Henrietta Hughes: Obama Asked For Help At Town Hall (VIDEO)

President Obama went to Fort Myers, Florida Tuesday to highlight the desperate need for an economic recovery package. Unemployment in the area is up to 10 percent, from 2.3 percent this time in 2006, and the area's foreclosure rate of 12 percent is the highest in the nation.

One questioner in particular brought to life the dire situation. "I have an urgent need," she said, revealing that her family was homeless and needed a place to live. Obama asked for her name -- Henrietta Hughes -- and told her, "We're gonna do everything we can to help you ... I'll have my staff talk to you after the town hall." Watch:

Comments

[wantthetruth]

05:32 PM on 02/13/2009

Local news and local charity organization question Hughes's motives.
http://www.winknews.com/news/local/39518252.html

This is the first I have seen of the son. I thought he was a little child...but he is actually a grown man.

[born right]

08:09 PM on 02/24/2009

Anyone follow up on this? Bueller? Please disprove.

[Austrian2000]

06:00 PM on 02/11/2009

I did some research, the Rep's wife who gave this lady a home was a republican but all of the Obama fans want to give him credit for getting her a home.

[ltyler01]

06:36 PM on 02/11/2009

What???

Listening to Rush again

[ckfan]

07:51 PM on 02/11/2009

You guys still don't get it. It's not about Republicans or Democrats. It's about helping a person when they're down and out. Obama didn't give her a house. He held a town hall meeting and called on this woman because she had a question. Someone saw it and helped her out.

You ditto heads really don't get it. It's about Henrietta Hughes you fools. And the Henrietta's in this great country of ours.

[John Dracup]

08:43 PM on 02/11/2009

Yes, this particular issue was about Henrietta Hughes, but her expectations (IE the President to hand her a home with a kitchen and what was it? Another car? I'll have to watch again) are shared by a larger portion of the population and is a cause for concern. The constitution provides insurance against government interference on the individual road to prosperity - it does not ensure that prosperity. Henrietta Hughes' circumstance is tragic, yes, but it is not the government's and by extension, not your, my, or other taxpayers' responsibility to provide a home for her.

[RogerinNebraska]

05:43 PM on 02/11/2009

This is a first post for me. I heard about this unfortunate woman on the radio, so I googled her name and ended up here. I want you to know I am one of those "heartless" Republicans the majority of you are stomping on. I know nothing about this person as I am sure all of you don't either. Maybe you should wait and find out whether she is legitimate or not before you jump on her band wagon. I feel for her regardless, but don't throw off on the Republicans because they question her authenticity or her method of operation. I do believe however, now that she has thrust herself in the public eye, someone needs to investigate her authenticity and actual qualifications for this relief. One last question, why was it a Republican that came forward with help?

[ltyler01]

06:55 PM on 02/11/2009

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/henrietta-hughe.html

What difference does it make who offered help.

"If your neighbors house is burning down, you don't go asking what's their political association...you go grab a hose"

Barack Obama

[John Dracup]

08:46 PM on 02/11/2009

Some thing this fact is important because credit for resolving Henrieta Hughes' situation is largely given to the President.

[ckfan]

07:55 PM on 02/11/2009

You questions her authenticity; yet, banks get money with no questions asked. Unbelievable.

ONLY a Republican came to help? How do you know this? Didn't more than one person offer to help her?

And what difference does it make what party the help came from? Shouldn't the focus be on the person receiving the help and not the giver?

Again, you folks JUST DON'T GET IT.

[John Dracup]

08:37 PM on 02/11/2009

He never said don't question the banks. You're assuming that all Americans are for this bailout, when nearly 50% of them are against it in full or in part. I certainly didn't support the bailout, and I'm willing to bet he didn't either.

[Austrian2000]

05:34 PM on 02/11/2009

I doubt any of you who support Obama have every read an economics book. It's he producers of America that put people in homes, not politicians. No one would knowingly choose to be homeless (almost no one) but people to ignore truth and priciples and as a result they suffer.

[ltyler01]

06:48 PM on 02/11/2009

Your reasoning is flawed and full of momsense.

