Posted on 06/02/2006 2:46:55 AM PDT by NYpeanut
Hillary and Bill Clinton took a break from the South Beach Diet on Wednesday to do lunch Buffalo-style: spaghetti Parmesan and chicken cacciatore at Chef's on Seneca Street.
"I figure once a year, it's OK," said former president and quadruple by-pass survivor Bill Clinton, as he chomped down on a cannoli while simultaneously shaking hands with adoring fans.
The Clintons were at Chef's with about 40 convention organizers and volunteers to wrap up their appearances in Buffalo for the state Democratic convention.
"That was amazing!" gushed hostess Kim Ehnes, 19, of East Aurora, moments after the powerhouse political duo was swept away by Secret Service agents.
"We thought that the Sabres coming in here was a big deal, but that blew that away," she said.
"It's an awesome feeling to meet a president of the United States of America," said Samuel A. Herbert, a convention volunteer who showed up outside Chef's to take a photograph of himself with the Clintons with his cell phone camera.
"I will treasure this picture," Herbert said.
The Clintons made the rounds in the restaurant, shaking hands with workers and patrons and delighting them with their down-to-earth demeanor, before sitting down to mounds of Italian-American dishes.
"The president said we just put 10 pounds on him and took 10 years off his life because of all the cheese," said waitress Anne Johnston, 21.
Customers, too, were delighted by the surprise visit.
Barb and Ted Gorney, a retired couple from West Seneca, were in downtown Buffalo running errands and just happened to decide to come to Chef's Wednesday afternoon.
"I thought I'd surprise her and take her to lunch at Chef's," Ted Gorney said.
They were worried at first when they saw the long line of black Secret Service SUVs in front of the restaurant, but were thrilled when they saw who the special guests were. The Gorneys made sure to get a table near the aisle so they'd get a chance to shake hands with the Clintons.
"If it was [President] Bush, I wouldn't even speak to them," Barb Gorney joked.
Andrea Gallo, 59, a retired Buffalo Envelope worker and regular at Chef's, said she strode up to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with a pointed message: "I told her I want her to run for president and that she'd be just as good as her husband."
Sen. Clinton replied: "I need your help in November, first."
To which Gallo replied: "You got it."
For the record: The restaurant picked up the tab but waitress Johnston said the party "left a nice tip."
Waiter, another plate of cheese for the rapist at table 1!
Clinton, word to fat kids of America, "Do as I say, not as I do".
I gained 10 pounds just reading this cheesy article.
this needs a barf alert...ugh
SNORT.
The next time my brother calls to complain about no jobs in Buffalo, I'll remind him that he should have asked Hillary when he had the chance.
Leni
I wonder what they tipped?
The foreign press are running lots of stories about Bill's Canadian heiress girlfriend. Strangely, our gossip and celebrity-obsessed media can't seem to muster the energy to write about her instead of pap like this.
I have never seen people so addicted to trolling for and/or accepting freebies.
Leni
(Cream) Puff Piece, (Cream) Puff Piece!
Long lines of Black SUV's outside. If this guy is so loved why does he need a long line of SUV's. Give him 2 agents and a Motor scooter. As for the tips i would bet the agents tipped them not the Bubba.
I agree. She'd be every bit as good as your husband.
oops mean to say "her" husband....
Anybody else see the irony in the title-using "Clinton" and "blow" in the same sentance-that's just too rich.
Good catch - I didn't notice it until you pointed it out. LOL
and this line adds SO much to the article...love how the editors had to make sure it stayed in.
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