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Obama on DC ice storm: "Folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things."

By: BEN FELLER
The Associated Press
January 28, 2009

You call this bad weather? President Barack Obama, steeled by many snowy Chicago winters, expressed disbelief Wednesday when his daughters woke up to find that their classes had been canceled for the day.

Schools in Washington and the surrounding suburbs either opened late or scrapped all their classes because of icy conditions.

"Can I make a comment that is unrelated to the economy very quickly?" the new president told reporters at a gathering with business leaders. "And it has to do with Washington. My children's school was canceled today. Because of, what? Some ice?"

The president said he wasn't the only one who was incredulous.

"As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled," Obama said to laughter. "In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you'd go outside for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors. So, I don't know. We're going to have to try to apply some flinty Chicago toughness."

Asked if he meant the people of the national's capital are wimps, Obama said: "I'm saying, when it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things."

Obama's daughters attend the private Sidwell Friends School.

Malia, 10, is a fifth-grader at the middle school campus in the District of Columbia, while younger sister Sasha is in second grade at the elementary school in Bethesda, Md., just outside Washington.



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Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Free America

Jan 28, 2009

Has it occurred to him the Chicago is flat as a pancake with square blocks, and Washington is hilly with lots of curvy roads?

 

Jan 28, 2009

I'm a DC native, and remember the days when school was closed or opening late only when there was SIGNIFICANT snow/ice or blizzard. Maybe President Obama should appoint someone from Chicago to be the head of schools here...!

 

michael

Jan 28, 2009

WELCOME TO WASHINGTON MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS JUST THE FIRST OF MANY FIRSTS TO COME,THAT OPEN YOUR EYES WIDE, WHEN YOU MOVE TO THE CAPITAL.

 

Joanne San Diego

Jan 28, 2009

the POTUS should of called Ted Kennedy, and had him drive the girls to school..

 

.

Jan 28, 2009

I imagine he'd be singing a different song if it were Michelle who was taking the kids to school in a minivan, having to dodge the warmer-climate idiots who get in over their heads thinking they can drive in this sort of mess, rather than the US Secret Service in their Chevy Suburban "Battlewagons" Oh, and it looks like DC Public Schools are open today. It's the wealthy, elitist Sidwell Friends that decided to close.

 

AlexVA

Jan 28, 2009

You don't have to live here, Mr. President.

 

mmm

Jan 28, 2009

DC public schools were open today, albeit 2 hours late. Perhaps Obama should send his children to DC public schools if he wants them to enjoy slipping and cracking their bones on ice on their way to school. They would also enjoy overcrowded classrooms, overworked teachers, lack of books, and lets not forget the violence.

 

Snowbaby

Jan 28, 2009

I was born and raised in Cleveland and had to learn to drive in lake effect snow. To this day it blows my mind how in D.C. everyone gets panicky when there are even three flakes of snow on the ground. That includes the over the top dramatic weather reporters an every channel, whipping everyone into a frenzy.

 

?

Jan 28, 2009

To the ones who are saying negative things about the presidet; at least he spoke out about it. It's D.C. residents who needs to ge their act together. All these years I've lived here and D.C. govenment refuse to advance on anything! So Shut up with all the negativity on his comment! D.C. folks are just wack! lol

 

Confused

Jan 28, 2009

What does Sidwell friends, a private school have too do with the DC Public School system? They make their on rules, however the Chancellor and the Mayor should be more considerate of those who do not have drivers taking them everywhere they need to go. Our children have to walk on these icy and snow filled streets which aren't cleared or treated. So I guess we should get drivers to take our children to school so, that we know that they are safe. In Chi-town school is never closed because Chi-town is able to handle this kind of weather. DC does not know how to treat the roads or clear the sidewalks so that we can get to school safely! Handle that first, and then talk to me about not closing schools because of bad weather!

 

JODE

Jan 28, 2009

I was born and raised in DC and I agree with President Obama.

