Obama's Run-In With A Persistent Photo-Seeker

Barack Obama was confronted by a pretty persistent photo-seeker in Philadelphia Wednesday. Turns out the guy was an eBay reseller, but watch an irked Obama handle the pesky Pennsylvanian:

Ben Smith at the Politico has the transcript, via Shailagh Murray of the Washington Post's pool report:

Run in #1: outside the first shop, on the way in

Man: Senator can I have a quick picture with you.

(Obama has his arm on the guys arm in a very nice way, like he does when he shakes peoples hand) but Obama refuses to take a picture and walks away.)
Man: It will take you two seconds. Don't cram me, I'm not doing anything to anybody. Jesus.

Run in #2: after the first shop
Man: "Senator can I get a picture with you?"
Obama: (slightly annoyed) "You are wearing me out, brother."
Man: "I got one with [Clinton] and I got one with McCain, come on Senator that'[s] not right."

Run in #3: in the street
Man: "Senator, can I please, a quick one?
Obama: (very annoyed) No, you know what no.
Man: Can I just say something to you real fast.
Obama: Yeah you can.
Man: I had one with [Clinton] had one with [McCain].
Obama: I am sure you do. Because when I was trying to talk to some kids - and I know look--

Man: No, my wife is a school teacher and she was there, she had to go back and that wasn't right what wont you just take a picture with me, I'm not asking you for a autograph -- its for my family.

Obama: Yea well whatever. Just take it. I won't be smiling. Because you're wearing me out. ....No no, you've been really rude about it. Just take a shot.

Obama and the man did not take a shot, the man was still arguing and the secret service stepped in (non confrontationally), just putting a hand between him and Obama.

Secret service: That's it.
Man: No I'm good. All I want is a picture that's it.

Comments

[ArchAngel]

Breaking News!!!!

All of Secret Service Agents were busy listening on their ear buds to the Audio Book recording of "My Pet Goat"!

[kennedy]

FROM: www.abcnews.com ( posted March 19th)

OBAMA POOR JUDGMENT:

"I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial," Obama said at a community meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, earlier this month.


Obama lying right before Wrights lies, racist remarks and anti-American statements hit the fan.

[Barbarossa03]

So Kennedy how many black american churches in the same vein as Obama's have you been to in order to come up with this pathetic attempt to draw controversy?

[ArchAngel]

Very frightening! The entire Secret Service detail should be fired!

Obama needs to be surrounded 24x7 by his own private protection screen immediately.

It's now clear that the Secret Service is intentionally exposing Obama to grave danger.

[mediahack]

You heard it here first folks.

[ME08]

OH BS! You Obamabots are such nervous nellies, it is just amazing.

[condew]

No, but once a man is known for making trouble, he should not get a second shot.

[mhopgood123]

Obama knew this guy was not legit. Usually someone who is curious about Obama will ask questions or make a commentary. This guy was after something and Obama sensed it. I was at a rally in Illinois in 2007 and was told the secret service and his campaign would not allow autographs. Well, the minute he came into the room where the rally was going to take place, he walked down the aisle where I was and noticing I had one of his books , he stopped and said "I guess you want me to sign it".I was speechless and gave him a big hug. This is the real Barack Obama. A warm and intuitive human being who also has all the talent to be our next president.

[ME08]

How heartwarming...GAG!

[condew]

How cynical ... Retch!

[intuition]

That guy was off, too intense, and a threat -- the people Obama surrounds himself with should have stepped in when the Secret Service did not!

[ME08]

What video were you watching?

You Obamabots really overreact...the Secret Service handled it fine...just all of you need to take a chill pill...who is more off here? The over the top handwringing by Obamabots or this guy? I would go with the former.

[mouselion]

Ebay: Conservative a.h.'s .... independent artists/artisans leaving by the droves. Trust me, I got it on good authority. Want more details? e-mail me (check my profile). Customers and sellers, both. Guess what? I've never been a seller or buyer, myself. E-bay sucks.... conservative a.s.'s. You never can win with them. So many people are so done!

