WTF? "Did he have a distinct smell?"

[babylonsister]

What was the point of this question?


Pizza Shop Owner Scott Van Duzer on Bear-Hugging President Obama
by Kevin Fallon Sep 11, 2012 4:45 AM EDT
Scott Van Duzer, the man who lifted the president off the floor for a hug, talks about pizza, politics, how it feels to hold the leader of the free world in his arms—and the reaction to it, including nasty, partisan comments.

snip//

So the president was visiting you and the shop to congratulate you on your work with this foundation. What kind of work does it do?
I’ve been at my pizza shop for over 25 years, and about four years ago we started helping local families. One family a month. Over the last four years, we’ve helped over 40 families and raised over $600,000. With that, over 80 percent of the families that we have helped have donated blood. It has created, in our small town, one of the largest blood drives in the country. Last year 1,300 people came out and donated blood. The president came in, looked me in the eye, shook my hand and was extremely proud of the work that we do. That was very touching. Besides the hug, he took the time out of his obviously busy schedule and it was a very special moment.

Were you expecting the president to walk into your shop today?
We had no idea. I had an 18-minute notice that he was there. {Secret Service} came in and made sure the place was safe. Once they secured the building, they called me and I had 18 minutes to get there.



Were you planning to give him such a big welcome when he got there?
Not at all. That’s the funniest thing, too. Everyone thinks it was scripted. Everyone thinks I asked the Secret Service. I didn’t ask the Secret Service anything. I didn’t know what I was going to do. You know what I mean? He just came in, and the way he came in was so genuine and warm. He came over to me like he had known me for 25 years. He said, “Where’s Scott?” He opened the door and I was standing right there. He gave me a big high five, and started talking about my biceps and muscles. He said, “If I eat your pizza, can I get some muscles like that?” We were just fooling around. He gave me this pat on the shoulder, and that’s when the big hug happened.

So you were just caught up in the moment?
Yeah. Very much so. I never understood what that means. You think, Caught up in the moment, what does that really mean? But last week, I was watching the Democratic Convention, and now here the president of the United States walks into my pizza shop in Fort Pierce, Fla. It was pretty amazing.

snip//

Did he have a distinct smell?
Nah. I can only tell you, it was a warm moment. None of it was planned out. Imagine, like, you’re home and someone you haven’t seen since your high-school days, like 20 years ago. That’s how he made me feel. That’s how he made everybody in the store feel. He walked in, and it seemed like he really wanted to be there. You know what I mean? Not that we were burdening him.

more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/11/pizza-shop-owner-scott-van-duzer-on-bear-hugging-president-obama.html

[Scootaloo]

1. I'm not sure what to think about that one.

But it reminds me of Tweety gushing about how Fred Thompson smelled like aquavelva and english leather.

Yeah, I don't care of Chris Matthews has recovered his scrotum in recent weeks, he's not going to live that down.

[99th_Monkey]

2. This is a little disturbing to me

Q: Were you planning to give him such a big welcome when he got there?
A: Not at all. That’s the funniest thing, too. Everyone thinks it was scripted. Everyone thinks I asked the Secret Service. I didn’t ask the Secret Service anything. I didn’t know what I was going to do. You know what I mean?

There were scads of peeps on DU swearing up and down that the Secret Service HAD BEEN ASKED BEFOREHAND about if it was ok for the big bearhug to happen; which this statement by Mr. Van DUzer totally contradicts.

[babylonsister]

3. But the SS made sure it was safe there;

I don't think a hug is forbidden, especially one that's generated so much amusement.

We had no idea. I had an 18-minute notice that he was there. {Secret Service} came in and made sure the place was safe.

[99th_Monkey]

4. Don't get me wrong.

I was as amused as anyone by the incident, but had concerns
about security too; so this discrepancy kind of jumped out at me.

I'm frankly ready to move on to more current and interesting
developments, but thanks for your reply.

I do think the SS is doing a great job from what I can tell, esp.
given all the racist hatred being leveled at Obama.

[progressivebydesign]

12. the comment attributed to the Service, was something that I think the President said after..

He mentioned that he could pick him up, as long as he didn't take him anywhere.

[joshcryer]

36. The Secret Service can read body language, they knew he wasn't a threat.

The meme that he asked before hand was being spread on right wing sites to make it seem staged and not genuine. It was never said by any official source or the shop owner.

[C_U_L8R]

5. Yes he smelled like Victory

let me tell ya,
you really don't want to be sniffing Romney these days.

P.U.

[skeewee08]

8. LOL.. I like that CUL8R

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. ROFL

You win the Internets!

