Newest Issue on Obama's Plate: School Food

Queries by 11-year-old Reporter and Ads Referencing Obama's Daughters Make School Lunches a Hot Topic at White House

(CBS)  "Do you have the power to make school lunches better?" 11-year-old Damon Weaver asked President Obama.

"We are seeing if we can work to make school lunches at least healthier because a lot of school lunches, there's a lot of french fries and pizza and tatter tots, all kinds of stuff that isn't a well balanced meal," the president replied.

And better school lunches are the point of new ads - strategically displayed for Congressional staffers to see in a Capitol Hill train station, reports CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante. A young girl asks why kids in private schools, like the president's daughters, have much better meal choices than she does.

"The schools are used as dumping ground for high cholesterol agricultural products," said Dr. Neal Barnard, who is on the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine.

But White House lawyers objected to the reference to the Obama children - and asked Dr. Barnard's non-profit group to take them down. He refused.

"We're playing by the rules here and we're drawing a very sharp distinction about what kids need to be served in school," Dr. Barnard said.

There's no doubt the president agrees with the message.

"As a part of our overall health care reform we've also got to talk about, for example, our school lunch programs," Mr. Obama said in June.

But the White House sees the reference to the girls as an invasion of privacy. Despite the fact that they are sometimes seen in public as they were today, the Obamas try to keep them out of the spotlight.

Not so for Damon Weaver, a celebrity today at the White House - and, not surprisingly, for an 11-year-old, he has his own idea for the perfect school lunch.

"I suggest we have french fries and mangos everyday for lunch," he said.

"You like mangoes?" the president replied. "I love mangos too. But I'm not sure we can get mangoes into every school."

So it's mangos for lunch, but as for the french fries, the president told Damon: not so much. As for the posters, the White House has taken no further action, but they are only scheduled to be up for the next couple of weeks.

[lastact]

I can fix this problem.

I will take away all the money from the students as they enter the school (school tax to replace the bully) and I will force them to eat what no government official or their children want to or will eat. Check the menu in Washington and see how you are feeding your elected officials.

No one in the federal government is responsible or going to be held responsible for the past actions of selection or school food requirements - that right it can not happen because it does not say that in a law.

You, as parents, have no responsibility because you feel the government is your daddy and mother.

[sam-kiley]

coucou
le 11 years old "journaliste" était tellement mignon.. et solennel aussi, une interview digne d'un grand journaliste bravo mon grand, cela dit je suis d'accord avec lui, un bon repas servi dans les cantines scolaires pour les enfants est essentiel.. un repas sain et équilibré.. ne peut qu'etre bénefiques aux enfants, je suis certaine aussi qu'un pays comme les états unis a les moyens..qu'y a -t-il de plus important que le bien etre de nos enfants ..donc possible.. au revoir

[prucker1]

Somehow, I had 3 kids who were exposed to awful vending machines at school and passed McDonald's restaurants daily and they grew into grown, healthy adults, sometimes eating a well balanced home cooked meal or homemade sack lunch at school and sometimes eating awful school lunches, things from the vending machines or a Happy Meal. As their parent I directed most of the meals and snacks they had - For Pete's sake, if parents don't like the lunches at school, then fix a sandwich. The government isn't responsible for raising your child for you.

[swin5]

You may not think that the government is responsible for raising your kids but Obama doesn't agree.

[the_majesty]

Obama wants total control.

[jetranger7]

Todays School Lunch : T-Bone Steak, Shrimp, Lobster, Smoked Salmon, Crab Legs, Baked potato, Cheese Cake, Carrot Cake, Coconut Cream Pie, Large Chocolate Shake, Banana Split, What more could ya ask for !! Ohhh Yaa,, a Nap afterwards !

[xlib]

Hey cbs, what's with the double posts?? We aren't doing it, it's the site. Trying to make filler??

[jsd330]

Another government mandate for the local schools. We'll mandate this program, but you will have to pay for it. Just like no Child Left Behind.

