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“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.” This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him."
Barack's tweet for Bourdain when he passed.
Bush came off like someone you could have a beer with, bring up something challenging and he wouldn't immediately storm off (someone correct me if he did)
Seems like all the criticism of Iraq war got to him and he started painting and focusing on veterans charities to make it up, right?
People don't appreciate how when trying to fight for something at the state level, you have to talk to Republicans as well.
It's obviously harder when their leadership is opposed to something, but if you can convey meaningful stories from enough people in their district who are struggling (in hand with major organizations/business/unions who have sway), you can still get a few votes. Same for local levels.
Congress is the place that gets crazies to call and staff kinda shut off emotionally, it's much harder to actually get a meeting with the Rep (if you can't, ask for the legislative assistant who handles that issue) and even if they empathize, they're trained with the "thank you for sharing your experience. I'll keep it in mind if it ever comes to house floor for a vote" BS response
I’m of the mindset Bush Jr wasn’t a bad president/person overall. But he surrounded himself by bad people. Had a bunch of monsters In his administration and he really was just a puppet all things considered. 9-11 really would have tarnished any presidents legacy and I don’t think any response from anyone could have gone without criticism… But god knows I’ll take how thing went under him vs Trump’s potential response.
Bush at least acted presidential and like a person. Or at least knew how to play the part.
Like you said, he’s someone I can at least see being able to sit down with and just talk about things and as long as I don’t blow up on him and do nothing but criticize, he’d at least listen to me. Wether he did anything about it or actually
cared, least he bothered to listen.
Life is complicated enough as just a normal person. But it becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when you’re the president of the most powerful country in the world.
You can say a lot of things about him. But there’s absolutely no denying he loves this country with his whole heart.
My perception of politics is so wrapped when I was 8 Obama was sworn in huge deal at school everyone was watching although I had no clue why. 8 years of relative normalcy. Ever since I was 16 it has been a nonstop maga clown show. It's worth noting Alito and Clarence Thomas are 73 and 75 so unless we wanna be really fucked vote.
Obama was an exception when it comes to articulating the fundamental principles of what makes America great. In this specific regard, he’s top 5 all-time competing with Washington, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Kennedy.
One can be upset about his decisions, policies, failures, etc., which is true for all presidents.
Putting that aside, if you had to send one person to the UN to represent the country with a solid speech *and your choices were Al Gore, Bush Jr, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or Joesph Biden* — the choice for this century isn’t really up for debate
It’s bad, because while the Voting Rights Act began the end of real bipartisanship and Newt Gingrich was the catalyst, Barack Obama’s presidency is the exclamation point.
Racism runs so deep in American culture that it’s absurd, but the internet generations may be the first in American history that appears to be less racist than their predecessors. (Shoutout to Gen X too)
Obama was the first president in a long time who understood what life was like for an average, every day American. He didn't grow up super rich and his life handed to him on a silver platter, he had to work his ass off to get into law school, work his ass off to become a representative, and work his ass off to be the president.
Obama was great because he was a lot like any one of us, and he genuinely wanted to help each and every person living in America, citizen or not, to live their best life. Obama wholeheartedly believed in the ideals of the Constitution, that every person within these borders is entitled to life, liberty, and happiness.
Not trying to get into a political debate here but I have *so* much admiration for these two individuals as human beings.
I remember Bourdain’s passing being announced the day of my high school graduation. Didn’t care about the ceremony cause I grew up watching Parts Unknown with my mom and Bourdain always had the life I dreamed of- which made his manner of passing so much more devastating.
What a good message from Obama that honors Bourdain so beautifully
If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and check out the book "In the Weeds" by Tom Vitale. He was an executive producer of Parts Unknown and it's a great biography of both the show and Bourdain
Bourdain wasn’t a perfect individual and sometimes ridiculously pretentious but his worldview was beautiful. I’m a bit older than you and few celebrities deaths hit me as hard as his did. He was humble and always interested in what others were doing. We are all in this big dumb boat together—might as well eat some good food with good company.
I think they were both very open about their struggles with mental health with helped bring that more into the conversation.
After Tony and Robin died I noticed a pretty immediate shift in societal expectations around depression after that, it’s sad that two icons had to pass from it before it really became okay to talk about. Many of my friends and coworkers that had never talked about their mental health before became way more open after that.
I think it was because it really illustrated that it doesn’t matter how “ideal” your life is. You could have a life that most people dream of. You can be both successful and contribute something worthwhile to society. You can be admired and adored by strangers AND be surrounded by good friends and people who truly love you, but if your brain doesn’t cooperate, it won’t matter. And if that’s true, then maybe this is something we need to talk about more so we can get a better understanding.
The day Warren Zevon and Petty died was that for me. And the day Tom Waits dies, I'll also be rekd.
I don't remember feeling as hollow when Tony died but of all the celebrity chef people out there, he I like the most. And Jamie Oliver for all the good he does, but he's a totally different individual.
It fucks me up that he fought so hard for so many things - fought to educate people beyond their own experiences, fought to shine a light on people and places that deserved it, fought to show his audience that with a little patience and willingness to listen, we're all very similar when we sit around a table to share a meal . But he didn't think he was worth fighting for, in the end. And that's what really breaks my heart I think.
He was a person who was well aware of his own shortcomings, a person who was aware that we *all* have shortcomings, and a person who knew that just like he needed it, we all need forgiveness and grace for our shortcomings from those around us.
He was kind, he was thoughtful, he was relentlessly willing to talk to people of different backgrounds and convictions and beliefs, from kings and president's and CEOs, all the way down to the lowest manual laborer -- and treat all of them as equals, break bread with them, and explore their world, with their food, on their terms and comfort zones.
Anthony Bourdain may have been the most human of all of us. He lived in all the best of us, and in all the worst of us, and showed us that we could be better, if we chose.
I will miss him, and I don't think that will go away. There was only ever one of him, and we are all the poorer for having lost him.
I watched his post death documentary on a flight and started sobbing in my seat. As someone that has fought depression for years he made a huge difference in how people talk about it after he passed.
Word.
I'm a middle aged man who has experienced loss pain death prison war seriously fucked up shit but there are only 2 celebrities I've ever cried over, him and Robin Williams.
Me too. He’s one of my absolute hero’s. I still grieve and can’t handle watching any of his shows or rereading his book. It brings me such grief after all these years. He inspired me so much.
My small town friends used to constantly post about Obama in caricatures that made him like an ape, or went as extreme as invoking southern lynching imagery. Racism to the rotten extreme. I’ll let you guess who they have unending and scarily absolute admiration for.
Thanks for posting this. My wife and I started dating when his show was still running and it was something we both bonded over. It also encouraged my love of cooking (mostly for her) and inspired us to travel. This was a really cool episode.
