October 24, 2008
Obama In Hawaii, The Pool Report
Per The Washington Post's Bob Barnes:
We waited outside the hotel from 6:30 until 8:05, when we made the uneventful 10-minute drive to Toot's apartment building, at the busy intersection of Beretania and Punahou. Obama went to underground parking, and your pool did not actually see him the entire time. There were only a few people in the park across the street, mostly news folks.
A couple of hours later, we were alerted that Obama was going to take a solitary walk around his old neighborhood. Your pooler cannot say when that began, because by the time we were herded to the back of the building, he and an agent walking behind him were about two blocks away. They had moved fairly unnoticed down Young Street, which runs behind the building, until we arrived. He was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt , Levis, sandals and sunglasses, though a very fine rain was misting. He looked somber and sad, and stopped when he saw us on the other side of the street. He looked to be pondering whether to continue the walk, then got into a silver van at 10:09 and was driven the few blocks back to the apartment. There was no opportunity for questions.
Young Street doesn't look quite as prosperous as Beretania. It is a collection of small apartment buildings and very modest homes. Few seemed to notice Obama, at least until we showed up, though Janet Coelho "knew it was him" and waved. "So exciting!" she said. She knew his grandmother lived in the neighborhood, and although she does not know the family, she has a friend who is a friend of Obama's sister. "Of course" she is a supporter.
We returned to our posts on the open-air lobby of the building and remain waiting further developments.
Posted at 05:05 PM
