President-elect: 'You can call me Barack'

Like a breath of fresh air!

At last a human being with a heart and soul at the helm. A light at the end of the tunnel.

Like a gust of sanity. The guy acts like a president should. God bless Barack !!!

America is so lucky to have such a man as President, along with a wonderful family who truly are in touch with the people, what a change from Bush.

good luck America.

Go Barack !

This man moves me beyond words, by his words AND his actions.

President Elect Obama really shows what it means to support those less fortunate.

I can't even imagine President Bush having out wrapped chickens to the hungey. He is a porduct of wealth and has no idea what is means to be hungry, and suffering. President Elect knows what it is like.

This act of kindness shows the character of the man that I worked so hard for in Virginia. He brings real compassion to the office of the President, which the country truly needs in these trying times.

I am very proud that Barack Obama is from my city, from my side of town, from my generation, from my life experience. This is a man who is like me-----you do not know where you are going in life, you know what you aspire to do, but you never, EVER forget where you have been and you are thankful for each and every moment! Happy Thanksgiving!

Makes me proud to be a Chicagoan.

A reporter asked an elderly gentleman how it felt to be given food by Barack Obama. He said he felt special, very special, and choked up as he spoke. That's how I feel -- special, very special to be a Chicagoan and to be able to say that Barack Obama is my president. God bless the Obamas!!!!

Handing out thanksgiving chickens, that other churchgoers provided with donations to the collection plate, to a few people is nice, but a saint it does not make.

I'd like to know, why hasn't this man attended a single church service since he's been elected?

I'm so thankful that we were given a choice to vote for someone so wonderful this time.
God bless this country.

truely inspiring..Makes me believe that anything is possible.

Leading by example is always the mark of a true leader.

Oh Esther, get over it. --And going to church " does not a saint make" either. Some of the biggest hell-raisers are in the church.

I would think that how he is engaged in running the country if of more importance than how frequently he makes it to church. Geez!

A reporter asked an elderly gentleman how it felt to be given food by Barack Obama. He said he felt special, very special, and choked up as he spoke. That's how I feel -- special, very special to be a Chicagoan and to be able to say that Barack Obama is my president. God bless the Obamas!!!!

Only God knows how blessed we to have President Obama to lead us. I know change will continue. I love this man and his family. I hope one day i will get to meet him

OK esther, how about you? and how many times did you go to church and yet it does not seem to have given you an ounce of compassion, charity, or common decency.

Shows Americans made the right decision. He will do much for this country. God bless him, his family, and America.

Michelle,I too now am beginning to be proud to be an American. Past eight years I was feeling guilt. Never mind missing church sometime,
our Creator probably was at
the food bank.

"Handing out thanksgiving chickens, that other churchgoers provided with donations to the collection plate, to a few people is nice, but a saint it does not make.

I'd like to know, why hasn't this man attended a single church service since he's been elected?"

Seems to me the only people holding him up to the impossible comparison to "Saint" are his detractos, whose cynicism is transparent.

It's enough for me that he's a reasonable human being and, as such, immensely preferable to his predecessor.

I have HOPE for the first time in years. This is a SMART man. I just HOPE he also remembers to keep his promises, as hard as that will be while trying to undo the mess he is walking into. As for why he hasn't attended church since elected, could be he's ummmmm---BUSY GETTING HIS ACT TOGETHER, unlike the ones before him. Happy Thanksgiving everybody & God Bless Obama. His road is long & steep but we must support him.

I am thankful that this brilliant man - who could be anything in the world - is willing to take on the Presidency & the mess he is inheriting, at this time.

I wish him & his beautiful family a happy & healthy Thanksgiving!!

It feels so amazing to be proud to be an American again. Even better to live in Chicago. We are blessed to have this man. Take care of him, America.

Esther, maybe he has seen the light in regards to religion? Maybe some day you too will see the light. Religious leanings should have no part in politics, unless it is a fundamentalist based or hate based religion which would need to be barred of course. It is ubundantly clear to observers, that there has never been a president with more questionable intent than the current one who also happens to be the most openly religious one too.

I'd like to know, why hasn't this man attended a single church service since he's been elected?

Posted by: Esther J Manor | November 26, 2008 7:45 PM

Tell us what city you were handing out food to the less fortunate and then maybe you deserve an answer.

For those who want to know about his church attendance, look at all those Presidents who went to church and then to war !! Religion is a private matter, believe it or not, so, let's everyone, mind our own business !!
Isn't he about the Lord's business, being among His people, the needy !!?
It is great that America had the courage and the foresight to elect a man of true compassion, not of the scripted kind !! Go, President-elect Obama, keep changing that fossilized concept of what a President should and should not be !! Be yourself and America will help you be the President, you would like to be !! Good luck, and may God watch over you and your good family, in the coming years.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

Philanthropy, charity-that's all great and very admirable.
But we need solutions.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081215/
greider?rel=hp_currently
"Bonfire of the Vanities
Comment
By William Greider

This article appeared in the December 15, 2008 edition of The Nation.
November 25, 2008
A monstrous crisis is bearing down on the president-elect, but it is not just about the sinking economy and Barack Obama's plans to launch a massive economic stimulus. The house that's on fire is the financial system and the government's failing efforts to save Wall Street's largest banks. Bloomberg News reports this explosive fact: the Fed and Treasury have so far obligated taxpayers to cover a staggering $7.7 trillion in potential losses. That is roughly equal to half the nation's annual economic activity, yet Washington officials continue to treat those bankers like their privileged clients.

Some of the Fed's efforts are no doubt worthy, but the largest deals to rescue Wall Street firms, like the monster bailout for Citigroup, have already taken on a stench of self-dealing--protecting club members from their self-inflicted wounds and demanding little in return for the public. Bloomberg and others have sued the Fed, demanding that it identify the recipients of its lending and the rotten assets the Fed has taken on its balance sheet as collateral. Fed chair Ben Bernanke imperiously replied that such transparency would be "counterproductive."