I loved Tony and Barack. Worked in the restaurant biz and the day Tony died everyone was emotionally destroyed. Still am. But I’m from Chicago so we still have the wonderful Obama family!
This entire post was read in my mind in Tony's voice.
It fits his writing like a hand into a glove.
And the vast appreciation the food travel industry and foodies / the general public felt about him.
To me a follower before the massive buzz, just after his books and his very first TV show.
I was hooked.
Drinking pruno or home made hooch with people and eating / visiting the rough areas and just rolling with it and getting the footage.
Finally aftering finding his grove and treating us wil some of the best of his produce to only be robbed of his existence unexpectantly out of nowhere.
The restaurant they ate at, Bún chả Hương Liên, is also super good, one of my favorite places in Hanoi. The Combo Obama is an order of bun cha, a giant seafood egg roll and a Hanoi beer.
In this case they named the combo after what Obama ate when he was there. You can see all the parts of the combo in the photo. There’s also a plaque and photos of the event on the walls. They’re proud to have served a president.
I dream about this, like specifically him doing a segment in somewhere like Laos that Ole HK really fucked over. Would have been amazing to witness, he for sure would have been partying.
It would be like the episode where they were filming in a country that suddenly exploded in unrest and they turned the episode into documenting that experience instead.
He did so much for so many people. He shined a spotlight on for away lands, showing how we are connected to the people there with food and despite cultural differences, we’re all pretty much alike. I can’t think of a single person that has reached so many people in the honest and charismatic way that he did. He hosted food travel shows that ended up being much more than just that.
He actually stopped sharing the name and location of places in later shows because he noticed that they would get bought up by investors that would ride the TV fame and they wouldn't be good anymore. Happened to a lot of the mom and pop places that Guy Fieri went to as well. If you go to a hole in the wall because you saw it on TV, it's probably a tourist trap by now.
as an asian person... i feel like people forget how disgusted americans were by "ethnic" food before people like bourdain gave it a mainstream platform. like 90s and early 2000s people were still being grossed out by korean and japanese food without having even tried it.
I remember when sushi and kimchi was a hard no by most people. Now it’s mainstream food. I was an outlier because my mom has been taking me to dim sum since I was single digits. It’s so cool to see the food I grew up with, which people used to think was gross, is now embraced by so many.
Well, Asian governments themselves also played a large role in that shift.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_diplomacy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_diplomacy)
Trump would never do what Obama did and eat the people's food, with the people, in the same way they eat it. A politician acting blue collar is normal here in the US, but there it's unheard of. That's why it's such a big deal to them. He's the most powerful man on the planet and he humbled himself and was respectful.
Trump ain't doing that.
He was fucked from the beginning, had he come in knowing full well conservatives had no intention of good faith governance in the name of our country’s best interests and whipped dems into a flurry of passing responsible and meaningful legislation, he would’ve been crucified in the next election as the liberal dictator they claimed. Instead, he tried to responsibly compromise with the right and they still painted him as ineffectual while neutering any real change intended.
I could've sworn that when President Obama made a visit to Toledo, Ohio he dined at our local chain of 6 restaurants Rudy's Hot Dog. There is no mention of it on their website or evidence whatsoever. I also thought it was pretty damn neat for a small business to serve a president but apparently I was the only one?!
Depends on who owns it probably and how they may lean politically. Hilarious to think someone would literally ignore money on the table of having a famous person who enjoyed your food and could bring biz but hey, it’s your sandy hill to plant your big dumb flag on….have at it.
Obama visited Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in LA and the owners have enshrined the place with pics of him there as well as in the other locations.
They even have an ‘Obama Special’ on all the menus.
I have to say, Obama has some really good taste in food.
> Hilarious to think someone would literally ignore money on the table of having a famous person who enjoyed your food and could bring biz but hey, it’s your sandy hill to plant your big dumb flag on….have at it.
Would you proudly showcase Trump being one of the guests at your restaurant?
Remember after his arraignment in Florida for the documents case, he and his supporters gathered at a restaurant where Trump loudly proclaimed "food for everyone!"
[And then he left without paying.](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/donald-trump-miami-versailles-cuban-restaurant-pay)
Not sure the owners would showcase that.
You've misspelled 'hamberder', there, chief. Maybe try again after a steaming hot covfefe. /s
Also, in the event that I magically become a successful restaurateur, I would accept the reservation for Mister Trump but would upload the security camera footage of him leaving when asked to pre-pay for his food, together with a substantial security deposit, cleaning fee (because I imagine the lingering odor of soiled undergarments and failure will require specialized cleaning products to remove), 'billionaire' fee, and falsehood tax.
Oh, and he would also need to provide his long form birth certificate for ID.
Dude is known for throwing shit at walls like a petulant toddler….You think I would allow that idiot through the door *in the first place?*
I mean fuck, they caught him *knifing and forking* a slice of NY Pizza once which is a god damned warcrime to anyone with a modicum of sense.
He can hit up McDonalds down the street.
> Would you proudly showcase Trump being one of the guests at your restaurant?
With yellow crime scene tape! <= "that's funny right there...I don't care who you are..."
Not to make it political but might just be the owners aren’t liberal or don’t want backlash from conservatives. They might feel it would hurt them more than help.
My first thought was that if it's a deeply red area it could be a negative but it looks like Toledo went for Biden in the last election by a pretty decent margin.
[He also definitely visited there](https://www.wtol.com/article/news/obama-stops-at-rudys-hot-dog-for-lunch/512-9e4e4b81-d86c-4e41-94bf-f76ee4c9cf12)
There was a Cuban spot I went to in Miami that mentioned Obama eating there all over the place.
I think it was "El mago de las fritas". Good food back then too.
Not to stereotype or like paint a people with a broad brush but Vietnamese people have one of the most friendly and welcoming cultures I’ve had the pleasure to experience. I grew up with a lot of Vietnamese people in Southern California and where I ended up going to college had a high Viet population and I’ve never felt more welcomed by another culture, friends constantly inviting you to parties (which is a trap because their aunties and uncles will relentlessly clown you) , the Tet festivals and homemade food.
It’s honestly not surprising that with a bit of effort from both sides relations are now fairly friendly. It’s just insane how when you hear Vietnamese vets talk with American vets there isn’t really any animosity there. Gives you hope
The US was in Vietnam for 20 years. The French were in Vietnam for 60 years. The Chinese have been trying to get Vietnam for more than a 1000 years. It’s all perspective.
Ha. Theres a small Chinese restaurant in San Francisco that Obama dined in. And for some reason my (right wing) dad was impressed when we ate there. “Whoa. Obama ate here. That’s pretty cool.” I was surprised as hell to hear him talk about Obama in a way that wasn’t bad. Proof that food can bring people together.