[gramto8]

I don't know about all states, but in the state of Florida, the school cafeterias have to be self-supporting. The money they get from paid lunches, reduced lunches, and lunch subsidies have to cover the cost of supplies, utilities, and worker saleries.

[chonder2]

Want to find how Dick Cheney is going to stab GW in the back at book time? Rent the DVD "The Dark Side" 2006 Frontline. He's going to blame GW for everything "he" did.

[chonder2]

Apparently Cheney shot you in the face.Did you appologise for getting in the way, SCOOTER??

[chonder2]

bla-bla-bla

[aChangeOfIdeas]

Let's not forget that public schools are following current FEDERAL nutrition guidelines. So if the school lunches are not healthy, don't blame the school, blame Washington. And yes, they should review those guidelines... it's been a while and I think we may have learned a bit more about nutrition since then.

[hungry1968-16]

That's exactly WHY the posters were put up in the Washington DC subway stations, targeting Obama's daughters.

You know - LIKE THE ARTICLE itself talks about?

[woeisme1]

President Bush's daughters ate better than the other kids too then. Whats with the sign and how do Obamas daughters have anything to do with school nutrition which has been pathetic since the beginning of time?

[xlib]

woisme-yea, it's all Bush's fault?? Say, what did chelsea eat?? How about johnson's daughters? How about carters kids? For God's sake, enough of the moral equivalent none sense. ALL OF THE POLITICIANS KIDS EAT BETTER!!!!

[aChangeOfIdeas]

Actually, Carter's kids went to public school. Only Amy was still in school when he was President, but I believe she still went to public school. But that's an anomoly.

[ROBACA]

Obama does not own America just because he is president. Please take care of the important issues such as umemployment and housing for the homeless. He is becoming a dictator!!

[the_majesty]

Obama's approval rating is down to 47%.
The American people are turning against him.
Real democrats are turning against him.
Only the Obama Zombies support him.

[xlib]

BECOMING!!!!! We're way beyond that. As the editor-in-chief of newsweek breathlessly moaned "he's God like, he transcends".
Just read the posts from the faithful lemmings. You dare to question or criticize him in any way and look what happens.

[underdogus09]

Captain Underdogus says:
1) You can't spend your way to prosperity.

2) Redistribution does not create wealth.

3) Borrowing for consumption makes one poorer in the future.

[underdogus09]

America Titanic II is about to hit the ice burg called Wisdom....

[underdogus09]

The sheep are going to wake up on a bread line

[t_town_mutant]

All of this is a shame. It's a waste of money. Public schools have well balanced healthy meals and a well paid staff to create more. The problem is that these same schools are filled with vending machines with every junk food and sugary drink available. They say this is to raise revenue for the schools. This of course does not include the chocolate baked goods supplied by parents and the Boys and Girls Club after school hours.

So spending time and money on healthy lunches is a total loss. And we have the fat kids to prove it.

[gramto8]

All of this is a shame. It's a waste of money. Public schools have well balanced healthy meals and a well paid staff to create more.
by t_town_mutant August 14, 2009 8:11 PM EDT

You might want to research that 'well paid staff' business a bit. In a lot of places, the cafeteria staff aren't as well paid as the custodial staff, and the custodians are pretty far down the wage chain.

[Makohellik]

Hilarious interview

@the_majesty: Is that supposed to be funny? Nope you're just an idiot.

[the_majesty]

Obama will use this to take control of the food chain.
Now he wants to control our food supply. WHATS NEXT ?

[woeisme1]

the_majesty = a pathetic, bitter, low IQ, worthless troll. Never anything near the truth or even interesting to post. Obama and many parents for some time want to make food healthier and you object.

Typical for a mindless republican extremist like you. No value to society. What a shame and an embarrassment.

[chonder2]

Does majesty EVER sleep??

[the_majesty]

chonder2 ... I , The_Majesty am the Ghost of our Forefathers.
YOU KNOW --- The ones that fought for our Freedom.
The ones that wrote The Constitution of The United States.
They are ashamed of what Obama is doing to this Country.
THE ONE they fought so hard for.
How can one sleep when our Rights and Freedom are being
taken away by this TYRANT 'Obama' ....................