Phillippe Bishop and Troy Hamrick, Salvage Crew staff for The RE Store were in downtown Seattle on October 21, 2010. The guys were picking up a gas range and dimensional lumber from a condominium next to Top Pot Donuts on 5th Avenue. They were bringing the last stuff down from the pick up as the presidential convoy pulled up to the donut shop. Secret Service staff approached them to let them know that they were putting the lock down on a five square block area. If The RE Store crew was going to leave, they needed to drive away right now.
Phillippe, “We said we wanted to stay. We must have cleared the Secret Service’s profiling and face recognition software criteria to be allowed to stand that close to the action. The next thing we know, Barack Obama hops out of the presidential limo and jogs over.”
As he was going into the donut shop, The President shook their hands. Troy Hamrick said “His handshake was actually kind of limp. He was also skinny. His suit was sort of hanging on him. But what really struck me was that he very specifically walked up, looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said “Thanks for coming.”
People were cheering like crazy – in their cars, walking on the street, leaning out of windows.
Philippe said, “We didn’t hear any boos, only cheers. How great would that be to get cheered as you were picking up donuts!”
The partisan debate raged after the convoy departed amongst staff from The RE Store, between who had the better donuts – Top Pot vs. Mighty O’s.