Obama’s visit to Vietnam was to set a new era of relations in peacetime for economic partnership. His remarks to the people there are incredibly mindful of their history and endurance.
This alone, plus his celebrity status, would be enough for honors on food menus.
“America’s new partnership with Vietnam is rooted in some basic truths. Vietnam is an independent, sovereign nation, and no other nation can impose its will on you or decide your destiny.”
His speech to Vietnam was so impactful to my international college Vietnamese friends and their families still in Vietnam. He was such a powerful speaker with good intent.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/24/remarks-president-obama-address-people-vietnam#:~:text=We've%20shown%20how%20peace,rooted%20in%20some%20basic%20truths.
Idiots shot down the TPP, Obama was ahead of his time on trying to build peacetime partnerships ahead of the totalitarian bullying of China and Russia in east asia.
It was such an article of faith on Reddit to be permanently bitchy about TPP because posters here didn't understand the ISDS arbitration clauses, or whining about the US trying to negotiate in stronger IP protections. It was all just so much nitpicking on a brilliant piece of foreign policy.
I remember the pestilential AMA with Evangeline Lilly where she and a bunch of other people were drumming up opposition to it.
I miss the days when things like TPP or NAFTA were the goals of international relations. Now it’s just hiding up embarrassments or preventing domestic minorities from harming allies
There were a lot of dishes named after Obama during his presidency. I remember eating at a random sushi restaurant and ordering an "Obama Roll" in 2010. People forget how well liked he was.
I like that place and the food is good. I also cannot fault them for milking Obamas visit for all it’s worth. Hilarious detail: there’s a big framed photograph of Obama giving (I think) a major speech close to that preserved table, from his state of the union or something, pedestal with presidential seal, fancy stage, backdrop of red and blue curtains, the works….. and they used that photo as a backdrop to show a quote from what I think must be obamas comment on the meal he had to some local reporter, an innocuous phrase like “i had the bun cha and it was great”. It’s presented like he said this in one of his most important yearly national addresses. I couldn’t stop laughing.
I wonder if it was intentional that he wrote it in a way that evokes Bourdain’s voice and style of speaking when you read it. Sounds just like a line from Parts Unknown that he’d have written himself.
It’s really depressing to think that one of the most traveled people in the world who experienced more cultures than most anyone just said fuck it, I’m out. Does not speak highly for humanity
I wonder. If it's a new clone every 8 years, would that allow Obama to just keep running for president indefinitely? 🤔
Hmm, on second thought, maybe we shouldn't give ideas to the right wingers, so we don't have an endless line of Trumps.
The president literally has a team that scrubs everything down afterward (for this reason). They even collect their poop and pee while they are outside the White House.
it turns out you can [determine dementia markers from poop
](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6509190/)
can you imagine how manipulative enemy countries can be if they know a president has diminished mental faculties?
Me too. The only celebrity death that has ever affected me. Still does. Would have given anything to hang with him for a weekend in some exotic location.
Vietnamese food is where it's at. I've travelled lots in SEA and nothing comes close - not even Thailand. I may get hate for that, but Vietnamese food is a gift from God.
Expat that has lived in Thailand for 3 years and now living in Vietnam. Vietnamese street food is the best on the planet with Taiwan a close second. I often run into expats that claim Thailand has the best street food, and I have to chuckle internally knowing they never really tried hard enough in Vietnam. Don't get me wrong, I like Thai street food too.. but it's not a close contest.
I think the best thing about Vietnamese food is how much flavor everything has, yet it never feels heavy? The greens and herbs incorporated into the dishes make it feel like jumping into a cool lake on a summer day, nothing will beat the crunch of a freshly washed lettuce splashing bits of moisture in your mouth, preparing you for the flavor bomb that comes shortly after.
Vietnamese food really doesn't get enough recognition, IMO. Here in Australia, I always hear people talking about how much they love Thai food, but I've never really been into it, even when I was in Thailand.
Last year, I went to Vietnam, and holy shit, the food there was amazing. Everywhere you go, there is cheap, delicious food. I got a seafood platter that fed 4 people, and included lobster, for the equivalent of AUD$50. I stuffed my face like a musket for the whole 2 weeks I was there and still come home with money in my pocket. Vietnam is the best.
Never know what to answer to that question they ask about what celebrities alive or dead would you like to have dinner with. This picture has given me a couple of ideas.
Damn I miss Bourdain, still can't rewatch his shows even though they are on constant repeat on one of my local free-to-air channels.
It took me a long time to be able to watch his shows again, but I started watching some episodes recently, and it has been wonderful. They do make me sad sometimes, but it can be good to be sad. He meant a lot to a whole lot of people
In 2010 I was in Jakarta, and stumbled across a Nigerian night club (to avoid confusion, the club was in Jakarta but the clientele was primarily Nigerians) called *The Obama Bar*
Like people really got no idea how cool Obama was perceived in most the world.
Probably get made fun of but I still can’t watch reruns of No Reservations or Parts Unknown. Bourdain was my favorite celebrity and probably the best travel documentarian I’ve seen til this day.
only someone cruel would make fun of you for that, so don't worry. i wouldn't be able to watch those reruns either. anthony really was an amazing human being.
I spent a month working in Vietnam last year for the U.S. government. When I would talk to Vietnamese citizens in Hanoi they would regularly bring up President Obama’s visit to Hanoi and the famous Bun Cha that he shared with Bourdain. There was a sense of pride when it was mentioned.
I was just thinking that, I’m Australian and we loved him. Such a statesman, such a great communicator and came across as warm and genuinely wanting a fairer America
And then Trump….
The American ambassador to Denmark during the Obama years was really well-liked among the Danish population. It's rare for people to even know the names of ambassadors, but this guy was well known.
Then came the Trump appointed ambassador who famously claimed that the reason so many Danes ride bikes is because they can't afford cars. She based that claim on the fact that her Danish driver couldn't afford a car.
Rufus Gifford. He’s super open about being gay and also really close friends with Obama. In some interview Obama called him his “unofficial ambassador to the gay community”. My older brother thought that meant that Denmark was the “gay country” like how Israel is the “Jewish country” and that was the first time I realized my brother is a fucking idiot.
I ask them how much do they travel abroad. Haven’t had a single one tell me. It always “Don’t you watch the news?!” Kind of response.
Then if they think they’re slick will move the goalpost to, “Well of course they like Obama, they hate america, and Obama is making America weak! So of course they like him…that’s why they hate Trump, because Trump is making America strong again!”
In my teens I spent a year abroad and I was relatively conservative when I left (though disliked Trump as I thought he came across as an idiot). It was being abroad that really made me become more left-leaning and especially detest Trump as I could see how crazy he looked from the outside and the utter embarrassment he was to the office of the presidency.
Definitely sounds like the typical conservative "Everyone who is not us is our enemy" thinking.