[ME08]

A friend of mine sells on there, and there are a fair number of really whacked out nuts on that site, but I still think this guy was just a harmless kook...

[tommy2tone]

Not to sound like a tin-hat guy, but his buddy with the camera was wearing a Mets hat...

[peepeeray]

Let's Go Mets!

Let's Go Obama!

[ME08]

Let's just "Let's Go Mets", and skip the Obama rah rah, shall we?

[ddlrid]

where the fuck was the SECRET SERVICE??????!!!!!

[EvoMan]

Oh, and as I've pointed out in the past, the race is over. Senator Obama won. HIs opponent can go on, but she won't be the nominee. She will create a train-wreck though which is to be expected since her campaign is one.

[ChrisS13]

What does that have to do with anything?

[kennedy]

Obama has won nothing. He doesn't have the del. to win anything. Scandals are swirling.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock....

[EvoMan]

Scandals are swirling, but not around him. Bwahahahahaha. Watch closely.

[boombox]

hey dude, there's this ticking sound coming out of your head...

[ME08]

They are swirling...mark my words, dirt coming down the pike that will say sayonara to the hope and change charade we have had to endure...

[Gmoney1]

Is this another Hillary stunt with her secret surrogates - that guy will be on TV with Fox and Hillary friends -

[ME08]

The Obamabots have adopted that most trusted of conservative mantras:

It's Bill's fault!
It's Hillary's fault!

Sad...very sad.

[Ramirez]

I think Obama handled that okay. The guy could have been a macaca sent to goad him into doing or saying something stupid in front of the cameras. BO didn't take the bait, which was good.

[WyteFyre]

The SPIN that HuffPo has put on the rudeness of Obama is priceless! I used to respect this site, but HuffPo is the new Fox News!

[Ramirez]

You think HuffPo is too tough on Obama?

[mediahack]

HuffPo rocks!

[ME08]

Huffpo is like listening to the old Soviet Union's short wave broadcasts, where every story was a paean to whoever was President at the time, and America was always the enemy (like Hillary or Bill).

[condew]

HuffPo's spelling checker still flags "Barack" and "Obama" as misspelled, while "Hillary", "Clinton", and "McCain" are OK. Just sayin...

[victoriajubilee]

I believe this fellow was rude and abrasive . Maybe the tone of his voice, his continuing to persist even after Senator Obama refused the request . Look , Senator Obama grants hundreds of request daily to folks who want to take a picture with him . The man was very rude . These candidates cover hundreds of miles each day visiting many cities and towns ,they have to stick to schedule as much as possible.

[ME08]

Your definition of rude is very different than any rational person's...

Obama could have just motioned a Secret Service guy over, and not said one word to him...that simple...instead, he chose to be stupid.

[personalpolitical]

Is it just me or are the asshole trolls out in force today? What do you bet that I'm4Clinton, Kennedy and HopelessObama are all the same idiot under different names?

Could there really be three people so ignorant and blatantly Republican posting on here at the same time? I mean there are usually a few, but these people are ridiculously idiotic.

[ME08]

No Republican troll will ever match the nuttiness of Obama apologists/ass lickers on here...reading the truly whackadoo responses here to this incident proves it.

[jetgirl]

He's taken probably millions of photos with no problem. This guy was just creepy. HRC trolls really need to stop trolling too. I know it's not all of them, but you need to put a lid on your bitterness people.

[kennedy]

Millions???

He is so popular.

We can't wait for the b-que and pool party photos of Rezko, Wright, Don Young, Larry Sinclair and his terrorist friends. Any day now.

[ME08]

Now this is the best laugh I have had on here in awhile...these Obama folks just take them SOOO seriously...need to chill out, as does there furrow browed love object.

[ME08]

Bitterness?

Hardly...we all just are laughing at the crazy loons who shill for Obama and whine endlessly when their saint is accosted by a little nutty collector...what's the drama?