He's right to worry. Public wrath will swell when people learn the particulars of the extremely generous deal-making with Wall Street. If he's not careful, Obama will be on the receiving end of the blame. He should seriously consider withdrawing his nomination of Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, to be Treasury secretary. Geithner is the badly soiled negotiator who worked out some of the most dubious deals. His easy terms protected shareholders and executives but demanded almost nothing from the failing banks for the public. Worst of all, the deals did not work. They have failed to stabilize much of anything and are still putting Wall Street preservation ahead of the national interest. Where is the evidence that we can expect a different approach if Geithner is in charge? Or even that he understands the true dimensions of this crisis? Obama had better get answers up front, or else he might wind up as history's fall guy. "

I find it a little disturbing to see someone bow before him. This is America, we don't bow down before others, we are all equal. I'm afraid some don't realize that he is human. I hope he has a successful presidency, but as far as expecting change, don't hold your breath. His cabinet picks are evidence that his term in office will likely be more of the same.

Finally a President who leads and inspires our "better angels". This man and his wife are amazing and those girls are adorable. I would love them to be my nieces. They are so well behaved and confident.

To Esther on this blog: Barack may not have yet attended a church service since his election but he has shown in his deeds that he is truly a Christian. Remember Jesus taught us to help those less fortunate...he said nothing about sitting in church on Sunday acting smug like your comments! God Bless the Obama's!

The look on the faces of everyone on the picture disturbs me very much. It's as if they think it's quaint that the little peon bows to her Lord. Disgusting. I thought we gave up monarchs after the Revolution. And shame on all of you commenting here for not realizing how inappropriate it is. You seem to think Obama is some sort of demi-god. You will be so disappointed. I wouldn't want to be around you when it finally hits that he is just like every other politician and every other human being.

I see the weasels are out and about, already !! The nonsense of seeing a jest as the real thing, is a great example, as to how, out there, these Bush-McCain Republicans are !! Get used to it, because there are is plenty of ' pomp and circumstance" that will be ridiculed, as should be !! The Presidency is not royalty and shouldn't conduct itself, as such ! It is great to see our citizens treating President-elect Obama as another citizen, not as a visiting dignitary !! I hope he fights to maintain that life-line to the People, which I am sure he will, if he has anything to say about it !! Lighten up, you stodgy, dodgy, Bush-McCain Republicans, President-elect Obama is a citizen-president, not a royal-president !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

I agree with PatrickP and I was a BIG Barack supporter. After I was a HIllary supporter.

The more I read about him, and seeing his actions, the more I know that he is sincere and really will do his best to help us. I'm so glad I voted for him. He's a cool dude, as well.

LOL at the rubes and thinking Obama is the one....you've been duped into thinking as such -- enjoy your train wreck of a president...while he is out pandering to the drones, it was Bush who was handing out food to our military...

You spelled Catholic wrong.

I find the comments on this rather benign event to be disturbing. There's certainly no reason to criticize the President-elect for spending time with his family to volunteer to help those in need. That sense of volunteerism is what makes our nation great - and one of the President's roles is to lead by example. It is also a truly good thing that the entire Obama family is helping out. On the other hand, this is the type of thing that tens of thousands of Americans do on Thanksgiving, and that millions of others do year round. To ascribe some sort of hero worship on this one man because of this kind act is utterly foolish. Let us all give thanks on this day for what we have, and work as one people to bind all of the wounds of this nation.

what matter of a man is this even my eight month old grandson stop listen to his entire speech. god bless the obama's

Mr. Moore, you need not imagine- President Bush has done many a stunt like this one. You might want to compare his and Sen. Obama's personal and family charitable acts- if you're interested in truth, that is, rather than making assertions that feed your prejudices.

The President has done some awfully wrong things, but you can't fairly say that he is personally ungenerous.

Awww, bemused, that might have been your bestest post ever! Anyone that can find fault with this story is lost in some other world. I don't care if it was even Bush (which i doubt it would happen with), this action is commendable. As for the people saying Obama looks smug, well many people laugh with humility, and I think the fact that she was bowing was very funny too. It is also touching as well. I see nothing wrong with people that want to bow....it's a personal choice how to greet....I don't think that I would, but so long as the gesture is not rude, than let it be!

Esther reminds me of the Pharisees of Biblical days who criticized Jesus for healing people on the Sabbath.
The Bible doesn't say "go to church" but it does say "when I was hungry you fed me. . . that what you do unto the least of my brothers you also do unto me."

The reason Obama doesn't go to church is not that he doesn't want to or is too busy. It is because he is President elect, and is in Chicago.

He can't just stop in at a church. He has to be preceded by the Secret Service and they have to check all attendees before Mr. Obama can enter. It is very disruptive to a church. Why disrupt some church that he will not be attending after mid-January? I am sure he will pick one in or near Washington DC after he moves there.

Frankly, if, when and where he attends church is none of my business.

ok , well I'm just looking for work. I'm 47 white male, like it should matter and I can put most younsters to shame. Working hard for a living is what I do and I am very proud and like to keep working. I've recently started working for the usps as a rca- rural carier associate. this is a part time job which can work out to a little more. Got to love the fact our leader, the usps postal master dude is selling the last of us working poor out.......... There are lots of us who work part time hours to support our families. It ussually takes it least 10 years to move into a full time position with in the post office. Now our king, the post master of usa sells us out for profits. He probably hasn't even delivered a piece of mail in his life. Yet he knows what's best for everyone.Call it sad, but this is the way of the world now. We have given the power to people who know not. Wile the rest rest suffer.