Barack Obama took his daughters and some friends out to the mall in Hawaii this past weekend, and according to Reuters, "caused a commotion" with lookers-on and photographers. The president-elect, his trusty BlackBerry, his daughters, Malia, 10, and, Sasha, 7, and friends sat and snacked at a table while a crowd and Secret Service agents assembled around them. It's a scene that comes as no surprise to the 71 percent of CitizenSugar readers who say so long as people want to see the pictures, there will be paparazzi and buzz wherever the Obamas go. Here's more:
The agents struggled to hold back people trying to get closer to snap pictures of Obama eating a tuna and melted cheese sandwich and the girls enjoying shave ices, a local treat made from finely shaved ice and fruit syrup.
In recent interviews, such as his 60 Minutes special, Obama said he is dedicated to maintaining some normalcy for his daughters. At this point we expect to stay dialed in to what the Obamas are up to, but do you think the intense fascination will stay as fervent post the Inauguration?
Fornarina
Burberry
Hanky Panky
He lost me at tuna and melted cheese, I cannot fathom how people eat Hot Tuna!
There will be normalcy for those kids, as much as possible, It will be hard to maintain but I think that Barack and Michelle are dedicated to that at least.
1lol CG i thought the same thing hot tuna
and then cheese 
2Why do people act like this when people are trying to have a moment with their kids. I hate that. Do you think you may be freaking out the kids?
3Well it's like many people on here have said, as long as the public wants to see the pictures, then the media and paparazzi will always be there to snap them. It's sad.
I can't imagine what the girls feel like when they are just out trying to have fun with their dad and people swarm them. I know they understand on some level what it's all about, but I still feel for them.
4I do like the fact that the girls appear to be oblivious to those around them and are just with dad, it's pretty cool. Well Barack is not only the new president he is a celebrity he is young, black , successful(like duh), handsome with a beautiful wife and gorgeous children and no shady stories or affairs. y'ou can bet people want to know more this family is fascinating but the paps need to back off
5Ya'll know I really support Barack, but I can't say that I would approach him if I saw him out with his family. I know people are probably really curious, but I couldn't ruin family time for a person that I respect so much.
6I agree Jillness when I used to live in Hollywood I would bump into people I would see on TV/Movies at the grocery store, church, 7-11....and yeah there may have been some bit of excitement to see them in the flesh but I always made sure I treated them like anyone else and you can tell they really really appreciate that.
7lol, I can't believe you two at the top find a tuna-melt sandwich so odd. That $#!+ is good honey. Well that goes to show how diverse our American pallet is I guess.
8Tuna-melt, french fries, and an ice cold coke...mmmm!
9I hate seeing the kids surrounded like that. You could argue that Obama asked for it by running for President, but the kids don't have a choice.
10"no shady stories or affairs"... umm ok.
And Obama should have thought of his kids before running for president. Kennedy went through the same thing with his kids. If he wants to go out in public, there will be curiosity. It comes with the job. And as long as everyone who has commented on this continues to go and look at these pics and comment on then, sugar sites (and all the others) will continue to pay for them and post them to their sites. If you don't like it, stop looking at the pictures, since you are the problem. I don't have a problem with people taking pictures of them. I think that if they want to go to a busy mall, it's going to happen. If the girls wanted shaved ice, BO could have had someone go get it for them and we wouldn't have this problem. I think he wants to be photographed being normal, but in the process puts his girls at risk. Whatever. Not a big deal. His family, not mine.
11Apparently he didn't "cause a commotion" at the Hawaii USMC base where some have described his reception as "cool", very different than the reception President Bush would get.
12"Well Barack is not only the new president he is a celebrity he is young, black , successful(like duh), handsome with a beautiful wife and gorgeous children and no shady stories or affairs"
I Disagree with some of that statment. Yes he is well known but he isnt a celebrity, in the way we use that word. You wouldnt go up to him and go "youre famous" because it just doesnt fit. In my opinion of course. .
13Mmm. Tuna melt.
I read an interesting article about him somewhere that described how he's starting to chafe at the increased media attention and the bubble he's now forced to live in. I can't even imagine what a change this whole year has brought for him and his family.
14It's pretty funny to me to the people's reaction to Tuna melt because I used to have the same reaction until my college roommate made me try it and I've never looked back since. It's good, really really good. Especially with tomatoes and Provolone cheese.... yum.
15OMG! Tomatos and Provolone cheese! That just made me tingle, thanks.
16your welcome hynotic. This sub show next my office have a really good Grilled Tuna Melt sandwich. They saute the tuna with onions and bell peppers then the put it on Rye or Whole Grain bread with tomatoes and melted provolone or swiss cheese... heaven, simply heaven I tell you.
17shop*
18If Obama had the shaved ice (or whatever else his kids want/will want in the future) ordered and sent to their room and didn't let his kids have contact with the outside world, then people would be calling him an elitist (almost forgot about that word!) or accusing him of not wanting his kids to have a 'normal' life. So...meh.