It's the people..their labor, sweat, hours, and skills of that build America. You attempt to trivialize the efforts of working people...like it's being all done by those with the financial means. Many of these so called heroes of yours exploit the very ones that have helped them build their wealth. If some disaster occurs that wipes all wealth...and it can happen. Where do you go then? ...To these great "producer of America"?

People build America.... Always have.

[John Dracup]

08:33 PM on 02/11/2009

Yes, the working man builds America, but who provides his job? This argument is endless - like the chicken or the egg. Both the worker and the upper level management are interdependent .

I hold the belief that if a company is excessively greedy or its management corrupt it should be left to itself to cut out the bad parts and survive or ultimately fail. While certain legislation protecting workers' rights are appropriate, intervention in various industries (IE cafe standards, "affordable housing" legislation, etc) causes businesses to behave unnaturally and ultimately leads to widespread failure.

Are there corrupt CEOs? Sure. Are the overzealous unions? Absolutely.

The question is this; given the spikes of corruption and mismanagement we have witnessed throughout history of the Federal Government, should we really trust them with something as important as the economy?

Another thing; when in history has the Government ever reduced overhead rather than increasing revenue?

[indepndnt1]

04:05 PM on 02/11/2009

Sorry, I just had to comment. What is it that makes everyone think that Obama is here to give them all a hand out? What is this Obama = Robin Hood? If Robin Hood came to your house and stole from your kids to give to this lady, would you like it? Well guess what, that is what he is doing, stealing from our future generations to give to this lady right now. lame lame lame.

[ltyler01]

06:49 PM on 02/11/2009

Nonsense!

[John Dracup]

08:23 PM on 02/11/2009

Not nonsense, that's something too - China isn't going to buy up all this debt, so we're going to be forced to print more money. It's a recipe for runaway inflation which could create a damaging effect to be absorbed by future generations.

[kebbie]

09:06 PM on 02/12/2009

Please be better informed before you comment. Obama didn't give her a house. And it sure wasn't a gift out of tax dollars... Your comment makes no sense.

[John Dracup]

02:53 PM on 02/11/2009

I feel bad for this lady - but it's disturbing that she expects the government to provide for her needs. What's the President going to do - I guess maybe he could give EVERYONE on the waiting list the Housing Authority director's card - maybe he can help all of them out while he's at it.

The donation of the home was a compelling gesture to be sure, but there's more people like Henrietta Hughes out there, and we can't just hand out houses to all of them. It's nice that there are Americans out there who are so generous, but we neither can nor should expect or depend on such generosity.

Essentially my point is the whole Henrietta Hughes got one family into a better circumstance, and before we all let that warm and fuzzy feeling settle in, remember that the resolution to her problem is not a permanent or widespread solution.

[DelRay]

02:48 PM on 02/11/2009

Do the right thing? Imagine McCain or Bush doing this? First of all, I voted for Obama and am not a registered Republican, but yes I can imagine either one of them doing this.

This is what it takes to get a new home, we get on television and now the local authorities, who probably have protocol, had to be pressured in to doing this. I know plenty of homeless people in Washington, DC that could probably use a new home right now.

[kshawNCvoter]

01:41 PM on 02/11/2009

someone seems to have set up a webby for her http://henriettahughes.com/ america really has some /alot of good people. bless us.

[Mabila]

10:07 AM on 02/11/2009

I hate the fact that the local authority gave her a house yesterday after some pressure!

Does it really take a presidential visit and nudging for people to do the right thing???


Thank you Mr President for teaching us to be humans once again.

[mach]

11:32 AM on 02/11/2009

Where are you reading that the republican woman who gave up her house was nudged?

[SwissChocolate1]

12:36 PM on 02/11/2009

In their wacked out mind....of course this is what a liberal would say...republican= e v i l~

[eisor]

07:09 AM on 02/11/2009

Can you even begin to imagine george Bush or John McCain shaking a homeless persons hand and then kissing them. President Obama inspires me every day to be a better person.

[1Troubles]

07:35 AM on 02/11/2009

It wouldn't have been a problem for them-she would not have been allowed in to see them

remember thier audiences were hand picked.

[mach]

11:28 AM on 02/11/2009

Can you imagine that it was a republican that gave her access to the home?