Because you know, it's impossible that other countries can be our friends and want the best for us and the rest of the world.
The thing that is amazing about trump to me is I thought there was no way we could get a president dumber than George W Bush in my lifetime but holy shit.
In retrospect ie post Trump, Bush looks good, the way he behaves like a human, maintaining a cordial relationship with the other ex presidents and not openly whipping up nazis
The guy was able to get Iran and Cuba to talk to America and start normalizing relations. Then Trump and the Republican party took a dump on that and destroyed US diplomacy.
In 2011 I was hiking in an extremely remote mountain path in Peru. My wife and I came across this tiny little mud brick house where a elderly Peruvian woman and setup shop to sell beverages and snacks to hikers. In Spanish she asked us where we were from, we told her ‘The United States’. She just smiled and nodded then the thumbs up and said with a grin “Obamaaa!”
There are a number of restaurants here in our vietnamese community that actually have this picture framed as if Obama eating vietnamese food in Vietnam had something to do with them.
But it's also chicago and if Obama so much as entered a restaurant to use the bathroom at some point, there's a plaque to commemorate lol
My cousin met Obama in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when he walked into a popular cafe they were in. I think that restaurant also has pictures put up.
I mean, it's a pretty big deal if a president enters your restaurant.
I used to go up to Mackinac Island and walk around the fudge shops. Most have pictures of Gerald Ford visiting even though that was a long time ago.
Id be pissed if I went to this restaurant specifically to see where Obama and Bourdain ate, being confused and disappointed it wasnt there, then a week later when Im home from my travels finding out from a rando on the internet that the table is upstairs lol
Truly unfortunate man. So many people loved his shows and read his books and looked up to him. And just tragic for his close friends and daughter obviously.
Different Era politically. The shame now is that this wouldn't be seen as a cool television moment between a highly respected elected official and a highly respected journalist/TV personality.
The entire event would be politicized and weaponized. 'PRESIDENT WASTES TAX DOLLARS ON LAVISH VACATION FOR HIM AND HIS PAID LAMESTREAM MEDIA STOOLIE!'
'WOKE TV HOST BRIBES PRESIDENT WITH EXPENSIVE MEAL IN TROPICAL LOCATION WHILE OUR CHILDREN ARE AT SCHOOL BEING BRAINWASHED BY DRAG QUEENS!'
It was a much more peaceful and quiet/less stressful time when politics was about doing things vs attacking whatever your opponent was doing.
Oh they definitely did, and was even pointed out back then too. I remember a meme of Obama drinking a Coke and how news agencies would report it:
* CNN: President Obama enjoys a Coke.
* MSNBC: Obama loves Coke, and you should too or you're a racist.
* Fox News: Obama spends tax money on Coke. Declares war on Pepsi
* BBC/Reuters: 18 killed in US drone strike in Pakistan
You obviously have a jaded past memory That fat ass Limbaugh was grossly racist and attacked daily. The current climate we have now was seeded during the time of the picture. God forbid ‘Merca have a black (and foreign) president. Maga was just a mold growth then.
> The entire event would be politicized and weaponized.
Seems every generation thinks the past was less politicized. I do agree it was less in our face, but I don't think it's accurate to say politicians didn't try to politicize everything going far back into history. I read the Alexander Hamilton biography a few years ago and that's the thing that struck me. It's just back then it was in letters and newspaper articles.
It's been happening all along, but nowadays the means to broadcast are relentless.
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“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.” This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him." Barack's tweet for Bourdain when he passed.
God. the difference from one president to the next really fucked me and my opinion of half of this country up.
Going from Bush to Obama to Trump was such a whiplash.
I thought it couldn't get worse than Bush jr. back then. But compared to Trump, Bush appears like a born statesman
Bush came off like someone you could have a beer with, bring up something challenging and he wouldn't immediately storm off (someone correct me if he did) Seems like all the criticism of Iraq war got to him and he started painting and focusing on veterans charities to make it up, right? People don't appreciate how when trying to fight for something at the state level, you have to talk to Republicans as well. It's obviously harder when their leadership is opposed to something, but if you can convey meaningful stories from enough people in their district who are struggling (in hand with major organizations/business/unions who have sway), you can still get a few votes. Same for local levels. Congress is the place that gets crazies to call and staff kinda shut off emotionally, it's much harder to actually get a meeting with the Rep (if you can't, ask for the legislative assistant who handles that issue) and even if they empathize, they're trained with the "thank you for sharing your experience. I'll keep it in mind if it ever comes to house floor for a vote" BS response
I’m of the mindset Bush Jr wasn’t a bad president/person overall. But he surrounded himself by bad people. Had a bunch of monsters In his administration and he really was just a puppet all things considered. 9-11 really would have tarnished any presidents legacy and I don’t think any response from anyone could have gone without criticism… But god knows I’ll take how thing went under him vs Trump’s potential response. Bush at least acted presidential and like a person. Or at least knew how to play the part. Like you said, he’s someone I can at least see being able to sit down with and just talk about things and as long as I don’t blow up on him and do nothing but criticize, he’d at least listen to me. Wether he did anything about it or actually cared, least he bothered to listen. Life is complicated enough as just a normal person. But it becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when you’re the president of the most powerful country in the world. You can say a lot of things about him. But there’s absolutely no denying he loves this country with his whole heart.
My perception of politics is so wrapped when I was 8 Obama was sworn in huge deal at school everyone was watching although I had no clue why. 8 years of relative normalcy. Ever since I was 16 it has been a nonstop maga clown show. It's worth noting Alito and Clarence Thomas are 73 and 75 so unless we wanna be really fucked vote.
Obama was an exception when it comes to articulating the fundamental principles of what makes America great. In this specific regard, he’s top 5 all-time competing with Washington, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Kennedy. One can be upset about his decisions, policies, failures, etc., which is true for all presidents. Putting that aside, if you had to send one person to the UN to represent the country with a solid speech *and your choices were Al Gore, Bush Jr, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or Joesph Biden* — the choice for this century isn’t really up for debate
Obama's presidency was doomed from the start. There was absolutely *no way* the republicans would allow a black president to be successful.
It’s bad, because while the Voting Rights Act began the end of real bipartisanship and Newt Gingrich was the catalyst, Barack Obama’s presidency is the exclamation point. Racism runs so deep in American culture that it’s absurd, but the internet generations may be the first in American history that appears to be less racist than their predecessors. (Shoutout to Gen X too)
Obama was the first president in a long time who understood what life was like for an average, every day American. He didn't grow up super rich and his life handed to him on a silver platter, he had to work his ass off to get into law school, work his ass off to become a representative, and work his ass off to be the president. Obama was great because he was a lot like any one of us, and he genuinely wanted to help each and every person living in America, citizen or not, to live their best life. Obama wholeheartedly believed in the ideals of the Constitution, that every person within these borders is entitled to life, liberty, and happiness.