19What's interesting to note here is that the children never seem to give the cameras a second thought. Judging by their body language the cameras are as normal a feature as flowers & trees. I think we need to worry more about them becoming tyrant little divas, but something tells me that mommy & dad have got the family recipe for humble pie when that kicks in.
20Those $1/week allowances probably help quite a bit in making sure they don't get too spoiled
21"I think he wants to be photographed being normal, but in the process puts his girls at risk. Whatever. Not a big deal. His family, not mine."
And you think being locked up in a room everyday is normal?? No one ask for 20 paps and 25 supporters standing 3 feet away from you while you eat ice cream. And since you mentioned the Kennedy's that was back in the 60's when paparazzi would respect your privacy and you could ask them to go away and they would. Not now, you could be dying and they will be standing over you takin a picture.
22franky that is a product of the society. Which is what conservatives are fighting. You won't see me arguing that ideals have drastically changed. But it is the freedom of the press that you all love so much. And I didn't say that staying in a room would be normal. There are MANY, MANY, MANy other places in hawaii he could have gone to get shaved ice. I used to live there. He chose a busy mall. He is trying to show people that he is normal and not an elitest as jude put it. He could have went to Kaneohe and it would have been more quiet. Makes me question his motives is all.
23I didn't say anything about elitism, Hain. That was Em.
24Sorry, my mistake.
25I always seem to get the 2 of you confused....
26What, all us liberals look alike to you?
27
28sure that's it... haha
29not all liberals, you two liberals in particular. Jump my back when the chance is given and you seem to have very very similar thoughts...
Hainan, he can't go anywhere quietly because he has the press pool from all news media, local and foreign following his every move and unfortunately they must follow him. He had actually ditched them earlier that day before they found him where he was at eating shave ice. It's not about motives, but about circumstances. George Bush stopped emailing once he was inaugurated because his private emails would become open to the public. It's the downside of being a president. As a public servant, your personal freedom is officially gone during the time that you are in office.
30Jude and Em are both brilliant, sure, but very different people.
31Yeah, I'm the drunken loon.
32
Jill!
33I think it would be hard for a parent to make the decision to be President because of all of the attention on your children, but what more could a parent do for their children than have the serious ability to make the world a better place?
They might have less face time with their dad, but ulimately if things go well, they will have a better world in which to raise their own children.
34Drunken Loon! Ha!
35Maybe the girls choose that mall or maybe they have the best shaved iced. You have no idea why they choose that mall. And with a motorcade and press pool following him where ever he goes how often do you think he will be able to ditch press and supporters?
Obama has already won, to insinuate he's parading his children around to impress somebody is absurd.
36
37I can do that too.
38Moi? Brilliant? Nah, that epithet belongs to Jude (and you, Jill
). I just try to
come up with something coherent. And I like pretty avatars. And shiny things. But thanks for the sweet words, peeps. 
No matter where Obama goes, he's gonna attract attention. I don't think he should be forced to go to some underground shaved ice compound/tuna melt hideout with his kids. Maybe he went to that mall because he is normal, not because he is trying to insinuate that he is. Just sayin'.
39...and again, maybe there is no motive at all. Like the Matrix. "There...is...no...spoon". Or, in this case, "there...is...no...tuna...melt...and...shaved...ice..."
40No Tuna Melt?!
41Hypno, in my Matrix, there is always a tuna melt. Served, preferably, by Keanu Reeves.
42Em, you are always lovely and brilliant.
I like shiny things too, but I would rather have Colin Firth serve my hot tuna melt than Keanu Reeves any day.
43Awww, Jude, right back at ya
I would definitely take Colin over Keanu too (or, well, to be completely honest, I still loves me the Ewan McGregor the most), and wouldn't mind Christian Bale handing me an Effen and tonic, either.
Man, now I'm hungry AND I want vodka. Darn it.
44Em you always say the same thing as me but it sounds so much better.
45You're too sweet, Frank y Ava (love the avatar, too, it always makes me smile and I love Sinatra).
Love reading your comments, and trust me you do a great job of getting your point across!
46Liberal love!
47I understand that it's difficult to not go up and try to meet them. While at a family reunion in FL, I saw to basketball players that I really admired. It was all I could do to not rush over like a raving fan and ask a million questions. Fortunately, my wife kept me focussed on the task at hand, and I left them to their private conversation.
48Em, you are probably right. He is normal. I never said he wasn't normal. I cannot say what I would do in the situation, as I will never be president. But I don't feel bad for him because if he wants to go in a public place, this will happen. And if he wants to try and let his girls have normalcy like still going to a mall, then he is knowingly putting the situation on them. He is obviously not a stupid man. He knows the possible consequences.
49That was very nice of you UD to leave them alone. You get props.
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