So what did the Secret Service
think about Van Duzer — a registered Republican who says he'll vote for
Obama in November — hoisting the president? "He said I was all right as
long as I didn't take him away," Van Duzer told reporters.
Obama, wrapping up a two-day bus
tour through Florida, dropped by the Big Apple Pizza & Pasta
Restaurant for the kind of unannounced visit that breathes life into
sometimes dreary campaign travel.
"Scott, what's going on, man,"
the president called as he arrived. "Let me tell you, you are like the
biggest pizza shop owner I've ever seen."
"Everybody, look at these guns,"
Obama said as he chatted with Van Duzer, who is 6'3" and weighs 260
pounds. "If I eat your pizza will I look like that?"
"The two men laughed. They
embraced. Van Duzer lifed Potus a good foot off the ground," according
to the pool report filed by Politico's Reid Epstein (who is featured
giving his best "gadzooks!" look on the far right in the picture below).
"Look at that!" Obama said upon his return to terra firma. "Man, are you a powerlifter or what?"
Well, yes. The pool report notes that Van Duzer later said he can bench press 350 pounds.
The pizza store he founded 16
years ago is the only place he's ever worked. And he has received
commendations from the surgeon general's office for his work in
encouraging blood donations. (Does he "encourage" with hugs?)
"I still wonder how he got these
biceps," sad Obama. "But what we know is that the guy's just got a big
heart along with big pecs. So we're very proud of him and we just want
to say thank you for all the great work."
Van Duzer said he got 40-minutes'
notice that the president was coming — and raced to his shop from the
driving range. He told the pool that he is a "big political person"
(Big. Yes.) and was "just overcome with excitement" — which led to the
hug.
"I don't vote party line, I vote
who I feel comfortable with, and I do feel extremely comfortable with
him," said Van Duzer, who also voted for Obama in 2008.
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