The President paid cash

[question everything]

For six or seven hamburgers yesterday

http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/05/29/HP/A/19239/Pres+Obama+at+Five+Guys+Burgers+Fries+in+Washington.aspx

at the 2:30 mark - more or less

I would estimate the total bill came close to $60 and he paid cash, no credit card..

When Michael Douglas was the "American President" he did not have access to cash and could not order flowers for Annette Bening..

[bbinacan]

1. So what's your point? n/t

[CreekDog]

3. it's just a little trivia i'm sure, and interesting though i don't know why

:shrug:

[question everything]

6. Most of us would have used credit cards

and then, too many, would carry balance and pay interest.

He shows that one should live within one's means - OK, his means are higher than the average American's - still, you want to purchase something, you pay cash (or debit card.)

Wish I could live like that.

Sigh.

[Trajan]

10. "Most of us" ....

Use ATM/Debit cards ... not credit cards ....

[Kadie]

2. He must have been very hungry.

:D

[vaberella]

4. You're comparing a film to reality?!

:shrug:

[question everything]

7. It made sense in the film

You live and work in the same place. Your meals are prepared for you, you have your own movie theater, perhaps even a gym, a car at your disposal. A tailor will come over to measure your suits and shirts and will send an invoice that an aide will pay.. why would you need to carry money with you?

[vaberella]

13. My dad would say, "Just in case..." n/t

[alsame]

17. The girls probably need cash once in a while. I'm sure there are

opportunities to buy snacks at school or at their soccer games, etc. And although we don't know about it, they may occasionally go out with friends to eat or shop.

It's hard not to have cash when there are kids around, LOL.

[TheBigotBasher]

20. Isn;t it the other way round?

It is hard to retain cash with kids around.

[alsame]

21. Yes,

that too! :)

[AllentownJake]

These photo-ops are carefully staged

During the campaign President Obama's advance team was probably the best there ever was. Him paying cash is actually meant to be a message.

[question everything]

8. This is my take. Thank you (nt)

[quantass]

19. Precisely.

There is no question about it. And it is a smart move.

[babylonsister]

5. See, the man plans ahead! nt

[emilyg]

9. See, the man has money.

[babylonsister]

11. So? Have we ever had a poor president? nt

[Fire1]

12. It was a MOVIE! You know, hollywood?

[Hieronymus]

14. In American President, he didn't have his credit cards .. nothing was said

about cash.

[smalll]

15. Were these the burgers with the jalapeno on them? /nt

[question everything]

22. I did not hear him order jalapenos

I think that most stayed with cheese, some with mushrooms. NBC's Brian Williams declined the fries.

Just to clarify - ha! - the other burgers were for members of the press who, too, had to keep appearance.

[Stephanie]

26. He ordered cheese, jalapenos, lettuce tomato and mustard

Then he ordered more burgers for the Secret Service. There's video up on HuffPost, it's really cute. Fries all around. He grabbed handfuls of peanuts while chatting with the other customers. He was hungry!

[question everything]

29. Thanks, I guess I missed that

Five Guys is also in town, will now have to visit them, after the local food critic preferred Smashburger..

[Pharlo]

16. Just out of curiousity, where does the president get cash?

I haven't heard of him going to a local bank. No one said anything about him hitting a local ATM. Does he have an aide with P.O.A. who can make withdrawls for him from a bank? Is there a WH on site ATM or bank branch he can visit? Does he write out a check and send an aide? I mean, really, am I the only one who wonders?

It's not like he can have the wife quietly slip out to the nearest bank branch and make the withdrawl for him, is it?

[question everything]

23. Good question.

It would make sense, I suppose, to have an ATM machine in the White House, at least for all the staff putting in long hours.

I suspect, though, that a trusty aide goes out to get cash. This way one can minimize tracking the first family's banking activities.

[ClarkUSA]

18. The First Family is responsible for buying their own food, except at public functions of course.

[question everything]

24. Sure. But when the meals are at the White House

all you have to do is a paper (or electronic) transfer of funds from one account to another.

But outside... How did they pay for their NY dinner? Cash or credit card? Or were some arrangements were made in advance?

[ClarkUSA]

27. Call up Blue Hill and ask. My guess is they pay cash. No credit cards for security reasons.

As I recall, the owner of Blue Hill played a part in the inaugural food festivities, too.

[hileeopnyn8d]

28. I would imagine

that was also paid in cash. I'm thinking more to do with securing his credit and banking information than anything else.

Of course, I have no way of knowing this, I'm just speculating.

[rvablue]

33. Who cares? It was paid for somehow. Why does it matter if it was cash or plastic?

Curious why you are so interested in this and what would be your opinion given a certain outcome?

[iamthebandfanman]

25. and....?

whats wrong with paying for things with cash?

what are we supposed to be outraged about again?

[question everything]

30. Nothing! It is wonderful

If more of us were doing the same, perhaps we would not be in the mess that we are, when people just "charge it" never realizing that at some point they will have to pay it, and more than the minimum required.

This is a great example that he sets.

For myself, I really don't like to carry more than $20 in cash - singles and fives - but then, of course, I am not surrounded by secret service men and women..

:hi:

[RoadRage]

31. Which implies..

That it's possibly coming out of his own pocket, and not Uncle Sams. Usually if you want it to go on your employers tab, you whip out the corporate AM-EX (that's what I do). I pay cash for the things that I don't plan on expensing.

The press wouldn't focus on that though.. they'd rather look at Obama taking a smaller plane to NYC for the night (which is how much closer to DC then the Crawford Ranch??)

[bigwillq]

32. And?

:shrug:

Should he win a medal or something? :shrug: