The highlight of President Obama’s town hall meeting in Annandale, Virginia was when he called on Debby Smith, a cancer victim whose voice cracked and tears flowed as she told the President about her struggle with unemployment and lack of insurance.
The President called her forward, gave her a big ol’ bear hug and said he’d have his people look into it. It was a warm, tender moment except for one thing:
Debby Smith is actually an Obama campaign worker who had been surreptitiously planted in the audience. She’s a volunteer for a wing of the Democratic National Committee. She also works for the Virginia Organizing Project, which has been hyping health care forums around the state. A December news report revealed that Smith moderated a “a community discussion on health care issues” in Appalachia, Virginia and told her local paper that the meeting ‘would be reported back to former Sen. Tom Daschle, who has been directed by President Elect Barack Obama to form a committee to report on health care issues.’”
So how much help can Smith expect now that the President has told his people “to look into it”? Not much if recent history is any guide.
You may remember the name Henrietta Hughes. Her 15-minutes of fame began during the campaign when Obama called on her during another town hall meeting in Fort Myers, Florida.
Here’s how HuffingtonPost.com reported it:
One questioner in particular brought to life the dire situation. “I have an urgent need,” she said, revealing that her family was homeless and needed a place to live. Obama asked for her name — Henrietta Hughes — and told her, “We’re gonna do everything we can to help you…I’ll have my staff talk to you after the town hall.”
Apparently, talk is all she got from Obama’s staff. The HuffPo story continues:
…she did get the loan of a house owned by Representative Nick Thompson (a Republican), whose generosity was widely applauded. However, as soon as the house sells, Henrietta and her son may be out on the streets again. And lack of affordable housing is one of the major factors in homelessness.
Henrietta has actually received some help from homeless service organizations and some career help from the Career Center in Fort Myers. A few days ago, WINK News in Fort Myers did a follow up story on Henrietta. Not surprisingly, but still sad, is the fact that Henrietta still has no job and is running out of options. She has been taking computer classes, along with her adult son Corey, in the hope that they would be more qualified, but they are both in a job market that is likely filled with other applicants.
Bottom line: Barack Obama talks real pretty when the cameras are on, but doesn’t deliver. The only real help Henrietta Hughes received came from a Republican. She got nothing from the President but empty promises and that’s exactly what Debby Smith should expect, too.
But to end on a positive note, at least he treats us all equally.
Source: TriCities.com, HuffingtonPost.com
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