President Obama Lunches With Campaign Volunteers At DC Eatery Ted's Bulletin

If it's Wednesday, it's time for a Presidential burger run to Capitol Hill; lunch was "off the record"...
*Update at bottom of post
President Obama fused Election 2012 into his daily schedule on Wednesday when he surprised six campaign volunteers as they lunched at popular Capitol Hill restaurant Ted's Bulletin. The President dropped by at 12:44 to join the group, who'd won an essay competition about campaign organizing, according to a White House official. Obama for America National Training Director Sara El Amine hosted the lunch, which featured Ted's locally famous homemade pop tarts, decorated with little American and Illinois flags. The President ordered a cheeseburger and fries, a Ted's staffer told DC Eater. (Above: The President with his youth vote)

The lunch 0uting was NOT listed on the President's daily schedule, which included notations for the daily Presidential Briefing, Oval Office meetings with Cabinet Secretaries Tim Geithner and Hillary Clinton and tonight's Iftar Dinner to celebrate Ramadan. The young volunteers were overheard discussing travel problems getting to Washington, D.C. from around the US. (Unclear if that's what the President is responding to in the photo above)

Last Wednesday, the President treated his debt-ceiling economic team to lunch at Capitol Hill restaurant Good Stuff Eatery. He had a burger and fries during that outing, too.

Ted's features oversized versions of All American comfort food, such as 'The Sloppiest Joe," a "Famous" grilled cheese served with tomato soup, and "The Bipartisan Combo," which is two different kinds of meat sandwiches, eater's choice. They serve breakfast all day, a popular move in a city where government aides get little time for sleep.

The campaign volunteers selected to dine with the President:

Oscar De Los Santis, California Summer Organizer
Nora Fee, Oregon Summer Organizer
Victoria Kirby, Washington, DC Summer Organizer
Kathleen McKevitt, Idaho
Celeste Rotunda, Florida
Henry Sha, Pennsylvania

The President was back at the White House at 1:57 PM.

UPDATE, Sept. 3, 2011: Obama for America released a behind-the-scenes video of the luncheon with a special Labor Day e-mail asking for volunteer sign-ups and donations. The video:



Info: Ted's is at 505 8th Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003. Phone: 202.544.8337.

*Getty photos