Michelle Obama sent me an e-mail asking me to give to others this holiday season

By GottaLaff

Did anyone else get this e-mail? Funny, I don't remember ever getting one of these from the Bush family:

This holiday season, the grassroots movement you helped build can make a big difference for those in need.

I hope you will join me in supporting your favorite charity or contributing to causes that are especially meaningful to me and my family.

While many of us will spend the holidays counting our blessings and sharing dinner with loved ones, millions of people around the country won't be so fortunate. Donating to your local food bank will help provide a holiday meal to people in your community who can't afford one.
Talking with the families of deployed troops was one of the most rewarding experiences I had during the campaign. Giving to Operation USO Care Package is a great way to send members of our military stationed around the world a reminder that someone back home is thinking of them.

This is a time to celebrate our blessings, the new year, and a new era for our country. But it's also a time to come together on behalf of those who need our help.

Do what you can to help today by locating your local food bank and giving your support:

http://my.barackobama.com/foodbanks

Or send a care package to an American in uniform:

http://my.barackobama.com/carepackage

Thank you for all that you do and have a very happy holiday season,

Michelle

Dear Michelle,

You will be an awesome First Lady.

Love, Laffy

VIDEO ADDED: Thanks(for)Giving: Obama family hands out food at a Chicago church

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: Here's the video...

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (R) greets a patron at a food bank at St. Columbanus school and parish in Chicago, November 26, 2008.

The more I know the Obamas, the more I admire them:

President-elect Barack Obama and the soon-to-be first family handed out food to the needy at a Chicago church on the day before Thanksgiving.

Obama, his wife Michelle and their two daughters shook hands and gave holiday wishes as they handed wrapped chickens to people who had been lined up for hours at the food bank.

President-elect Obama was calling out "happy thanksgiving" and telling people "you can call me Barack." Yes. You read right.

What, you don't remember Jenna and Not-Jenna joining Babs "So Many of the People in the Arena Here, You Know, Were Underprivileged Anyway, So This--This [she chuckles slightly] is Working Very Well for Them." Bush, mixing with the little people?

Or Mr. Babs saying, "You can call me George"?

Neither do I.

UPDATE:

The family later entered the auditorium of the church's school, where they were greeted by a screaming crowd of students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. And the shrieking only skyrocketed when Obama started rattling off Thanksgiving food staples.

"How about mac & cheese," he asked as the kids roared.

"How about green beans?" he continued. "How about sweet potato fries?"

Then :

"How many people like to read?" he asked. "Everybody likes math?"

If they studied hard, Obama told the kids, "You guys might even end up being the president someday."

One sixth-grader asked Obama what it's like to be president.

"I'm not president yet. I've only been elected president. I'm gonna be sworn in as president on January 20th," Obama replied, as the crowd erupted in applause once again. "Once I'm president, I'll let you know what it's like."

Next, Michelle charmed everyone, and Obama continued to do the same:

"Secret Service, wave your hands!" Michelle asked the onlooking officers, drawing loud laughter from the crowd.

"Sometimes it's kind of strange where you kinda just want to go to Walgreens and pick something up," noted the President-elect. [...]

"I just want you to know that what I'm thankful for is my family and my friends and my community," he concluded. "That's the most important things."

As he departed, the kids serenaded him with chants of "O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!"

Just like the Bushes. Yeah. Sure.