shape until I hung out with this guy.”
At the rooftop rally, both Biden and Obama commented on Palin for the first time without prompting from reporters. Obama joked he’s now considering going to Palin’s home state of Alaska – the only state he says he hasn’t visited – but chose to focus his comments on her position on equal pay for women.
“John McCain’s new VP nominee seems like a very engaging person, a nice person. But I’ve got to say, she’s opposed – like John McCain is – to equal pay for equal work. That doesn’t make much sense to me.”
Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella called Obama’s comments a disgrace and “an absurd accusation.”
Obama later made sure his running mate realizes he’s good-looking as well.
“You see, she thinks you’re gorgeous too Joe,” said Obama. “Jill goes back home and look what happens!”
“This is worth the run,” responded Biden.
Gary & Mawm:
I am glad to see your excellent adventure is still continuing.
Believe me when I say we all wish we were in the Pumamobile with you.
Godspeed!
Carol:
Biden never said anything truer
Cool videos. I hadn’t heard the part about the 10 x 100ft strip that rendered the adjacent lot useless. Pretty disgusting stuff, if you ask me.
Thanks for taking us on your trip, guys.
gary -
Yeah, we got tons of footage of the district. I even sent a cameraman back to get more. Obama has been in charge of that place for years. This is the place he claims to have pulled out from the depths of despair. Yet when have you seen him do a live feed from those streets? No new businesses, no hospital upgrades, vast unemployment and LOTS of liquor stores.
thanks myiq, this really has been quite a journey….
I did some Googling. The Obamas have had Secret Service detail since the primaries because of REGULAR threats to their lives. If someone threatened one of my loved ones, I would be just as hard to reach. In fact, you would need to make an appointment to schedule an appointment with me.
Gary and Mawm,
We just watched your videos and they’re wonderful. It’s so nice to hear and see you!
Mister said his family had the same shocked reaction to the Wisconsin Dells when they stumbled on it many years ago. But, he didn’t remember seeing that Upside Down White House — that was a Special Treat.
I’m sorry you’re having mechanical trouble but, glad you have a chance to rest up. Take care of yourselves
xxoo
“John McCain’s new VP nominee seems like a very engaging person, a nice person
yeah, I guess she’s likeable enough…
katie we did not have trouble…I said we “broke down” figuratively, but I realized afterward that it could very well be taken literally…sorry everyone…the pumamobile is fine..
I thought the “progessive” blogosphere had hit bottom during the primaries with the crap they spewed at Hillary.
I didn’t think it could get any worse.
I was wrong, and I freely admit it.
Given this recent plague of trolls, plus so many new PUMAs coming in here, we probably would benefit by a system of checking/cross-checking so we don’t hurt each other in the cross-fire. Maybe if we have doubts then we check around on what everyone else thinks/knows of that poster.
e.g. could someone verify if P.L. above who’s so worried about Obama’s life is for real or a concern troll?
And P.L., on that note, I’d think if there is so much worry about Obama’s life then his VP pick is as critical a choice as anyone’s. And selecting a 35-year Washington DC insider to be ‘a heartbeat away’ from a message of change….is really credible or logical, IMHO.
chevalier, I usually think that if it looks like a duck…its probably a duck. but i’ve been wrong in the past. I’ve noticed some trolls who have already been banned come back acting all nice, asking why they are being moderated…If I’m not sure if it is a troll I tend to ignore them. they will generally show their true side eventually
Gary, Mawm,
You know your run-in with the security guard is a sample of what’s to come although we won’t know we are being watched.
Drive carefully tomorrow — this has been a most excellent adventure. Thanks for sharing it.
Wow, Jeralyn over on TL just said women’s rights and women’s issues are not something she’s concerned about or votes on. It’s all about the rights of the accused (her job) to her. And her preference for Hillary had nothing to do with women’s issues, etc., just about her favorite issue. Sad. Very sad. But that explains the quick turn around and Obama kool-aid drinking. I’m just about done with TL. I’m still commenting there some. But not much longer I fear.
My computer is slow right now so can’t even see the pictures? / but have dial-up so no video for me. Obama was the first POTUS candidate to get SS detail early last year because of threats . I beleive I read back then he has almost as many as Bush?
Something tells me the fairytale is over for Obama , some of the press -right wing side will be going full out now. He has had a long run of specail treatment but that has come to a halt .
Should start to get fun.
BTW I’m from hillaryclintonforum.net
And I have started to follow your great blog as well. I share the link with a friend at work . Thank you for your coverage of the CONvention.
I almost feel bad for the minority of sane people frequenting the Cheeto blog and others, though I already question why they’d stick around after the absolutely unconscionable abuse thrown at Hillary there for so many months, completely unchecked. I say this as a person who’d been on the Cheeto site since the week you could sign up for accounts. I left for good early this year.
The attack on Palin’s family brought back a bad memory from adolescence when I put on weight first and was a bit chunky, and then I got tall and was back to normal, weight wise. One of my “friends” in gym class flat out told me I looked like I was pregnant! (Cue many, many years of constantly worrying about being fat.. )
VAcardinal, the kos people used to yell and scream at anyone who refused to vote for certian Dems because they sucked on women’s issues as “purity trolls,” then they’d turn around and say that the Dems should ease up on supporting women’s issues because women don’t vote on them.
“But I’ve got to say, she’s opposed – like John McCain is – to equal pay for equal work.”
Cue Republican ad on the pay scale of Obama’s few female and nonwhite staff members.
“Obama was in a position to do good, but he did not.”
–quote from a politically connected woman from the non-Hyde Park elite
part of
Obama’s district who is afraid to go on record.
This is the only thing I’ve been able to determine about Obama’s district other
than the influence peddling.
