The President's Mailman (Great article!)

[HopeOverFear]

New York Times

[br />

By ASHLEY PARKER
Published: April 19, 2009

The ritual offers Mr. Obama a way to move beyond the White House bubble, and occasionally leads to moments when his composure cracks, advisers said. “I remember once he was particularly quiet,” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, “and I asked him what he was thinking about, and he said, ‘These letters just tear you up.’ It was after getting a poignant letter from a struggling family.”

Some letters begin “I didn’t vote for you”; others end “May God bless.” One missive came in the form of baseboard molding, covered with $2.70 in stamps and a scrawl urging the president to “Fix housing 1st!” Heaps of letters offer advice on the best treats for the first dog, Bo, and people have sent in colorful dog sweaters.

Mr. Kelleher said the president had used the letters to ask policy questions of government agencies, and Mr. Axelrod recalled a letter circulated among staff members from a woman in Glendale, Ariz., who was in danger of losing her home because her husband had lost his job.

The White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, said Mr. Obama “believes it’s easy in Washington to forget there are real people with real challenges being affected by the debate.” Mr. Emanuel added that he had seen the president turn to policy advisers in meetings and say, “No, no, no. I want to read you a letter that I got. I want you to understand.”

[opihimoimoi]

1. One more sign of a Caring Sharing President.....not seen in 8 long terrible years

[dkf]

2. How can you not love this man?

He may not be perfect, but he will always try to do what is best.

We are very lucky to have him.

[Diamonique]

7. "He may not be perfect, but he will always try to do what is best."

Just wanted to see that again. :-)

[Skittles]

3. awesome

:thumbsup:

[HopeOverFear]

4. Kick

[sonias]

5. Nice story

Mike Kelleher has a tough job. Glad he seems to like it and I'm happy to hear all the different letters the President gets.

Keep up the good work Mr. Kelleher!

:applause:


Sonia

[Captain Hilts]

6. Cool. I've read volumes and volumes of books of letters to the Roosevelts.

these could be interesting too.

[HopeOverFear]

11. Maybe one day we'll get to read books of letters to Obama

[Cha]

8. Thankfully, Pres Obama is not

going to forget what it's like outside that DC Bubble that so many are trapped in.

[Ilsa]

9. Exactly! Fixing the economy isn't about spouting new policies.

It's about getting people back to work, and making homes and their loans affordable, and stopping a landslide of evictions. How is a new policy going to affect any of those things, and quickly?

[renate]

10. that really is a wonderful article... I wish I could give this a thousand Rs

Our President really cares about the citizens of this country, not as voters but as human beings. I know our founding fathers and founding mothers would be so proud to see the country led by someone like this.

:loveya: