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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Hussein Obama is pathetic. The only people that still trust and support this fool are slackers that follow their hero MOOCHelle by not working and spending taxpayer dollars.
Books and small business? That's a problem still getting worse. The last 5 books I bought were digital from Amazon.
I started shopping for ONLY American made goods years ago, in small stores. If 100 million of us did the same, this country would have a much healthier economy overall. Stop sending your money to China, Korea, etc. and buy locally made products, even if they cost a little more. That is a consumption tax I don't mind paying!
Buy American made products from a small, locally owned retailer and you will be helping to solve our nation's economic problems. Putting young and old to work, and raising the standard of living of the 99%.
That list looks to be at least $300 prolly more than that. Wish I had that kind of money to support small business. I walk in and they say "oh, here's the teacher with no raise in 7 years come to "browse" again".
Obama is like Marie Antoinette, totally clueless of the ramifications of his economic policy that rewards Wall Street and not Main Street. Senior citizens, afraid of the stock market, getting little to no interest on their savings for five years now. Young people, even with college degrees and massive student debt, unable to find work above minimum wage and even those that do, cannot start to save for a car or home with any interest accruing. Change you can believe in has become a nightmare.
Was he and others on a recon to see how else he can screw over the working/middle class?
So now, he decides to start studying? A little late...her's one for you..."Healthcare, all the bankrupt companies caused by government intervention" Written by all the employees and employers who have lost their jobs over the years by politicians who think they know what's best for them.
@justagoocitizen, why don't you ask the teaklans in congress? They ran on JOBS, JOBS, JOBS in 2010 and have done nothing but obstruct the progress of the country except for their campaign and promise to shutdown the government. That they were more than happy to do.
i thought he only read teleprompters?
Want to know what I bought? Didn't think so. It's none of our business what the President bought unless he paid for it with our tax dollars. Give him and his daughters their privacy.
He can read?
Probably looking for "Obamacare For Dummies"
Supporting small business is not conservative enough for the ones who have been told that BIG business is conservative.
He wished everyone a "great holiday"!!! What's that?? Muslim for 'Merry christmas'???
The book *Lying and still have em sucking ur D**** was in the bags just for liberals 🙂
You have to be kidding me. This man is a 2 face lying walking bag of air....Do any of you liberals even KNOW what he promised??!! I mean I would love to sit here and bash bush with u 6 years later, but im wearing big boy pants today so I wont.
maybe he should read the health are law first, you know to know what in it!
A more tech capable president would use an e-reader. Of course, a more tech capable president would have a functioning healthcare website too.
Immigration reform will not happen until Boehner and the Republicans are booted out of DC. The Voters need to defeat the Tea Party and the Republicans to pass any immigration bill. Boehner will not pass anything. He is a racist and hates Obama, so he will not do anything to help Obama or this nation. Boehner is a real threat and a Terrorist of this nation. So its wise to defeat Boehner and all republicans to make any changes in Washington.
What a farce! More Propaganda! These corrupt politicians are regulating small businesses out of business, while subsidizing their rich donor friends.
Odd, some people here seem to be disgusted that our president supports small businesses. Yet they would be *outraged* if he didn't. Almost like Lucy with the football.....Could it be that there is something other than the issues that disgusts them?
These books must all be gifts that he can make priceless with an autograft and send to close friends.
Tampa Tim seems to have his tampon in too tight today!
Tampa Tim
You right wingnuts can just keep drinking that Cuban Cruz government shutdown kool aid. Your heroes are domestic terrorists. Republicans are dummies against websites.
I like that he went to a bookstore. I do the opposite of what I should do: I scout Amazon for books I want, then order through my favorite bookstore. Yes, it's more expensive. But I get great advice, that's worth a lot. In one instance, it turned out life-changing and priceless. Usually it's just good advice, sometimes I don't like it, but we talk and figure out why I didn't, and the next suggestions just get better. Try getting that from Amazon. Works the same with whisky, BTW