This is pretty cool: President Obama took a short break from debate preparation to phone bank at the local Obama campaign office in Williamsburg. Pool report courtesy of Todd Allen Wilson, Political Reporter for the Newport News Daily Press.
POTUS left the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, were he is preparing for his upcoming debate, at 2:23 p.m. Sunday to visit the local campaign office.
The president arrived at the office, where he came into the lobby carrying a stack of pizzas.
“Hello, hello,” Obama yelled as he walked into the lobby of the office. “I brought some food.”
The president introduced himself to a small group of campaign workers in the lobby before heading into a back room, where 11 volunteers were phone banking.
Obama introduced himself to the volunteers before taking a seat between Alexa Kissinger and Suzanne Stern to make his own phone calls to local volunteers.
“I’ve got to get to work,” Obama said. ”
After joking with Kissinger about “old school” phones Obama called volunteer Griselda Bayton.
“Well, I wanted to call and say thank you,” Obama said. “I’m at the over at the Williamsburg office, and I know you’ve been working so hard for the campaign. I wanted to say how much I appreciate it.”
After listening to Griselda respond, Obama said, “It means so much to me. I understand that you’re going to be installed as a pastor at Trinity Baptist Church.”
Obama then called Ellen and Chuck Hawkins.
“Is this Ellen?” Obama asked. “Ellen this is Barack Obama.”
“It is. It is. Really, truly,” Obama said. “I’m over here in the Williamsburg office. They have told me some of the great folks that have been doing work, and I know you and Chuck have been working so hard>”
After making phone calls Obama, shook hands with and hugged a line of roughly 20 volunteers standing outside in front of the office.
Obama left the Williamsburg campaign office just before 3 p.m. to return to the Kingsmill resort.
A full transcript of the president’s end of the two phone conversations will follow shortly.
Also while Obama was making calls an unidentified reporter called out the question: “How is debate prep going sir?”
“It’s going great,” Obama said.
President Obama at the Williamsburg campaign office on a phone call to volunteer Griselda Bayton:
“Hi, Griselda?”
“Hi, this is Barack Obama. Can you hear me?”
“Well I wanted to call and say thank you. I’m over at the Williamsburg office and I know that you have just been working so hard for the campaign. And I just wanted to say how much I appreciate it.”
“Well, it means so much to me. I understand that you’re going to be installed as a pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. ”
“Congratulations. That’s a big deal.”
“Well you know I’ll probably be someplace else, but you tell everybody at church I said, ‘Hi.’ ”
“Make sure they’re keeping me in their prayer, and Michelle and the girls in their prayers. And make sure they’re voting too. ”
“Ok. Go at it. I appreciate you. ”
“Well I look forward to meeting you some time in person , and I can’t thank you enough. Just keep it going for the next three weeks.”
“Ok. Thank you so much, Bye-bye.”
Obama on phone call with Ellen and Chuck Hawkins:
“Is this Ellen?”
“Ellen, this is Barack Obama.”
“It is. It is really , truly me. I’m over here in the Williamsburg office and they have told me some of the great folks that have been doing work, and I know you and Chuck have been working so hard. So I just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate you.”
“We are going to do that. And then we’ve just got to keep pushing hard all the way through the last three weeks.”
“Well, I can’t thank you enough for everything you and Chuck are doing. I just wanted you to know I hope I get a chance to meet you in person sometime. But in the meantime just know that what you do is the bedrock of this campaign. It’s what makes it happen.”
“You, know I will. All right, take care of yourself.”
“You bet, bye-bye.”
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