 

Fred

Jan 28, 2009

Good rule of thumb: When you are a newcomer to an area, don't bash it! People generally don't appreciate bad comments about their hometown.

 

Disappointed

Jan 28, 2009

I am a supporter of the President but he does not realize that in our area you have people coming from Maryland, Virginia and as far away as Delaware. Where I live, it was a solid sheet of ice in my parking lot and I almost fell. In spite of this, I still dug my car out of all that ice and came to work. I was late, but what can you did since the Mayor did not have the courtesy to give us at least 2 hours to unthaw!! He needs to understand why we do what we do and the demographics of the area before making those kinds of comments.

 

Juanito

Jan 28, 2009

Actually, the president has a point...and he also needs to learn more about this area. While DC schools open, a little late, he should lay blame at the private schools that closed (like his daughter's) as well as the other publich schools in the surrounding states. Too many people use the Term "DC" to describe anything and everything about us.

 

Michael in Oregon

Jan 28, 2009

Maybe the President can use his god-like powers to change the weather. Also, clearly the DC area didn't get the intel that we are locked into a dangerous global warming crisis, and is simply out of touch to have ice. I blame Bush, of course.

 

SUSIEWONG

Jan 28, 2009

The President is right! This is nothing. I too was raised in this area and we had a blizzard in 86-87 and schools were still open. This area is not well equipt enough to handle anything outside of a heavy rain. I don't understand why in 2009 we are almost completely shut down because of freezing rain.

 

Bal

Jan 28, 2009

Did President Barack Obama see the DC residence on the news complaining about work today. NO!!! DC is a city of hills and from what I saw on the news DC public Schools and federal government were open. What Barack fails to understand that many people that work in DC dont live in DC. We are not in Chicago, so if you want those rules then you should have stayed in Chicago. Dont come to DC with that non-sense. I voted for you. Some people commented that DC people are wack. When you drive off the road and kill yourself, then I will say you are wack. That was harsh, but Barack and the rest of your outsiders know where to go, HOME!!!:)

 

happy

Jan 28, 2009

Please let DC be "DC" we are not to be compared with Chicago. I know we are tough resiliant people, especially the DC born natives, but also those that have to deal with all the govt issues that kame us tougher than those other states that have a voice, no taxation without representation, shows DC to be Great in site of all the ill sayers. Mr. President, we don't need you to start to be a part of the negative talks. We in DC had a great joy putting you in the White House so that the city could see positive outcomes, let's keep it like that and stay focused on the good in us all.

 

sydney

Jan 28, 2009

As a DC resident, I should point out that only the PRIVATE schools were closed in DC today. The public schools were open. If the president wants his girls to go to schools that have to tough it out, maybe he should take them out of the comfy $25K per year private school and put them in a public school. But, we know he's not going to do that with his little princesses. It's only been a week, and I am tired of this guy already. It's going to be a long four years. In 2012, I'm voting for for the next change candidate!

 

Time

Jan 28, 2009

It is still too early, let's see how mr. President feels when it's 3 ft of snow and his girls have to come home early, Oh, that will never be an issue, Michelle does not work out of the home. He has a great pleasure to not comment about the DC people, we are your suppoters, and cannot hear about your jokes when we can barely pay our mortages, and we now hear you have a problem with school closing, well my kids school oped 2 hrs late and i had to slide, near death to take them into school. My Boss didn't seem to care that private school closed. I just had to be at work, and should have been ontime. Don't talk about tough people. I slid on ice for many yrs going to public school and got in to the polls in the rain to vote for you to make a better future for all our children. may be my great grand kids will have a day off so that they can play in the snow. i wish you would just do the right thing!

 

fearless

Jan 28, 2009

Thank you all for your interest. I like to hear what Mr. Pres. has to say, good or bad. I would hope he takes it to concern, that all of DC resident's did not understand the comment. Can you ask him, What he really means? I want facts. I just heard some kids coming back home from school and they were unhappy that they had to walk in all the ice. I guess they didn't get to stay home today, next time kids, you might be as unfortunate as Malia & Sasha. Go figure?

