Obama gets an unexpected lift by pizza shop owner

President Barack Obama, right, is picked-up and lifted off the ground by Scott Van Duzer, left, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant during an unannounced stop, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Ft. Pierce, Fla.

/ AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

(CBS News) Upon walking into the Big Apple Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Ft. Pierce, Fla., Sunday afternoon, President Obama received an enthusiastic greeting by the shop's owner who wrapped his arms around the president's back for a hug and and lifted him him off the ground.

"Man, are you a power lifter or what?" Mr. Obama joked after being placed back on the ground.

(Watch the president get an unexpected bear hug in the video to the left.)

I was "just overcome with excitement," owner Scott Van Duzer, who is 6'3" and weighs 260 pounds, said, according to pool reports. The president weighs 181 pounds.

Prior to the hug, Mr. Obama noted Van Duzer's muscular build, saying, "Everybody look at these guns." He added: "Scott, let me tell you, you are like the biggest pizza shop owner I've ever seen."

Van Duzer, who said the pizza shop is the only place he's ever worked after opening it when he was 16, told reporters that he is a Republican who is "a big political person" but doesn't vote along party lines. He said he voted for Mr. Obama in 2008 and will again this year. "I vote who I feel comfortable with, and I do feel extremely comfortable with him," Van Duzer said.

The president said he visited Van Duzer because of the "importance" of the work he does as a local- and nationally-recognized blood donor. "[H]e has galvanized and mobilized the local community and he's educating kids and folks all across the country on this issue," Mr. Obama told reporters, according to the pool report.

"I still wonder how he got these biceps, but what we know is that the guy's just got a big heart along with big pecs," the president added.

Van Duzer said he received notice that the president was stopping by about forty minutes before the president's arrival. He said he rushed from the golf course to meet the president.

[nomorelibs]

I'm no fan of Democrats, but I would still be honored to have the President visit. We should all show more respect to the office. That being said, Obama needs to show a little class when it comes to Republicans. I get tired of his bashing us at every tour stop. That's no way to get people to work with you.

[OlePhart]

What a Dumb Ass..........
Uh, excuse me, Dumb *****............

[pat71896]

Can't we all just get along?

(OK, that is a little dated, but - can't we just all get along, play nice and vote in a private and personal method?)

Pat, San Diego

[pat71896]

I think the President and Michelle are real people. I commend them for being real!

[pat71896]

I cannot believe people have become so VIOLENT about politics. It is not the bear hug, it is that people from all over are making such terrible remarks!

My daughter has an autistic son, 6, and a 3 year old daughter. She says she has been run off the road and cut off to mention a few things because she has an Obama bumper sticker. WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY COMING TO?

People, if you can't say something nice, SHUT THE BLANK UP! He has a right to his opinion just as you do.

Even this forum has a statement that personal attacks is prohibited.

Pat, San Diego, CA

[WeHappyFew]

Yeah, it's an unusual VT of a president but I'm afraid it doesn't come close to the to the awesomeness of 'HW' barfing on the Japanese prime minister before sliding comatose under the table.

[Lindag20]

That one was definitely not "staged".

[intonews]

People, please read the article. He owner was notified 40 minutes ahead of time and came back from the golf course to greet him. They vetted him because of his personal cause for blood donations and the president stopped in to thank him. It's politics at it's kindest. All candidates do this. It's a part of the smooze. I think the guy just got carried away and the president went with it. You can tell they had a nice repore with each other right off. Go back to work folks and be happy they found something nice to report on.

[pat71896]

THANK YOU for a thoughtful statement. All this hate is getting scarey!

Pat

[forumcomments]

Will CBSSnooze finally start reporting on politics before the voting.

[alphabet77-2009]

That was so awesome!

[REAM233]

Very pathetic...hugging a President who is taking us to a path of decline, poverty and chaos. Wait if is he is re-elected riots and strikes very often. He does not have a plan and he has divided the country in pieces.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Early 2008 Bush refused to acknowledged that the US economy was sliding fast and his Senator friend, L Graham from South Carolina told the American people to shut up and stop whining. Even now Senate candidate Eric Hovde (R) says he is tired of reading sad stories about people struggling in the recession. These GOP people are so out of touch it is scary.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Sorry it was Phil Graham from Texas: an interview with the Washington Times, former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm termed the current economic slowdown "a mental recession."

He added: "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."

And then he showed why his own presidential bid in 1996 quickly crashed and burned, calling the United States "a nation of whiners."