Captured by C-SPAN and other media outlets, this YouTube video is now viral, showing President Barack Obama ordering lunch at the Five Guys national hamburger chain for himself, the Secret Service, and other colleagues.
Have a look.
Granted this is the leader of the free world–who is accompanied by paparazzi. But he’s also the chief executive of the United States.
Imagine if a community access TV station followed a local government chief executive from City Hall to the local grill. If Port Media films Newburyport Mayor John Moak ordering a chicken sandwich, would the mayor walk up to local citizens, shake their hands, and ask them about their work as Obama does?
Substitute Obama or the mayor with the CEO of a publicly-traded company. Would the CEO shrug the media off?
Let this be a lesson and a warning for every chief executive. The internet is not changing mass media, but brings possibilities like Obama ordering a hamburger closer into our lives. I think it’s great–and I look forward to more public interest stories, focusing on not merely the President of the United States but any public leader.
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Comments:
Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
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He takes SO long to decide what he wants on his burger! $10 says he’s used to Michelle ordering him a veggie burger and reminding him that she doesn’t want him dying of a heart attack in ten years.
I like that he doesn’t just respond to people. He goes out of his way to say hello to as many people as possible, asks them questions, and listens to their boring answers.
Great example!
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Indeed. Did you also pick up that he doesn’t ask people, “What do you do?” (a phrase I hate when I hear people ask it to me) but “What kind of work do you do?”
I don’t know what to say. I’m smiling ear to ear as I watch this. He is just too cool. No one would fault him for standing off int he corner to be polarized from the public and sequestered by the Secret Service. Instead, he mixes and mingles; chats and hob nobs; that’s leadership in action.
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I enjoyed watching this (though I find celebrity encounters excruciating to watch most of the time), but don’t actually follow what the warning to world leaders is. Most CEO’s would not be recognized. I may recognize our local mayor or council members (small assed town), or I may not. What’s the lesson?
The lesson is Obama is an example for others to follow.
The warning is that the rise of new media implies this video on Obama ordering lunch and talking to people could be anyone else.
Ah. I don’t know why I found the post so ambiguous. Thank you for taking the time to say it again.
I’ve always loved how much Obama connects with people and I’m so delighted he hasn’t lost that ability, even with the Secret Service watching his every move. This video was a day in the life of a “regular” guy in some ways. I think President Obama enjoys connecting with people this way so he can keep focused on what’s really important. I met him myself in PA on the campaign trail when I worked on his campaign last year and he was very gracious and appreciative of my contribution. It wasn’t contrite, and I feel like he’s still in that mindset, and I personally hope he NEVER stops! This is what makes him so accessible to the average person. He’s down to earth and hasn’t let being President change who he is, a grounded, smart, regular guy who cares about all of us, regardless of our political views or religious beliefs. WAY TO GO!!!!
No tip in the tip jar from Obama??? Hmmm…
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I think you’ve captured how, in a way, President Obama is our first really modern President. For one thing, I have never heard his ear turn tin for how something sounds.
After a steady diet of politicians and right-wing religiosos who bloviate about their lover for America and act in ways that prove they don’t actually like Americans so much, it’s good to have a person in the White House who likes us and tries to move among us.
Five Guys is nothing. It was cooler when he went to Ray’s Hells Burger because I have eaten there a bunch of times. He is doing a great job of showing America he is just a real guy, putting himself out there for people to see.
Obama is a rockstar and the media and the general public will always treat him as such. I love 5 Guys and it was a good decision for him to go out for a regular burger (seems like a repeat from the movie King Ralph).
I do wonder though, how much exactly does his going out to eat cost the American Tax Payers.
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