Obama’s Beer Meeting: Let the Lobbying Begin!
Every time President Obama eats a burger, Mr. Y&H (aka Tim Carman) has a goddamn field day. But now that Obama is set to crack beers with Officer James Crowley and Harvard prof Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to discuss Gates' false arrest at his Cambridge home, it's time for the liquid half of Young & Hungry to go nuts. And I'm going to milk this baby for all it's worth.
First, CNN reports (with the urgent UPDATE in all caps) that Obama will have a Budweiser, which is what he had at the MLB All-Star Game. Crowley will reportedly quaff a Blue Moon, and Gates's choice is still undetermined, though he has a preference for Red Stripe and Beck's. Surprising? No, but so, so disappointing.
Beck's is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the same not-really-American corp. as Bud. Blue Moon is MillerCoors (yep, they're one company now), and Red Stripe is owned by Diageo, a giant that also owns Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Johnnie Walker, et al.
So here's my advice:
Mr. President, sir, there's an easy-drinking lager made in almost every major American city — Boston, Sam Adams; New York, Brooklyn Lager; Philly, Victory Lager; Washington, pick a brewpub. Bud might be the "easy choice," but if you're going to take Ray's Hell Burger over McDonald's — and have Alice Watersplan your vegetable garden, for God's sake — man up and try an American microbrew.
Around the D.C. blogs, DCist covers the story as well, with Eric Axelson suggesting a menu for the liquid bread-breaking. He recommends (and I wholeheartedly second) Allagash White as a Blue Moon replacement, and a root beer for Gates. His description of Great Divide Samurai Ale as "the perfect recipe for overcoming differences" has me confused, though. It's a rice beer, so maybe he's equating the clean flavor with a diplomatic blank slate? Help me out, Eric.
At We Love DC, Tiffany Bridge writes a sober defense of quality products over protectionism, and even manages to compare A-B InBev to General Motors (nice!).
And finally, roll over to the Denver Business Journal for a funny snippet of transcript between Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and a reporter who wants to make sure Obama has some salty snacks to go with his beer.
Hopefully this saga will continue until re-election. More UPDATEs as they come.
Photo by √oxéfx via Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License
11:38 am
"make sure Obama has some salty snacks to go with his beer" .....may we suggest those certified organic trans fat free, naturally gluten free tortilla chips from California that are shaped like a whale's tail and are seasoned with "Alaea Hawaiian" sea salt? The company supports ocean conservation efforts. Just one bag would bring back memories of his home state, help the California economy, support a "green" business and "chip in" for the environment all in one bag !!!
4:54 pm
May I suggest Flying Dog for the President and his guests?
-100% brewed in Frederick, Maryland (45 miles NW of DC)
-Independently-owned
-World Class (46 states, DC and 29 countries and growing)
-All employees with healthcare coverage and retirement benefits
World Class.
Independent.
Local.
http://www.FlyingDogAles.com
http://www.Twitter.com/FlyingDog
-JT Smith
Local Beer Guy
Flying Dog Brewery
http://www.Twitter.com/FlyingDogJT
10:26 pm
And let's not forget the newly formed North American Breweries which offers Genessee Beer (Brewed in Rochester, NY), Labatt (Which is brewed in Canada, but let's remembered NAB is a US owned company and separate from Labatt Canada). For the Craft Dinker, they could have one of the fine Dundee Ale's and Lager's that the company offers.
Support US owned companies!
3:07 am
May I suggest that they play this song at the bar where they have the beer-enhanced meeting?
White Lies about White Guys
Dr BLT and Rockwell
words and music by Dr BLT © 2009
http://www.drblt.net/music/whiteDemom.mp3
It's already hit the airwaves on 2 stations, and it's from the album From Buck Owens Blvd to Merle Haggard Drive:
http://www.drblt.net
8:19 am
If you're going to suggest that the President "man up," then maybe you should study up a little more on what you're suggesting for the President. I don't believe that any one of your suggestions are actually microbrews.
9:15 am
Obama should drink Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale.
4:56 pm
Victory Lager for the win as racial harmony is the victory they seek! And, from an independent brewery opened in 1996.
11:45 am
Why doesn't the 911 woman get a beer? Because she's reasonable?
Here's an advance transcript of the beer meeting. Warning: Some obscene words get thrown around.
http://klogtheblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/nicey-nice-obama-crowley-gates-beer.html
5:52 pm
The symbolic and patriotic choice for two guys from Massachusetts would have been Samuel Adams.
10:16 am
I think Crowly lied on the 911 woman caller. Someone did interject race. Where did Crowly get info about two blacks with a backpack. It makes you wonder.