Pizza Parlor Owner Who Bear-Hugged Obama Says People Are Boycotting His Store Now

[teko]

UPDATE: It seems there are consequences to bear-hugging the president. Scott Van Duzer, who became famous overnight for lifting President Obama, tells Politico that “people are saying a lot of bad things and boycotting my restaurant.”


Monday, Sept. 10 at 7:27 a.m.: President Obama got more of a lift than he likely bargained for when he walked into the Big Apple Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Fort Pierce, Fla. Sunday. The place was nearly empty but the owner, Scott Van Duzer, couldn’t hide his excitement to have the commander-in-chief visit his store.


Obama quickly began admiring Van Duzer’s physique. “Scott, let me tell you, you are like the biggest pizza shop owner I’ve ever seen,” Obama told the 6-foot-3, 260-pound Van Duzer. “Everybody look at these guns.”


The two men hugged, and Van Duzer seemingly couldn’t resist the urge to lift the president off the ground. (Video after the jump.) "Look at that!" Obama exclaimed once back on the ground. "Man, are you a powerlifter or what?" Indeed, notes Politico, Van Duzer later said he can bench-press 350 pounds.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/09/10/video_obama_bear_hug_lift_off_ground_by_scott_van_duzer_bigg_apple_pizza_florida.html

[teko]

One of the reasons that we wanted to stop by is that Scott has been doing unbelievable work out of this pizza shop in promoting the importance of donating blood,” Obama told the Times. “And so he has set some records here in Florida. He has received commendations from the White House, the surgeon general, he has galvanized and mobilized the local community and he’s educating kids and folks all across the country on this issue.”


Of course the place was screened and security did their clearance before the presidents arrival. To think otherwise is just well, silly.

[el_em_en_oh]

I've watched it a couple of times...

Looks scripted.

I think the Right has blown this "lack of security" thing a little out of proportion! Just my humble opinion.

[R Glass]

I think it was

[orphanedhawk]

When it's already agreed that it's alright. It certainly could have been scripted, not saying it was but it's possible.

[R Glass]

Since when does Security allow anyone to put their hands on the President?

[adgal]

Our last provincial election we had a party running called the Wild Rose Party.  They are extreme right (trust me, they make your Republican Party look liberal).  We also have a party called the NDP...very far left.  The two parties more middle ground are the Liberals and the Conservatives.  In my province, the Liberals have no chance...we are pretty conservative here.  So, I voted Conservative in an effort to prevent the Wild Rose Party from becoming elected.  

Anyway, point is, I strongly strongly dislike the Wild Rose and NDP...both are way too extreme for me.  If local business' were displaying signs supporting them?  Yeah, I can admit it, chances are I would take my business elsewhere if possible.  It's not right, but I know I would.  Reality is, people are affected by things like this.  It's an emotional decision as opposed to logical I guess, but human nature is what it is.  As for friends and family?  Whole different story...we have rousing debates about politics and it's all fine.  I'm not sure why it's different for me, but it is.