Obamas Have Dinner, Racists Erupt

Response shows ugly nature of American mood: Silva

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 5, 2009 6:04 AM CDT

(Newser) – This weekend Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Silva wrote up a pool report about Barack and Michelle Obama's quiet anniversary dinner—and quickly found it flooded, on a Sunday, with hundreds of angry comments. Many focused on the first couple's use of a motorcade, which every president has used, but several dozen overtly racist comments had to be censored. For Silva, much of the day's vitriol has to derive from "the inability of a lot of people to accept a black man as president."

The president and first lady chose a relatively modest DC restaurant for their anniversary and were back at the White House by 9:30, yet commenters brutalized them for supposed profligacy or indifference to fellow Americans. "It suggests something deeply troubling about the American mood," Silva writes. "It's time, we suggest, that a lot of people look a lot more closely at themselves before lashing out so feverishly at a middle-aged man and his wife going out to dinner for their 17th anniversary. Is it really the dinner?"

[Images (4)]

[Quotes (1)]

Barack and Michelle Obama walk across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 2,2009, upon their return from Copenhagen, Denmark . (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary Saturday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Barack and Michelle Obama walk to the Blue Duck Tavern, in West End area of Washington, Saturday, Oct 3, 2009. The first couple is celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Barack and Michelle Obama after they arrive to make a presentation in support of Chicago as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, in Copenhagen. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

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In sifting through the hundreds of comments offered here today, we have had to withhold many— dozens really—for their overt expressions of racism. That's sad: not that we've held them back, but that we even had to read them in the editing.
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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 91 comments

Cher

Oct 10, 2009 7:50 AM CDT

Goody Goody for you. So you and your husband go out to dinner on your anniversary. You act like you and the Obamas are the only ones in the world that has ever thought of that. Man-O-Man is sure hope their dinner was just "awesome". I really don't care what they did on their anniversary as long as it didn''t cost the tax payers. Hurrah for the Obamas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cher

Oct 10, 2009 7:38 AM CDT

He has done nothing to make me respect him!!! Look at the people this man has had dealings with. Not just from Chicago (good ol' Chicago politics, real people with values) but check out his Zsars. I am older than you and I have never seen anything like this mess our government is in right now because of Obama. It is a pity and it is a shame. I don't care about his dinner with is wife, but the money they have spent to go to dinner in New York, THEIR vacations (plural) in just 8 months on the job is horrible when others are trying to make a living for their families and these jerks use OUR tax money the way they have is inexcusable. Taking two planes to Copenhagen cost in the millions. This was not for ALL the American people this was a payback for all their Chicago cronies. They should have to foot the bill as it did nothing for any other city or state. And by the way Bush DID NOT have MORE vacation days than work days. If you want to be believed at all at least tell the truth and spell our country with a capital "A".

Cher

Oct 10, 2009 7:17 AM CDT

Thank you very much. Let us not forget the bowing to the Saudi King. That proves he is a Muslim. He called us arrogant while he was in Europe and apologized for us. I don't need anyone to apologize for me! We would probably really come unglued if we knew the truth about what all he has done in his 8 months in the White House. Very scary to me.

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Barack Obama • Michelle Obama • White House • racism • anniversary • right wingers • first families

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Obamas Have Dinner, Racists Erupt