The Obama Diary

President Obama travels west on Thursday for a two day trip to meet with technology leaders, first visiting San Francisco and then, on Friday, Intel’s most advanced manufacturing facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon.

The President last visited San Francisco in October to campaign for Senator Barbara Boxer, then-gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. candidate Gavin Newsom, all of whom won their seats.

After attending a fundraiser at the Palo Alto home of Google’s Marissa Mayer the President walked across the street to greet a bunch of kids who were standing on the edge of the curb holding a sign that told the president how much they love him.

He bent down and shook their little hands. “I wish I was in my PJs,” he told one girl who was wearing hers. “Thank you so much for the sign,” he said to the kids holding it up.

….as Obama continued down the line, a boy piped up. “Show him your picture,” he said loudly. It was enough to encourage another, shier boy to produce two drawings he’d made for Obama. He handed them over to the president, who thanked him and held them out for inspection.

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One drawing was of Obama as a stick-figure in a suit with a very red face … “Now, I’m a little red-faced,” Obama said playfully as he examined the rendering of himself. “This is after I’m talking to some of my Republican colleagues,” he concluded.