At Ben's Chili Bowl, the soon-to-be first family has an open
invitation to dine for free on chili-smothered sausages.A couple of miles away, the owners of the city's only Kenyan
restaurant know exactly what they'll serve if Barack Obama
stops by for a taste of his African heritage: tilapia
smothered in onions, tomatoes and cilantro.
Washington residents far from the city's power center are
hopeful the 44th president will differ from his predecessor
in more ways than just politics.
The expectation is that Obama -- already at ease in big cities
from his time in Chicago -- will venture into town more than
President Bush, who rarely made forays into unofficial
Washington.
"There's a joke that around Lafayette Square, in the bars
and restaurants, you had to turn the music down at 9 p.m.
because the president went to bed," said William Hanbury,
president of the city's tourism bureau. With the Obamas,
"we're hoping that they'll be able to get out more and
enjoy D.C."
Many recent presidents have had a somewhat distant relationship
with the district, rarely venturing beyond downtown, presidential
observers say. Bush prefers spending time in Crawford, Texas,
and President Ronald Reagan seemed far more content at his
California ranch.
George H.W. Bush also wasn't known for mixing with the locals,
though he did put a Chinese restaurant on the map with frequent
trips to the Peking Gourmet Inn in the suburb of Falls Church,
Va.
Bill Clinton was the exception. The former president's forays
included frequent jogs through the city, even stopping to
refuel at McDonald's. Shortly before taking office, he strolled
through a business district in a black neighborhood, shaking
hands with the locals.
Lynne Breaux, head of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan
Washington, said a president's social habits are important.
They set the tone for everyone else -- particularly in
difficult times.
In October 2001, for instance, as the city's economy reeled
following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush made a rare
public appearance by joining then-Mayor Anthony Williams at
Morton's of Chicago on Connecticut Avenue. Diners stood and
chanted "USA! USA!"
"That was major for our city, especially at that time," Breaux
said.
There's an unfortunate side effect, though, for any leader
seeking to escape the White House bubble -- nightmarish
gridlock caused by road closings for the president's motorcade.
Vehicles have even been hauled off city streets with little
warning to eliminate the threat of car bombs as the commander
in chief makes his way around Washington.
And while security concerns have been heightened since Sept.
11, authorities won't get into specifics about how that affects
the president's outings.
"Presidents end up being very sensitive to disruptions they cause
when they go out," said Norman Ornstein, a scholar with the American
Enterprise Institute. "They want to make sure they don't do things
that create problems."
Still, Ornstein doesn't expect that will keep the Obamas put. The
Obamas seem intent to stay connected as much as security allows.
"Both Barack and I believe that we can have an impact in the
D.C. area," Michelle Obama recently told "60 Minutes." "You
know, in terms of making sure we're contributing to the
community that we immediately live in. That's always been
something that we try to do."
And locals are already lighting up the blogosphere with
suggestions of where they should go.
"The new family to join the White House has to try 2Amys
pizza," one poster identified only as Roxanne wrote on
Washingtonian magazine's dining blog. "The kids love it
and the wine selection is amazing."
Amy Morgan, the co-owner of the Neapolitan pizzeria near
the National Cathedral, said the restaurant is already
accustomed to big-name personalities like George
Stephanopoulos and Jim Lehrer.
But Obama is generating a sense of anticipation in areas
less accustomed to brushes with Washington's elite. On a
blighted stretch of Georgia Avenue, William and Alice
Mukabane are hopeful the first family will dine at their
Kenyan restaurant Safari DC.
Posters and photographs of Barack and Michelle Obama hang
behind the bar in an area they call "Obama Corner." The
centerpiece is a large white banner where customers have
scrawled well-wishes. Four squares remain empty --
reserved for the first family's signatures.
"We know he has so much in his hands, but we have faith
he'll be able to make it here to sign it for us," Alice
Mukabane said.
At Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, black owned and operated
since 1958, a small sign hanging behind the counter where
chili hot dogs and burgers are served up announces a very
brief list of those who eat for free: Bill Cosby and the
Obamas.
"We don't have any anticipation he'll be a regular, but
if he loves chili we're happy to deliver," said Kamal Ali,
who runs the family business with his brother.
Ali also had some advice for the soon-to-be president: Order
the signature half-smoke, a type of sausage found in D.C.,
and get it smothered in chili.
"If you come in here and just order a bowl of chili, we know
you're not from Washington," he said.
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