Obama does some 'Small Business Saturday' shopping
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama continued what's become an annual post-Thanksgiving tradition by stopping at a bookstore for Small Business Saturday.
With his two daughters alongside, the President went to Politics and Prose in Washington to pick up a few books, telling reporters he bought a "long list" of titles for every age group, including his own. (Read the full list below)
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The President chatted at length with several customers, while his daughters, Sasha and Malia, browsed.
He went to the cashier to make his purchase after about 20 minutes. As he left the shop, the President wished everyone a "great holiday," and customers applauded.
Started by two people in 1984, Politics and Prose has grown to a staff of 50 employees and is known as a popular spot for book discussions and readings, with daily visits by authors.
First lady Michelle Obama, who was not with the family Saturday, held a book signing at Politics and Prose in May to promote “American Grown,” a book about the White House garden and her campaign against obesity.
Last year, the Obamas shopped at a different bookstore - One More Page Books - in the Washington suburb of Arlington, Virginia.
Small Business Saturday is a tradition started by American Express in 2010.
In 2011, they went to Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café in Washington.
List of books purchased by Obama, according to the White House:
“Half Brother” by Kenneth Oppel
“Heart of a Samurai” by Margi Preus
“Flora and Ulysses” by Kate DiCamillo
“Jinx” by Sage Blackwood
“Lulu and the Brontosaurus” by Judith Viorst and Lane Smith
“Ottoline and the Yellow Cat” by Chris Riddell
“Moonday” by Adam Rex
“Journey” by Aaron Becker
“The Lowland” by Jhumpa Lahiri
“Red Sparrow” by Jason Matthews
“Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson
“A Constellation of Vital Phenomena” by Anthony Marra
“The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance” by David Epstein
“Collision Low Crossers: A Year Inside the Turbulent World of NFL Football” by Nicholas Dawidoff
“Ballad of the Sad Cafe: And Other Stories” by Carson McCullers
“My Antonia” by Willa Cather
“Ragtime” By E.L. Doctorow
“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini
“Buddha in the Attic” by Julie Otsuka
“All That Is” by James Salter
“Wild: From Lost to Found On the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed
Obama also encouraged Americans to take part in Small Business Saturday via Twitter on Saturday.
Attorney General Eric Holder, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other members of the President's Cabinet also promoted shopping at locally-owned stores. The Small Business Administration's chief post, a Cabinet-level position, is currently held by an acting administrator.
A number of Republican lawmakers on Captiol Hill also urged followers to take part in the relatively new tradition.
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The lies in some of these comments from the right really make me chuckle. Before long someone will have seen him with a manual on how to forge a birth certificate. Bet me.
He also bought five VHS tapes of Mr. Rogers
For those of you who are complaining about your tax dollars being spent on security and support when the prez goes out in public.
What kind of country would this be if we NEVER saw the leaders?
The President is a remarkable man!
Love our president.
Phonics 101
Thanks president Obama, you are a great leader. Lead us to prosperity!
Tampatim is really ellsworth toohey. Socialism is a philosophy of failure, ignorance and envy. Its inherent virture is the equal sharing of misery. churchill only a obtuse non productive person would shun ayn rand
Don't understand why this is considered news. CNN has become the gossip news station.
Sad...middle school reading choices....
By leaving white house for shopping, mr. Obama is telling Americans to humble themselves no matter what.
The President bought more books than than a Georgia Dome full of Tea Party members have ever read in their entire lives, all put together!
Uh oh, 50 employees? That means they are subject to Obamacare. I can think of a much better way Obama could have supported this small business.
The GOP will never understand what the President did today (as evidenced by their hatred and hostility)- instead they'd rather try to explain why the Walton family can snag a bigger than $1 billion "salary" per year (each!), while holding food drives from WalMart's shoppers for their impoverished employees is just so great.
The GOP is clueless.
ok
I am 33 year old proud father of two toddlers and I work full time. I don't have time/energy to read one chapter let alone one book. This man is responsible for an entire country – that's a lot of books, which requires a lot of time. I hope those books are gifts for family/friends. If so, sucks for whoever has him as their secret santa (books as gifts = boring).
Who cares? ?
stopdrinkinthekoolaid wrote: what no "How go (sic) govern effectively" or "US Government for Dummies"?
No, but he did pick up "Ignoring Boneheddz Who Don't Matter", so I guess that pretty much covers you and your ilk.
So, JCal, you are aware that your idols W and W Sr and Reagan and Nixon and Ike etc etc etc went venturing out to buy things w/Secret Service etc.? Or do you think President Obama isn't allowed to do that?
JohnT, you should check the facts about "DUBYA'S" reading habbits prior to posting about them.
Ron L, truer words have never been spoken. Trickle down never worked anyway, so yeah, why not pay people a living wage so they can help spur the economy, and leave the welfare rolls? Gee, that would take actual common sense!.
small business sat.? the prices are outrageous at some of these places!!
He learned well and his daughters will pass it on to their families. Years ago books were a world of advantage and wonder that helped create the geniuses we admire so much. Now parents are more likely to buy kids video games or Xbox. We see who learned to read as children when we hear these people talk as adults. When a 3rd grader has to correct Rep Bachmann on US history we know who reads. We learned from Senator Rand Paul how he plagiarized his way through school and college as he bragged about how he gave students the wrong answers in medical school to lower the score to pass We learned our nations school text books have misinformation for kids to learn.
He should be buying Politics and Economics for Dummies...
Didn't see "How To Successfully Launch A $600M Website With Taxpayer Money" or "Website Design and Delivery 101" on his book list.