Great response.

[tk2kewl]

11. that should be a duzy

[susanna]

35. my thought too n/t

[Jennicut]

14. Romney smells like the garbage

always spewing from his mouth.

[anneboleyn]

21. Exactly! Obama smells like awesomeness. Romney stinks like cheap cologne.

[flamingdem]

23. LOL I like that n/t

[a kennedy]

6. Very odd question indeed.....

makes you go hmmmmmmm

[skeewee08]

7. WTF......Ummmm he smells like Chocolate

Really this is as bad as the reporter asking Doug Williams "how long you been a black quarterback".....

[jsr]

10. WTF indeed.

[progressivebydesign]

13. That's a pretty disturbing question.

There is a mindset, among racists, that black people smell differently. You can see that all over the internet. So his question may have been innocent, but the concept itself is rooted in racism.

[abumbyanyothername]

15. The question reminds me . . .

of being a very young child at home with neighborhood ladies gathered around Mom's table drinking coffee and talking about integration.

And I believe it was my mom who said something along the lines of "the only thing that would bother me is that I have heard they have a smell . . . ."

Mom is far from a bigot today. But back then she was just a girl in her 20s, fresh off the farm where pretty much everyone was German-American who had taken a big jump (against her father's wishes) to live in a distinctly white, blue-collar neighborhood, typical of the newly urbanized of that era.

As a pre-school child I remember being a bit put off by the response, even though I of course loved, adored and even idolized my mom.

[alphafemale]

16. Wow. That's pretty damn racist.

I've often heard racists say that black people smelled bad. Just not openly in a long....long time.

And I think they are smelling their own craven, flop sweat fear.

[Whisp]

17. I sometimes think of certain people and what they might smell like.

but I do see what you mean, too.

To me the President would smell fresh and warm. A comfy crispy smell.

David Gregory - I smell mouldy socks when I see him.

The Chimperor - formaldehyde - smells from a morgue

Dick Cheney - something that maggots chew on

etc etc.

[treestar]

20. I've seen some sense of how individual people might all have a particular smell

People will talk of a person's scent, especially ladies. Novelists get into that a lot, lately.

My nephew picked up a t-shirt in the dark and as to whether or not it was his, said, "It doesn't smell like me."

[alphafemale]

22. My boyfriend smells like cookies and roses.

But I'm pretty sure that's not what he meant.

[treestar]

25. True. Though maybe I'd give Mr. Fallon one chance to explain

Supposedly everyone has a scent. I'm not big on it and never notice it. I just read about it in novels!

But yeah, I've heard the racist ideas too.

[Freddie]

29. Bush--last night's liquor

Mittens--crispy new bills

[psychobueller]

18. The smell of success!

[cash__whatiwant]

19. sex and candy lol. nt

[flamingdem]

24. I don't think the question was racist

They were just looking for a unique soundbite. What is the guy going to say? He smelled funny? No he's not going to say anything like that.

[sammytko]

33. I don't think so either - would love to know what kind of cologne he uses

I bet he smells great!

[flamingdem]

34. My sister shook his hand

I think she told me something positive about smell, maybe not though, what she did say is that he's pretty thin, or was at that point. Easier to pick up that way!

[TwilightGardener]

26. LOL--weird. Maybe someone just wants to know what kind of cologne

or aftershave he uses.

[Freddie]

28. That's what I thought

Maybe he smells like Polo or Tommy

[whathehell]

27. That's a really bizzare question.

[liberalmuse]

30. Well, this is just me, but...

I sometimes wonder what famous people smell like. You know - what cologne or soap they use, and maybe something more. I guess it's dormant animal instinct kicking in. Do really charismatic people have a slightly cooler smell? I wonder because of something I read once - it is said that Brigitte Bardot had a "highly magnetic smell" due to overactive endocrine glands, and that it drove men crazy. I've read this about a few other people, too. I do think President Obama would smell good, though. Johnny Depp - not so much when it looks like he hasn't bathed in awhile. Weird question for a reporter to be asking, though. It's one of those things you keep to yourself - well, until now, LOL.

[CTyankee]

31. I see a man's name on the article, wondering if he wrote the question...

I can only surmise it was somehow race related. I've never heard of such a thing being asked about a white President or candidate for President. I could understand in a way how a woman might wonder about the scent of Obama out of physical curiosity (I am trying to be delicate here). Pheromones (sp?) and all that. But I don't think many women would, even if they secretly wanted to....

[SayitAintSo]

32. Cigarettes?

maaaaaybeeeeeeeee?