 

Your point is well-taken

Jan 28, 2009

Okay..what did the momma Michelles' have to say about this...as in Michelle Obama, Michelle Fenty and Michelle Rhee...all have children in a various type of schools in the district? As for your out-of-towners who live in one jurisdiction and working in another...gimme a break. Your own tax-dollar county couldn't make-up its mind yesterday...so don't even think you have a penny in this five cent conversation. If everyone stop hanging on every word that the President says...this would not be an issue. Snow days are budgeted in the process so there's nothing lost. Thanks to Global Warming it's almost calls for a holiday when you get any type of inclement weather during the appropriate season. Remember the President is promising for better infrastructures for the roads and highways...so its inevitable that you gonna get to where you need to be going.

 

ChicagoG

Jan 28, 2009

We shouldn't over-react, if predictions are correct Global Warming should make snow a non-issue before too long ;)

 

Katie-O in Charlotte

Jan 28, 2009

Er, Mr. President? DC closes the schools because it doesn't waste its taxpayers money on snow removal equipment that would only be used maybe once a year. Get a clue. Sir.

 

Patty Cedar Rapids IA

Jan 28, 2009

alittle of ice-that's nothing we have HUGE icestorms that take down trees and power lines and 39 degrees below zero weather without the wind chill factor.

 

Freedom is not Free

Jan 28, 2009

Is our Harvard-educated President actually comparing snow and ice? Two totally different things. You can drive on snow, you can play in snow, you push it out of the way and get on with it. Once it's hard-packed you've got quite a bit of traction. ICE on the other hand is deadly. Why do people insist on comparing the two as if they were the same?

 

swami

Jan 28, 2009

We became a nation of weather wimps years ago. Nice to see someone finally noticing.

 

ROCK

Jan 28, 2009

WELL...WELL. President Obama has hurt your feelings people. GET OVER IT....It's the truth and I live HERE too. THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DISCUSS...

 

.

Jan 28, 2009

ROCK Wrote: "WELL...WELL. President Obama has hurt your feelings people. GET OVER IT....It's the truth and I live HERE too. THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DISCUSS..." Um, ROCK ... the President is the one who decided to raise the point, not any of us.

 

Dc Resident Previous from the Midwest

Jan 28, 2009

People always seem to get things mixed up about the weather. Snow at least you can drive and walk, Ice is very dangerous. Why do people always have to take President Obama's words of contents. Today was a bad day. When I live in the Midwest Public and Private schools were closed. Especially if it was ice, not just snow.

 

Who Me?

Jan 28, 2009

Yeah, and I bet Obama walked to school 5 miles uphill...both ways. I used to live in DC, went to school there in public schools, and they'd close for 2-3 inches of snow or more. Ice though is a different thing and something more northernly and midwesternly cities don't see as much of. You can drive a lot easier in 4 inches of snow than you can on a half inch of ice. What does Obama know though? He went to school in Hawaii. I've gone to school there too... never a snow day for sure. Still, if Obama says so, I'm sure the people of DC would be willing to risk their children's safety based on his meterological and transportation expertise... NOT!

 

Jan 29, 2009

Perhaps Obama could reach into his deep pockets and pay for the DC area to have the equipment to remove snow and ice from the roads like his precious Chicago has.

 

Hamilton

Jan 29, 2009

Wow...it amazes me that people have so much time to grouse and gripe and express their opinions about silly things like this. I grew up in Chicago and it's true...when I moved a few hours south...omg, people totally wimp out with a little snow. Barack has a sharp wit and speaks his mind, get used to it. He has spent a lot of time in DC, he's no stranger. People are so hypersensitive to anything. Get some thicker skin.

 

Rolling Eyes

Jan 29, 2009

You people are a bunch of babies. Get over yourselves. No wonder our country is in the state it is. There was no reason to close businesses or schools.

 


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