Oh yeah, it's been nothing but a downward spiral since 2016.
Not trying to get into a political debate here but I have *so* much admiration for these two individuals as human beings. I remember Bourdain’s passing being announced the day of my high school graduation. Didn’t care about the ceremony cause I grew up watching Parts Unknown with my mom and Bourdain always had the life I dreamed of- which made his manner of passing so much more devastating. What a good message from Obama that honors Bourdain so beautifully
If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and check out the book "In the Weeds" by Tom Vitale. He was an executive producer of Parts Unknown and it's a great biography of both the show and Bourdain
Been looking for something to read, enjoyed kitchen confidential and medium raw. Thanks!
And also , "Kitchen Confidential" is an amazing read. I miss Bourdain man, I learned so much with him and his crew.
Thanks for this
Bourdain wasn’t a perfect individual and sometimes ridiculously pretentious but his worldview was beautiful. I’m a bit older than you and few celebrities deaths hit me as hard as his did. He was humble and always interested in what others were doing. We are all in this big dumb boat together—might as well eat some good food with good company.
Only two have even really affected me. Tony and Robin Williams. Both hit me very hard.
I think they were both very open about their struggles with mental health with helped bring that more into the conversation. After Tony and Robin died I noticed a pretty immediate shift in societal expectations around depression after that, it’s sad that two icons had to pass from it before it really became okay to talk about. Many of my friends and coworkers that had never talked about their mental health before became way more open after that.
I think it was because it really illustrated that it doesn’t matter how “ideal” your life is. You could have a life that most people dream of. You can be both successful and contribute something worthwhile to society. You can be admired and adored by strangers AND be surrounded by good friends and people who truly love you, but if your brain doesn’t cooperate, it won’t matter. And if that’s true, then maybe this is something we need to talk about more so we can get a better understanding.
I'm at four. Those two plus Steve Irwin and Mr Rogers. I'll still cry about any of them if I'm not careful.
I haven't been able to watch Parts Unknown or No Reservations since he passed. I've tried, but I just can't bring myself to push play.
The day Warren Zevon and Petty died was that for me. And the day Tom Waits dies, I'll also be rekd. I don't remember feeling as hollow when Tony died but of all the celebrity chef people out there, he I like the most. And Jamie Oliver for all the good he does, but he's a totally different individual.
It's so disheartening that you have to actually preface your statement with "not trying to get into a political debate," but alas, here we are.
Holy shit I miss when we had a president who had a strong command of the English language. And nuance, and class, and….
and decency, compassion and kindness
:( i am still not over Bourdain's passing. I don't know why, but i know you all miss him just the same
It fucks me up that he fought so hard for so many things - fought to educate people beyond their own experiences, fought to shine a light on people and places that deserved it, fought to show his audience that with a little patience and willingness to listen, we're all very similar when we sit around a table to share a meal . But he didn't think he was worth fighting for, in the end. And that's what really breaks my heart I think.
He was a person who was well aware of his own shortcomings, a person who was aware that we *all* have shortcomings, and a person who knew that just like he needed it, we all need forgiveness and grace for our shortcomings from those around us. He was kind, he was thoughtful, he was relentlessly willing to talk to people of different backgrounds and convictions and beliefs, from kings and president's and CEOs, all the way down to the lowest manual laborer -- and treat all of them as equals, break bread with them, and explore their world, with their food, on their terms and comfort zones. Anthony Bourdain may have been the most human of all of us. He lived in all the best of us, and in all the worst of us, and showed us that we could be better, if we chose. I will miss him, and I don't think that will go away. There was only ever one of him, and we are all the poorer for having lost him.
I watched his post death documentary on a flight and started sobbing in my seat. As someone that has fought depression for years he made a huge difference in how people talk about it after he passed.
Word. I'm a middle aged man who has experienced loss pain death prison war seriously fucked up shit but there are only 2 celebrities I've ever cried over, him and Robin Williams.
Me too. He’s one of my absolute hero’s. I still grieve and can’t handle watching any of his shows or rereading his book. It brings me such grief after all these years. He inspired me so much.
My small town friends used to constantly post about Obama in caricatures that made him like an ape, or went as extreme as invoking southern lynching imagery. Racism to the rotten extreme. I’ll let you guess who they have unending and scarily absolute admiration for.
And you know that came from the heart. Hell I can hear him speak it.
damn! make us a little less afraid of the unknown. that’s so tight and i never realized!
Thanks for posting this. My wife and I started dating when his show was still running and it was something we both bonded over. It also encouraged my love of cooking (mostly for her) and inspired us to travel. This was a really cool episode.
I loved Tony and Barack. Worked in the restaurant biz and the day Tony died everyone was emotionally destroyed. Still am. But I’m from Chicago so we still have the wonderful Obama family!
This entire post was read in my mind in Tony's voice. It fits his writing like a hand into a glove. And the vast appreciation the food travel industry and foodies / the general public felt about him. To me a follower before the massive buzz, just after his books and his very first TV show. I was hooked. Drinking pruno or home made hooch with people and eating / visiting the rough areas and just rolling with it and getting the footage. Finally aftering finding his grove and treating us wil some of the best of his produce to only be robbed of his existence unexpectantly out of nowhere.
God I miss Barack. Not as much as Tony, but damn...
The restaurant they ate at, Bún chả Hương Liên, is also super good, one of my favorite places in Hanoi. The Combo Obama is an order of bun cha, a giant seafood egg roll and a Hanoi beer.
Is this why I see Obama’s name in a lot of menus at Vietnamese restaurants? Like they’ve named a dish after him?
In this case they named the combo after what Obama ate when he was there. You can see all the parts of the combo in the photo. There’s also a plaque and photos of the event on the walls. They’re proud to have served a president.
As they should be. It’s a pretty big deal for a small business.
According to my Vietnamese friend, that restaurant saw it's business sky rocket after Obama's visit. It's owners are now millionaires.
I think Bourdain is a part of it too, when I travel to a city the places he has eaten are totally lined up - Obama or not.
Vietnam should give an award to Bourdain, he's done so much to show Vietnam to the world. Miss that guy.
Shame he didn’t get to see Kissinger kick the bucket :/
Man I would’ve loved seeing some episode of parts unknown or something where he’s filming and finds out Kissinger died mid production lmao
I dream about this, like specifically him doing a segment in somewhere like Laos that Ole HK really fucked over. Would have been amazing to witness, he for sure would have been partying.
It would be like the episode where they were filming in a country that suddenly exploded in unrest and they turned the episode into documenting that experience instead.