[RachelMc]

12:30 PM on 02/11/2009

yeah the rep's wife was the one who was moved. he said that it wasn't his idea and that his wife made the decision on her own.

[kebbie]

09:09 PM on 02/12/2009

Republican or Democrat. I don't care. A GOOD HEART is something to be commended.

[Sugermen]

06:45 AM on 02/11/2009

The women has no shame
She knew it would be on TV
What did she think Obama would say
He not going to help
She had different channels she could of when threw for help

[Mabila]

10:05 AM on 02/11/2009

Sounds like you need a home and a school too!!

[ttmatthe]

11:04 AM on 02/11/2009

Spoken like some unempathetic hack who's neither been hunger nor homeless. Go crawl back under your rock, please.

The real shame is that self-centered, holier-than-thou people such as your self would rather pass judgment on people in need than actually offer any compassion and assistance to them.

[ChicagoSuz]

06:08 AM on 02/11/2009

A woman with children should NOT be living in a car. Period.

If I had a big house, I would invite her & her family to move in with me.

Anyone out there with a big house & a big heart?

[iamright2]

09:05 AM on 02/11/2009

I allowed a homeless family to live in a house I owned rent free until they could get back on their feet. They gave me what they could when they could. But at some point they had to reestablish their independence. No one can take care of another family indefinitely. I lost the house to foreclosure that I allowed them to live in. I was blessed to be in a position to help someone and I didnot turn my back when given the opportunity. The greatest hep is in helping someone become independent.

[ttmatthe]

11:04 AM on 02/11/2009

You're a good person. :)

[ReNee09]

12:32 PM on 02/11/2009

Thats really cool of you iamright, real cool.

[AhnAmuru]

03:40 AM on 02/11/2009

John McCain,

Confronted with the same situation might have offered one of his seven houses.

That's if he's not tempted to say that;

1. "... The fundamentals of the economy are strong."!!!

and,

2. "You need a tax cut."!!!

[dspencer3491]

02:58 AM on 02/11/2009

This has brought tears to my eyes - I wish there was something we could all do, like somehow donate money to this woman.

[Tim Sluga]

10:35 AM on 02/11/2009

ok...
so where do we stop, because there are thousands of henrietta hughes around the country and millions in the world...
i cannot believe this rationale...

and if you REALLY felt that way and wanted to donate money to her, with a little bit of work you probably could find a way to contact her and do so...

so many people who "really" want everyone helped in this country, yet a very small minority of those who actually go out of their way to do such helping...

[hollybork]

11:44 AM on 02/11/2009

I feel the same way, spencer. I suspect there is a church in Ft. Myers that would gladly collect contributions towards helping Mrs. Hughes. That way you could deduct it and have someone in that area make sure the money went to the right thing.

[marbiol]

02:56 AM on 02/11/2009

Dear Ms. Hughes-- Even tho I am unemployed with 4 kids under the age of 11 (and I've missed my last mrtgage payment) i hope YOU DO GET YOUR NEW CAR, KITCHEN, BATHROOM, etc from PRES. Obama (or Oprah!!!)!!! There are others who arecounting on HIM to pay their mortgage--and the gas for their car; others have asked that unemployemnt compensation = wAGES; AND STILL OTHERS Ha0VE ASKED THAT THEIR PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYER "BEEF UP" THE BENEFITS PAID TO A [?PART-TiME] TEEN-AGE EMPLOYEE.

i support the POTUS MEETING THESE PEOPLe'S NEEDS!!! sO FAR, however, no charity has stepped forward to help my family-- if you could please pay our mortgage for the next 6 months i am certain i could again pay taxes & help my fellow americans!!!

tHANK YOU mR. pRESIDENT --and my fellow registered Democrats-FOR COvERING MY MORTGAGE. i WILL EMAIL bb&t TOMORROW MORNiNG THAT YOU WILL PERSONALLY COVER MY PAYMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS. you are the GREATEST!!!!!! no one else would help us out to this extent!!!!

mY FAMILY THANKS YU FROM THE BOTTM OF THEIR HEART!!!


I will send a contaxt ink to Huffpo so you can transfer $$$ to us. Paypay is preferred since it is secure!! THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOMOF OUR HEART!!!
Sincerely,
Stephen G