OK, now I’m starting to think Jeralyn is being subversive and supporting Palin (and thus Hillary in 12). She’s been hammering on experience, and now she’s hammering on Palin’s ministers. So she wants this next two months to be about discussing everyone’s experience and everyone’s pastors. Confusing. But sadly she’s probably not intending to do that at all. The world is upside down indeed.
Before I go, if you wanna read a long list of humorous and unoffensive “rumors” about Sarah Palin, Hillbuzz has got you covered. I spewed a lot reading it.
Enjoy. Good night!
Night Regency.
CB, someone wrote somewhere once about how all the women Obama worked with in his community organizing days are supporting Hillary and have nothing good to say about him.
Hey folks I’ve been away from here the last couple of days due to Mr..Gustav and what he might be doing to my hometown area.
If you are interested, I was referred to a site where some cool person put in the tv feeds from the major NOLA stations.
It’s 4 feeds in 4 viewers on 1 web page. Now you’ll have to mute the ones you don’t want to listen to. However, it’ll give you an idea of what’s being reported from nola as Gustav moves through. Hopefully it will be very dull!
http://maroonspoon.com/wx/gustav.html
Thanks for these! That picture – with the PUMAmobile next to it will probably remain the symbolic visual of this years’ election. Great eye!
Regency, on September 1st, 2008 at 3:31
Worth a read!!!!
Gary/Mawm – I almost recommended that you guys contact Fox to meet you at BZero’s – interesting and you guys have gravitas for driving the enormous and gorgeous PUMA RV to the abode – in Chicago no less.
Love the “upside down” white house pic – so appropriate to the situation.
Keep safe – thanks for all you do.
GREAT WORK GUYS!!
Your knowledge of the details surrounding the Rezko/Obama
house deal were “SPOT-ON”!
Did you get a picture on the plot side??!!
I wish someone would ASK Obama , WHY he thinks Rekzo
& his wife, both not having sufficent documented income @ the time; would make such a “BONE-HEADED” deal??
the picture looks like the PUMA mobile flipped the WH over!
PUMA HAKA
gary, Mawm: I can take the knuckle out of my mouth now that I know that you guys are safe. What a great experience you had and for inviting us along on this journey. As someone said earlier, we have a lot of work ahead of us but I feel more and more confident that we can make that difference. Safe journey back to NC. XX00
WOW!!! YOU GUYS DID IT!
Unbelievable – you both are truly the Infantry Co-Commanders of the Rebel Alliance!
That same upside down house is in Orlando – Wonderworks or something like that.
Godspeed & BE SAFE!!!
I just wanted to share one picture with you from the quintessential American tourist trap called Wisconsin Dells.
Uh, is it pointless to ask WHY they made it upside down???
Of course, we can certainly relate to that right now.
Drive safely you guys, and get some rest tonight. What’s your ETA?
When you drove down I-65, you were within one and a half miles of where I am right now, as I had e-mailed you! So sorry you were able to drive on by, without so much as a “Sorry we don’t consider you a PUMA worth acknowledging!” and break down 2 hours later. Good luck!
[Edited to say:
This is the sort of attack comment that I was referring to. In the future such comments will be deleted without explanation. Let this one stand as an example -- katiebird]
I do apologize for not being able to contact you karolina. we have had spotty internet and power issues the whole trip. PLEASE do not take it personally. And finally, we did not “break down” in the literal sense. I meant that we “broke down” and got a hotel room because after a full week we were tired of sleeping in the RV. The pumamobile is running fine!
CB, someone wrote somewhere once about how all the women Obama worked with in his community organizing days are supporting Hillary and have nothing good to say about him.
That’s another obvious point of negligence re: the MSM: WHERE are the interviews with people who used to work with him, or as someone else pointed out–why doesn’t this guy have lifelong friends? There must be some kind of strict gag order from the Chicago thugs to zip it or else.
Gary and Mawm,
I was in the Dells for the day on 8/30 and I’m sorry I missed seeing the Pumamobile.
The Dells are a family getaway spot for people from Chicago and Illinois. There are many lakes in the Dells.
I live in Geneva in Kane County which is very Republican and I work in Chicago. There aren’t many McCain yard signs out yet although there are a few Obama ones here.
Chicago votes overwhemingly Democratic in elections, but the rest of the state tends to vote Republican. In a national election, the state can go Republican if Republican turnout in the rest of the state is greater than Chicago’s Democratic turnout. I hope when Obama loses after months of Republican attacks that he will not carry Illinois. The Chicago Machine is not what it once was, yet the second Mayor Daley does keep a tight rein on it all.
But I ask that people stop referring to Chicago thugs. Please call it the Chicago machine. Obama is a product of the Chicago machine. Not everyone in the Chicago area is an obat who acts badly. I am a Chicago area Puma.
And if I had known that Gary and Mawm were in the area, I would have invited them to park in my driveway and spend the night.
“fif”
There were “2″ women from then on the FOX news Obama
special.
Fredster, on September 1st, 2008 at 6:02 am Said:
Thanks, very cool link. Thanks too for the smartie that put it together.
garychapelhil: Thank you for the apology.
katiebird: We have all been very emotionally wounded this past week.
Some of us are so hurt that we don’t realize when we are rude to other people.
Some of us are so sensitive that we are offended by things that normally would never affect us.
Some of us feel that if we exercise control over everything around us, everything inside will seem alright.
All three types of victims absolutely need time to heal the inner chaos.
[...] You Can Run, But You Can’t Hyde! (by garychapelhill at The Confluence) Do you ever get the feeling that the whole world is upside down? Upside-down White House [...]
my mom always said, “pretty is as pretty does.”
I guess that means, “ugly is as ugly does.”
oblahblah is so ugly he has to sneak up on a glass of water.