# The President walks into a bar... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 2, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522 "2007-02-02T11:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/1 "2007-02-02T11:03:49Z")
…[and everybody ignores him](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16908975/site/newsweek/). Sweet. OK, so it was a diner, not a bar. Same deal. > [@](#): > > Jan. 31, 2007 - On Tuesday, President Bush popped in for a surprise visit to the Sterling Family Restaurant, a homey diner in Peoria, Ill. It’s a scene that has been played out many times before by this White House and others: a president mingling among regular Americans, who, no matter what they might think of his policies, are usually humbled and shocked to see the leader of the free world standing 10 feet in front of them. > > But on Tuesday, the surprise was on Bush. In town to deliver remarks on the economy, the president walked into the diner, where he was greeted with what can only be described as a sedate reception. No one rushed to shake his hand. There were no audible gasps or yelps of excitement that usually accompany visits like this. Last summer, a woman nearly fainted when Bush made an unscheduled visit for some donut holes at the legendary Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant in Chicago. In Peoria this week, many patrons found their pancakes more interesting. Except for the click of news cameras and the clang of a dish from the kitchen, the quiet was deafening. > > “Sorry to interrupt you,” Bush said to a group of women, who were sitting in a booth with their young kids. “How’s the service?” As Bush signed a few autographs and shook hands, a man sitting at the counter lit a cigarette and asked for more coffee. Another woman, eyeing Bush and his entourage, sighed heavily and went back to her paper. She was reading the obituaries. “Sorry to interrupt your breakfast,” a White House aide told her. “No problem,” she huffed, in a not-so-friendly way. “Life goes on, I guess.” Only 30% of Americans like the way Bush is running the country, and 58% wish he was already gone. It may be a very small bit of _schaudenfreude_, but it’s sweet to see Bush come face to face with a public that wishes he’d just disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/2 "2007-02-02T11:25:48Z")
According to that article, even Fox News is ignoring him now. If it weren’t for the fact that Cheney’s head is jutting out from a tear in his torso, I’d almost feel sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/3 "2007-02-02T11:42:32Z")
He didn’t declare the place a Free Speech Zone and have everyone arrested? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/4 "2007-02-02T12:27:10Z")
It is amazing to me that Bush’s approval rating is as high as it is. Who are these people who think he’s done a good job? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/5 "2007-02-02T12:38:15Z")
The Board of Directors of $75million-an-hour profit Exxon thank him cheerfully. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/6 "2007-02-02T12:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > On Tuesday, President Bush popped in for a surprise visit to the Sterling Family Restaurant, a homey diner in **Peoria, Ill.** So it really didn’t play in Peoria, is what the article is trying to say. > [@Count Blucher](#): > > The Board of Directors of $75million-an-hour profit Exxon thank him cheerfully. Remember a year or so ago when the CEOs of all the big oil companies went to testify to Congress when everyone was whining about the gas prices? Remember [this guy?](http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1028-01.htm) I’ve never before seen a real life version of the 1890-style newspaper plutocrat caricatures. The only thing missing was a cigar and him holding giant bags with dollar signs on them. > [@Sublight](#): > > He didn’t declare the place a Free Speech Zone and have everyone arrested? No, no, no – the people have to go to the free speech zone, away from the President. Bush is then cloistered in a safe, loyal bubble where everyone takes an oath before being allowed to enter…I’m sure someone has a catchy name for it, but I’m not clever enough to think of one. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/7 "2007-02-02T13:35:30Z")
Such sanctuaries are often referred to as “Emerald City”. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/8 "2007-02-02T13:40:07Z")
[QUOTE=madmonk28] It is amazing to me that Bush’s approval rating is as high as it is. Who are these people who think he’s done a good job? [/QUOTE] To steal from _The Daily Show,_ 30% of the American public think Bush is doing a good job. Coincidentally, that’s the same percentage that think Adam and Eve rode around the Garden of Eden on dinosaurs. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/9 "2007-02-02T13:42:22Z")
Was he looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/10 "2007-02-02T13:56:27Z")
“Say, Jim, ain’t that _your_ dog attacking the President?” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/11 "2007-02-02T14:05:41Z")
Maybe all the patrons were Australians. I remember a few years ago Kevin Costner went for a walk in Sydney and stopped at a pub to have a drink and although the locals chatted to him, no-one gave any impression that they cared who he was. Apparently Costner thought it was great to just be treated like an average slob. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/12 "2007-02-02T14:07:56Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Was he looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction. [/QUOTE] If it was anything like our diners, he just had to look on the plates. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/13 "2007-02-02T14:09:48Z")
What I’m wondering now is, is there video of this? It would be priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/14 "2007-02-02T14:20:11Z")
[President Bush in Peoria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVf3WndYQ1M) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/15 "2007-02-02T14:26:10Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] [President Bush in Peoria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVf3WndYQ1M) [/QUOTE] Wasn’t _quite_ what I had in mind… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/16 "2007-02-02T14:28:27Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] To steal from _The Daily Show,_ 30% of the American public think Bush is doing a good job. Coincidentally, that’s the same percentage that think Adam and Eve rode around the Garden of Eden on dinosaurs. [/QUOTE] … or that can’t find Canada on a map… ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/17 "2007-02-02T14:30:01Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Wasn’t _quite_ what I had in mind… [/QUOTE] Oops, sorry. I should have actually watched it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/18 "2007-02-02T14:42:35Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Wasn’t _quite_ what I had in mind… [/QUOTE] but, actually, kinda poignant… it’s like something out of Bloom County. They shut down main street so the President and his entourage could drive through, and it looks like they had to send people on ahead to clear out the tumbleweeds… except for these three people waving little flags and recording them driving by… they needed a drummer, bass and trumpet player standing on a street corner playing “Hail to the Chief” for it to be perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/19 "2007-02-02T14:46:20Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] … or that can’t find Canada on a map… [/QUOTE] Anyone can miss Canada, all tucked away down there… ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/20 "2007-02-02T14:49:42Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Anyone can miss Canada, all tucked away down there… [/QUOTE] Small and easily misplaced…like your car keys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522.md?page=2)