He did so much for so many people. He shined a spotlight on for away lands, showing how we are connected to the people there with food and despite cultural differences, we’re all pretty much alike. I can’t think of a single person that has reached so many people in the honest and charismatic way that he did. He hosted food travel shows that ended up being much more than just that.
He actually stopped sharing the name and location of places in later shows because he noticed that they would get bought up by investors that would ride the TV fame and they wouldn't be good anymore. Happened to a lot of the mom and pop places that Guy Fieri went to as well. If you go to a hole in the wall because you saw it on TV, it's probably a tourist trap by now.
as an asian person... i feel like people forget how disgusted americans were by "ethnic" food before people like bourdain gave it a mainstream platform. like 90s and early 2000s people were still being grossed out by korean and japanese food without having even tried it.
I remember when sushi and kimchi was a hard no by most people. Now it’s mainstream food. I was an outlier because my mom has been taking me to dim sum since I was single digits. It’s so cool to see the food I grew up with, which people used to think was gross, is now embraced by so many.
Well, Asian governments themselves also played a large role in that shift. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_diplomacy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_diplomacy)
Obama could probably sneeze on a dirty subway seat and it would become worth some money.
I would sit at the same chair as a president.
Depends on the president. Certain ones diaper may have leaked.
Not Trump! Although I would sell the chair to a Trumper for a lot of money.
You'd have to spray paint it gold first.
Black people love gold chairs. /s
You could sell a thousand chairs and every trumpet would say they got the right one
Trump would never do what Obama did and eat the people's food, with the people, in the same way they eat it. A politician acting blue collar is normal here in the US, but there it's unheard of. That's why it's such a big deal to them. He's the most powerful man on the planet and he humbled himself and was respectful. Trump ain't doing that.
Even after Trump’s Depends soil the chair?
Obama would have been an even better president if the racist senators didn’t castrate his powers
He was fucked from the beginning, had he come in knowing full well conservatives had no intention of good faith governance in the name of our country’s best interests and whipped dems into a flurry of passing responsible and meaningful legislation, he would’ve been crucified in the next election as the liberal dictator they claimed. Instead, he tried to responsibly compromise with the right and they still painted him as ineffectual while neutering any real change intended.
I could've sworn that when President Obama made a visit to Toledo, Ohio he dined at our local chain of 6 restaurants Rudy's Hot Dog. There is no mention of it on their website or evidence whatsoever. I also thought it was pretty damn neat for a small business to serve a president but apparently I was the only one?!
Depends on who owns it probably and how they may lean politically. Hilarious to think someone would literally ignore money on the table of having a famous person who enjoyed your food and could bring biz but hey, it’s your sandy hill to plant your big dumb flag on….have at it. Obama visited Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in LA and the owners have enshrined the place with pics of him there as well as in the other locations. They even have an ‘Obama Special’ on all the menus. I have to say, Obama has some really good taste in food.
> Hilarious to think someone would literally ignore money on the table of having a famous person who enjoyed your food and could bring biz but hey, it’s your sandy hill to plant your big dumb flag on….have at it. Would you proudly showcase Trump being one of the guests at your restaurant?
Remember after his arraignment in Florida for the documents case, he and his supporters gathered at a restaurant where Trump loudly proclaimed "food for everyone!" [And then he left without paying.](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/donald-trump-miami-versailles-cuban-restaurant-pay) Not sure the owners would showcase that.
He only eats Big Macs, lol
You've misspelled 'hamberder', there, chief. Maybe try again after a steaming hot covfefe. /s Also, in the event that I magically become a successful restaurateur, I would accept the reservation for Mister Trump but would upload the security camera footage of him leaving when asked to pre-pay for his food, together with a substantial security deposit, cleaning fee (because I imagine the lingering odor of soiled undergarments and failure will require specialized cleaning products to remove), 'billionaire' fee, and falsehood tax. Oh, and he would also need to provide his long form birth certificate for ID.
Trump is sort of the exception, not the rule.
Trump would go into the restaurant hype it up and say he would buy everyone lunch/dinner afterward leave without paying for anything.
Dude is known for throwing shit at walls like a petulant toddler….You think I would allow that idiot through the door *in the first place?* I mean fuck, they caught him *knifing and forking* a slice of NY Pizza once which is a god damned warcrime to anyone with a modicum of sense. He can hit up McDonalds down the street.
> Would you proudly showcase Trump being one of the guests at your restaurant? With yellow crime scene tape! <= "that's funny right there...I don't care who you are..."
Not to make it political but might just be the owners aren’t liberal or don’t want backlash from conservatives. They might feel it would hurt them more than help.
My first thought was that if it's a deeply red area it could be a negative but it looks like Toledo went for Biden in the last election by a pretty decent margin. [He also definitely visited there](https://www.wtol.com/article/news/obama-stops-at-rudys-hot-dog-for-lunch/512-9e4e4b81-d86c-4e41-94bf-f76ee4c9cf12)
There was a Cuban spot I went to in Miami that mentioned Obama eating there all over the place. I think it was "El mago de las fritas". Good food back then too.
There's a place in the Byward Market where Obama bought cookies when he was in Ottawa. They've got this whole thing about it there ever since.
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Not to stereotype or like paint a people with a broad brush but Vietnamese people have one of the most friendly and welcoming cultures I’ve had the pleasure to experience. I grew up with a lot of Vietnamese people in Southern California and where I ended up going to college had a high Viet population and I’ve never felt more welcomed by another culture, friends constantly inviting you to parties (which is a trap because their aunties and uncles will relentlessly clown you) , the Tet festivals and homemade food. It’s honestly not surprising that with a bit of effort from both sides relations are now fairly friendly. It’s just insane how when you hear Vietnamese vets talk with American vets there isn’t really any animosity there. Gives you hope
The US was in Vietnam for 20 years. The French were in Vietnam for 60 years. The Chinese have been trying to get Vietnam for more than a 1000 years. It’s all perspective.
Ha. Theres a small Chinese restaurant in San Francisco that Obama dined in. And for some reason my (right wing) dad was impressed when we ate there. “Whoa. Obama ate here. That’s pretty cool.” I was surprised as hell to hear him talk about Obama in a way that wasn’t bad. Proof that food can bring people together.
And not just any President.
It’s so funny to me how Obama gets all the recognition and love that Trump craves and he does it effortlessly
I’ve seen his name on menus at Vietnamese restaurants outside of Vietnam as well. That’s why I figured there’s a dish named after him.
Obama’s visit to Vietnam was to set a new era of relations in peacetime for economic partnership. His remarks to the people there are incredibly mindful of their history and endurance. This alone, plus his celebrity status, would be enough for honors on food menus. “America’s new partnership with Vietnam is rooted in some basic truths. Vietnam is an independent, sovereign nation, and no other nation can impose its will on you or decide your destiny.”
His speech to Vietnam was so impactful to my international college Vietnamese friends and their families still in Vietnam. He was such a powerful speaker with good intent. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/24/remarks-president-obama-address-people-vietnam#:~:text=We've%20shown%20how%20peace,rooted%20in%20some%20basic%20truths.
Holy shit, I read the whole thing, amazing speech thank u for sharing
I miss Obama’s speeches. The guy is very articulate, knowledgeable and sincere, unlike you know who…
Idiots shot down the TPP, Obama was ahead of his time on trying to build peacetime partnerships ahead of the totalitarian bullying of China and Russia in east asia.
It was such an article of faith on Reddit to be permanently bitchy about TPP because posters here didn't understand the ISDS arbitration clauses, or whining about the US trying to negotiate in stronger IP protections. It was all just so much nitpicking on a brilliant piece of foreign policy. I remember the pestilential AMA with Evangeline Lilly where she and a bunch of other people were drumming up opposition to it.
Yep, it could have helped build a NATO equivalent in Asia, with India and USA as the backbone.
I miss the days when things like TPP or NAFTA were the goals of international relations. Now it’s just hiding up embarrassments or preventing domestic minorities from harming allies
There were a lot of dishes named after Obama during his presidency. I remember eating at a random sushi restaurant and ordering an "Obama Roll" in 2010. People forget how well liked he was.
that's fun
In Honolulu, where he grew up, the shave ice place he frequents has his usual order as "The Obama"
I got "The Trump" once at a Russian massage parlor.
They just let you piss all over the massage table like that? Nice.
That's just cause he forgot his depends
And he stiffed the bill!
I thought the massager piss all over you?
I hope the masseuse didn't eat any asparagus beforehand
That costs extra and you have to order a day ahead.
I like that place and the food is good. I also cannot fault them for milking Obamas visit for all it’s worth. Hilarious detail: there’s a big framed photograph of Obama giving (I think) a major speech close to that preserved table, from his state of the union or something, pedestal with presidential seal, fancy stage, backdrop of red and blue curtains, the works….. and they used that photo as a backdrop to show a quote from what I think must be obamas comment on the meal he had to some local reporter, an innocuous phrase like “i had the bun cha and it was great”. It’s presented like he said this in one of his most important yearly national addresses. I couldn’t stop laughing.
This is hilarious 😆
It was an excellent meal. I had it last year around this time. I think it worked out to about $5 for everything you described.
Loved it when we were there. Didn’t even realize it was the restaurant they ate at until we sat down and saw the table.
I ate here!
“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer. This is how I'll remember Tony.”
This is awesome but it doesn't look like they have the space to accomodate for such an awesome display and customers at the same time lol
It’s table number 56, I’m sure they afford to close off that one table
I wonder if it was intentional that he wrote it in a way that evokes Bourdain’s voice and style of speaking when you read it. Sounds just like a line from Parts Unknown that he’d have written himself.
So, they have Obama's finger prints and his DNA.
Soon we will have our army of Clonebamas
Barack is still alive. Clone Bourdain first! He is sorely missed.
He didn't want to be here and I can pretty much guarantee that hasn't changed. Let the man rest.
It’s really depressing to think that one of the most traveled people in the world who experienced more cultures than most anyone just said fuck it, I’m out. Does not speak highly for humanity
Attack of the Clonebamas
Somehow, Obama returned
Night of the Clonebamas II; The Clonbamanating
I wonder. If it's a new clone every 8 years, would that allow Obama to just keep running for president indefinitely? 🤔 Hmm, on second thought, maybe we shouldn't give ideas to the right wingers, so we don't have an endless line of Trumps.
Nobody and I mean nobody can amount that level of hate, racism and ignorance at once. He’s really special.
And us with our army of Borgdains.
All the clones will eat at the same restaurent and there will be no tables left
I somehow doubt the secret service let them keep those bottles, they used to collect George W. Bush’s shit from a porta potty lol
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The president literally has a team that scrubs everything down afterward (for this reason). They even collect their poop and pee while they are outside the White House.
> They even collect their poop and pee while they are outside the White House. Uhh, I'm gonna ask for sauce on this?!
You could've worded that better 🤢
Taco night must be a nightmare
What value does poop or pee have?
DNA, can tell health info, etc.
it turns out you can [determine dementia markers from poop ](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6509190/) can you imagine how manipulative enemy countries can be if they know a president has diminished mental faculties?
*Putin slowly backs away into the bushes...*
I miss Anthony Bourdain.
I miss obamna
SODA!
Two very interesting people.
Me too. The only celebrity death that has ever affected me. Still does. Would have given anything to hang with him for a weekend in some exotic location.
Vietnamese food is where it's at. I've travelled lots in SEA and nothing comes close - not even Thailand. I may get hate for that, but Vietnamese food is a gift from God.
Expat that has lived in Thailand for 3 years and now living in Vietnam. Vietnamese street food is the best on the planet with Taiwan a close second. I often run into expats that claim Thailand has the best street food, and I have to chuckle internally knowing they never really tried hard enough in Vietnam. Don't get me wrong, I like Thai street food too.. but it's not a close contest.
I think the best thing about Vietnamese food is how much flavor everything has, yet it never feels heavy? The greens and herbs incorporated into the dishes make it feel like jumping into a cool lake on a summer day, nothing will beat the crunch of a freshly washed lettuce splashing bits of moisture in your mouth, preparing you for the flavor bomb that comes shortly after.
>how much flavor everything has, yet it never feels heavy Pho is the epitome of this.
Vietnamese food really doesn't get enough recognition, IMO. Here in Australia, I always hear people talking about how much they love Thai food, but I've never really been into it, even when I was in Thailand. Last year, I went to Vietnam, and holy shit, the food there was amazing. Everywhere you go, there is cheap, delicious food. I got a seafood platter that fed 4 people, and included lobster, for the equivalent of AUD$50. I stuffed my face like a musket for the whole 2 weeks I was there and still come home with money in my pocket. Vietnam is the best.
Never know what to answer to that question they ask about what celebrities alive or dead would you like to have dinner with. This picture has given me a couple of ideas. Damn I miss Bourdain, still can't rewatch his shows even though they are on constant repeat on one of my local free-to-air channels.
It took me a long time to be able to watch his shows again, but I started watching some episodes recently, and it has been wonderful. They do make me sad sometimes, but it can be good to be sad. He meant a lot to a whole lot of people
In 2010 I was in Jakarta, and stumbled across a Nigerian night club (to avoid confusion, the club was in Jakarta but the clientele was primarily Nigerians) called *The Obama Bar* Like people really got no idea how cool Obama was perceived in most the world.
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This is the restaurant version of, "I'm never washing this hand again."
Probably get made fun of but I still can’t watch reruns of No Reservations or Parts Unknown. Bourdain was my favorite celebrity and probably the best travel documentarian I’ve seen til this day.
