Riding The Obama Wave In Hawaii

(CBS)  On his family vacation in Hawaii, just the sight of the President-elect trying to eat his tuna sandwich becomes a spectacle, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.

Those who can't capture a glimpse of the future president can now revisit his past.

Narrated tours of Obama's childhood, costing more than $40, are now big business in Honolulu. They stop at the apartment building he grew up in, a favorite lunch hangout and the local ice cream store.

Meanwhile, in the Waikiki Beach tourist shops, vendors are riding the Obama wave.

"We started off with one design, and it just was such a hit we decided to create another design," says Taylor Kwak of Crazy Shirts and T's.

It's all part of the growing Obama brand -- soon to be president but already global celebrity. His family's faces sell millions of magazines, and the paparazzi are making more than the bare minimum on their vacation photos.

And the attention is boosting his hometown of Honolulu. By body surfing at his favorite beach or going out for shaved ice, Obama is now the island's best ambassador.

"Since he is a local boy, he understands the islands and gets out and does the things locals do," says John Monahan of the Hawaii Visitor's and Convention Bureau.

Honolulu already has a thriving tourist industry. The hope is that Obama will help people see the real Hawaii.

[kansas1946]

because once BO starts the job and people realize he will be as ineffective as Bush, all the sales of this kind of cr*p merchandise will dry up.


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Posted by AlanW1077 at 10:24 AM : Dec 30, 2008
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The average first grader would be more effective than Bush, so I doubt we will be disappointed.

[xlib]

antonio-so why wasn''t the military absentee vote counted??? Check it out for yourself, your ny times did it''s own investigation and found no wrong doing. So, just how are those investigations in 14 states for voter registration fraud carried out by acorn going??
irmcvet-listen, you have no idea on who I voted for, no idea. I was against going into Iraq, unlike your congressmen/women. That being said, what I object to is the continued double standard you people continue to show. My comments were on the fawning over the chosen one by your msm because he exercises while they panned Bush for doing the same thing/
As for thowing water on your chosen one, I''m conservative, he''s liberal, I don''t like his policies. I will continue to voice my opinion. Sorta like the way YOU people have done. In other words, up yours.
Never did tell us if you were fitted for your jack boots.

[irmcvet971]

Funny, with Bush they slammed him for "being selfish, how nice that he has the time". Tpical, Bush worksout BAD, chosen one works out GOOD.
Now, go drink your koolaid.
jackobyte-you made some really astouding statements, care to back them up?? A third of the country will continue to support him?? What are you basing that on, a dailykos post??

Posted by Xlib at 08:28 AM : Dec 30, 2008

EARTH to FASCIST! EARTH to FASCIST! We ALL, or at least the VAST MAJORITY of us agree that we have just gone through the WORST in our history. Then along comes this YOUNG INTELLIGENT Man who cause''s us to BELIEVE again, to have HOPE that indeed he can undo the massive failure of the Bush Administration and the Fascist Republican''s and YOU want to throw cold water on it. That''s ridiculous! Just because YOU picked the WRONG Man and continued to support a Policy that has not, NOT ONCE, worked, doesn''t mean there isn''t a better way! You do know where you and all like you are headed don''t you? Here''s a hint! Can you give us a honest HOPEFUL quote from any "Conservative" from the 50''s? Helll even better can you sight ONE Conservative position from that period that ANY person with common sense would take??

[antoniof123]

Xlib I live in Florida and I was here in 2000 when the recount took place. Only certain areas were recounted not the entire state. That was the sticking point many Democrats and Republicans in this state had.

So your nonsense about how and what happened in 2000 is just that besides Bush did not have the majority of votes in the country. That was the real problem.

So please take you neocon party BS back to the Rush or Bill show. No one cares about your kind or for that matter believes it any more.

[centerfall94]

Go go Obama, woohoo! Surfin all over those bitter republican and neocon faces. SPLAT!! WOOO!! Bahaha.

Poor neocons. If they weren''t so nasty and bitter maybe they could learn to swim.

[xlib]

irmcvet-been fitted for your jackboots yet??

[xlib]

I see the faithful are out today in force. As for the "wait and see how he does", well, you mean the way the left did in 2000 when Bush was coming in? Wait and see like that, sorry. Based on what he has said "share the wealth", set up a "civilian militia", "joe the plummer anyone who dares to ask a question", I know all I want to know. As for not beholding to anyone, are you for real there??? Say, has he ever released a record of his contributors, don''t think so.
Just love the way the msm is drooling over his workout schedule and how wonderful it is. Funny, with Bush they slammed him for "being selfish, how nice that he has the time". Tpical, Bush worksout BAD, chosen one works out GOOD.
Now, go drink your koolaid.
jackobyte-you made some really astouding statements, care to back them up?? A third of the country will continue to support him?? What are you basing that on, a dailykos post??

[irmcvet971]

Posted by faithhope6 at 08:18 PM : Dec 29, 2008

You know you fascist are so funny and stupid as well!! ROFLMAO After George W. Bush, who can find fault with Obama on the Environment or anything else for that matter? I think he has shown so clearly already that he is NOT beholding to any group or contributors. MOST of his money came from people just like me in small amounts. Now put away the swastika and lets move forward!

[jackobyte]

Why dont people just wait and see how he performs in office before diefying him?

I expect the people who think he is wonderful now will continue to think so even if he screws up like bush, after all bush still had around 30% approval at his worst.

Go figure that nearly a third of US citizens will support the Pres no matter if the Pres becomes a complete incompetent.

[vincan-2009]

Wonderful. Good for President Obama to give a hand to Hawaii and their economy. What a great man Obama is!! People really admire his kindness and his intelligence. We will have a very wise president, and we need him desperately.