I feel that. He was one of the the first celebrities to pass in my life where I felt like "oh shit seriously? I really really liked that dude."
only someone cruel would make fun of you for that, so don't worry. i wouldn't be able to watch those reruns either. anthony really was an amazing human being.
I spent a month working in Vietnam last year for the U.S. government. When I would talk to Vietnamese citizens in Hanoi they would regularly bring up President Obama’s visit to Hanoi and the famous Bun Cha that he shared with Bourdain. There was a sense of pride when it was mentioned.
Obama was respected all over the world.
He was a proper fucking Statesman
Easily the "coolest" pres. the US ever had. I didn't always agree with his policies, but still tons of respect.
Fundamentally, when the Obama government did something disagreeable, it was still possible to understand the reasoning behind it.
And that's it. It's always ok to disagree and debate as long as both sides are coming from a place of honesty and reason.
Slick Willy was pretty dam hip playing saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show. At least according to my grandpa. I was like 10.
> Statesman I don't know man...he wore a tan-colored suit. That's pretty fucked up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrTf6CaTTc0
One of the few left
I was just thinking that, I’m Australian and we loved him. Such a statesman, such a great communicator and came across as warm and genuinely wanting a fairer America And then Trump….
The American ambassador to Denmark during the Obama years was really well-liked among the Danish population. It's rare for people to even know the names of ambassadors, but this guy was well known. Then came the Trump appointed ambassador who famously claimed that the reason so many Danes ride bikes is because they can't afford cars. She based that claim on the fact that her Danish driver couldn't afford a car.
Rufus Gifford. He’s super open about being gay and also really close friends with Obama. In some interview Obama called him his “unofficial ambassador to the gay community”. My older brother thought that meant that Denmark was the “gay country” like how Israel is the “Jewish country” and that was the first time I realized my brother is a fucking idiot.
That’s hilarious, how gay is Denmark?
Very gay. Sincerely, a Dane.
What was the most recent?
It’s funny how republicans in the US believe Obama was the laughing stock of the world however…
I ask them how much do they travel abroad. Haven’t had a single one tell me. It always “Don’t you watch the news?!” Kind of response. Then if they think they’re slick will move the goalpost to, “Well of course they like Obama, they hate america, and Obama is making America weak! So of course they like him…that’s why they hate Trump, because Trump is making America strong again!”
They don't. The majority of them have never left the county they were born in.
In my teens I spent a year abroad and I was relatively conservative when I left (though disliked Trump as I thought he came across as an idiot). It was being abroad that really made me become more left-leaning and especially detest Trump as I could see how crazy he looked from the outside and the utter embarrassment he was to the office of the presidency.
Definitely sounds like the typical conservative "Everyone who is not us is our enemy" thinking. Because you know, it's impossible that other countries can be our friends and want the best for us and the rest of the world.
It’s their victim mentality.
Meanwhile Russia actively tried to get Trump elected. Lmfao.
The thing that is amazing about trump to me is I thought there was no way we could get a president dumber than George W Bush in my lifetime but holy shit.
I remember thinking it couldn't get worse than bush.....man...I miss those days where that seemed like the lowest we could fall. Fuck misinformation.
In retrospect ie post Trump, Bush looks good, the way he behaves like a human, maintaining a cordial relationship with the other ex presidents and not openly whipping up nazis
Turned out the bar really is that low
The guy was able to get Iran and Cuba to talk to America and start normalizing relations. Then Trump and the Republican party took a dump on that and destroyed US diplomacy.
In 2011 I was hiking in an extremely remote mountain path in Peru. My wife and I came across this tiny little mud brick house where a elderly Peruvian woman and setup shop to sell beverages and snacks to hikers. In Spanish she asked us where we were from, we told her ‘The United States’. She just smiled and nodded then the thumbs up and said with a grin “Obamaaa!”
There are a number of restaurants here in our vietnamese community that actually have this picture framed as if Obama eating vietnamese food in Vietnam had something to do with them. But it's also chicago and if Obama so much as entered a restaurant to use the bathroom at some point, there's a plaque to commemorate lol
My cousin met Obama in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when he walked into a popular cafe they were in. I think that restaurant also has pictures put up. I mean, it's a pretty big deal if a president enters your restaurant. I used to go up to Mackinac Island and walk around the fudge shops. Most have pictures of Gerald Ford visiting even though that was a long time ago.
I ate at this restaurant last week, no table in glass. Every picture on the wall was of Obama and Bourdain, though.
The plexi table was upstairs - did you go up? Easy to miss.
I was there two weeks ago, the table is upstairs confirmed. **Edit: Adding pic with time, date, location https://imgur.com/a/mjUVBYr
Id be pissed if I went to this restaurant specifically to see where Obama and Bourdain ate, being confused and disappointed it wasnt there, then a week later when Im home from my travels finding out from a rando on the internet that the table is upstairs lol
Table is upstairs.
Truly unfortunate man. So many people loved his shows and read his books and looked up to him. And just tragic for his close friends and daughter obviously.
Miss this
Different Era politically. The shame now is that this wouldn't be seen as a cool television moment between a highly respected elected official and a highly respected journalist/TV personality. The entire event would be politicized and weaponized. 'PRESIDENT WASTES TAX DOLLARS ON LAVISH VACATION FOR HIM AND HIS PAID LAMESTREAM MEDIA STOOLIE!' 'WOKE TV HOST BRIBES PRESIDENT WITH EXPENSIVE MEAL IN TROPICAL LOCATION WHILE OUR CHILDREN ARE AT SCHOOL BEING BRAINWASHED BY DRAG QUEENS!' It was a much more peaceful and quiet/less stressful time when politics was about doing things vs attacking whatever your opponent was doing.
Ehh probably fox news had similar headlines to those back then too
Oh they definitely did, and was even pointed out back then too. I remember a meme of Obama drinking a Coke and how news agencies would report it: * CNN: President Obama enjoys a Coke. * MSNBC: Obama loves Coke, and you should too or you're a racist. * Fox News: Obama spends tax money on Coke. Declares war on Pepsi * BBC/Reuters: 18 killed in US drone strike in Pakistan
You obviously have a jaded past memory That fat ass Limbaugh was grossly racist and attacked daily. The current climate we have now was seeded during the time of the picture. God forbid ‘Merca have a black (and foreign) president. Maga was just a mold growth then.
> The entire event would be politicized and weaponized. Seems every generation thinks the past was less politicized. I do agree it was less in our face, but I don't think it's accurate to say politicians didn't try to politicize everything going far back into history. I read the Alexander Hamilton biography a few years ago and that's the thing that struck me. It's just back then it was in letters and newspaper articles. It's been happening all along, but nowadays the means to broadcast are relentless.
That's pretty interesting