Obama is tripping on this on.

As a native I take no offense to what he's saying. There is no reason for this wimpishness...

"I'm melting ohh no."
"this ain't kansas anymore"

It's nice to see a president who doesn't mind working for a living.

I remember installing glass with a wind chill of 20+ below and the caulk freezing on its way out of the tube. welcome to the real world washington.

Ha! Funny! But true. Chicago keeps going even though we might be stuck for 2 hours on the Dan Ryan in the middle of a blizzard. I always laugh when other cities "shut down" due to a couple inches.

The president I elected has now disappointed me. He has show that he is clueless about what other areas of the country face with unexpected winter weather conditions. People have died due to this winter storm.

It will cost taxpayers a FORTUNE if Obama requires schools across the nation to stay open during bad weather. Areas in the south don't stock rock salt or have the heavy road equipment necessary to make it safe to drive after an ice storm or even a snow storm.

God, please don't let Obama enact a law that will be costly to cities and townships, especially at a time when local governments are struggling to survive financially and citizens are losing jobs.

Obama, please THINK! I elected you because I thought you would think things through.

Folks in Chicago are a tough breed
when it comes to weather. They have to be. But, then again, folks in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota,
and the Dakotas are by far tougher when it comes to weather.
The folks in Washington aren't weak.
they are just weather challenged when it comes to snow and ice.

While Chicago is a prairie town, D.C. is a southern town. I have friends who live there who tell me that everything closes when they get a little snow because they seem to lack salt and snowplows. Their winters are mild compared to Chicago and they find it hard to deal with once they get a taste of winter.

Can you imagine everything closing down in this city over a little snow?????

CHICAGO IS ALOT MORE TOUGHER THAN THE EAST COAST
THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN!
THE WIND FROM THE LAKE MAKES YOU TOUGHER IF YOU
LIVE IN CHICAGO, THE EAST COAST HAS NO IDEA, THAT'S WHY THEY SHUT THINGS DOWN WHEN IT GETS VERY
COLD BY THEIR OWN JUDGMENT, THAT'S WHAT THE
PRESIDENT IS REFERRING TO, OR SHOULD I SAY HIS
DAUGHTER'S WERE SPEAKING OF, CHICAGO IS NO JOKE!
WE REFER TO THE WIND IN CHICAGO AS THE HAWK!
THE PRESIDENT WASN'T TRIPPING!
CHICAGO IS THE CITY OF BIG SHOULDERS!

I would have to agree with Obama, I am from Chicago. I have lived in Maryland for 12 years now, school is closed if its just beginning to snow. In Chicago growing up we had to go to school in blizzards, an they still do, to this day.

That's hilarious. I'm from Texas and have lived in New York, Massachusetts, Buffalo and D.C. I understand cold. Can't stand it but the snow. That's why I asked to be born in the Great State of Texas. Ha! Anyway, I agree with him. It's not like winter doesn't come around once a year y'all (in a cute Texas drawl). Woman up and skate home! Me...I'll be sure to keep my raincoat, flashlight and BBQ pit on me at all times during Hurricane Season. Stay warm.

I didn't vote for him, but on this one I agree. Maybe if they toughen up a little bit about the weather they will be able to solve the other problems. Bunch of Babies

"Flinty Chicago toughness"? Oh poor babies, couldn't get to Sidwell Friends. Why don't you send them to the D.C. public schools and we'll see how much "flinty Chicago toughness" ya got.

I absolutely agree with the president ... it's about time someone high-up noticed. Same goes to Virginians and Marylanders!

Joke. Yes. Admonish. Not a good idea.

Obama is right...it's not that DC shouldn't be prepared for storms. Yes, many have been killed by the storm but DC wasn't Paducah.

I love the part in the video when all the lackeys laughed at everything Obama had to say. They could hardly contain themselves. Is that why America is in decline? Oh well.

I was born and raised in dc. I lived in a neighbor hood riddled with gun violence and drug use/trafficking. in spite of it all, i think God made me plenty "flinty" tough. in addition, all those who are weathering the blizzard of this great economic crisis. many of my friends and family are in a monetary deep freeze because of it. so, use you "flinty chicago toughness" to clean up this, the biggest financial winter storm that we have suffered in a while. With this earth being in turmoil over so many things. Homelessness in this country is on the incline, people have lost their children in a bitter war in Iraq, and the list goes on and on. Mr. Obama, I hardly see it prudent for you to insult the people who so eagerly support you. besides, you need to use your "toughness" to combat a multitude of other issues with the education system in dc. snow days are a microneedle in a huge haystack.

I grew up in Morgan Park and had to deal with the snow all through my school years. I moved out to Cincinnati for grad school and got punked. Why? Because of the HILLS!!! Chicago is flat, so there's no issue, really, when it snows. But other cities, like Cincinnati, ARE NOT PROACTIVE LIKE CHICAGO!!!! There is no reason for cities like Cincy, anywhere in Michigan, and for my money DC as well, to complain or have any issue. I was living in DC in early 2007 when they had an "ice/snow storm" and the kids were out of school for SIX DAYS!!!! That's crazy....DC is NOT HOUSTON....I don't expect Miami to have a FLEET of snowplows, but to say DC is a "southern" city is leaning on geography a little bit too much. GET IT TOGETHER, DC!!!! And all other cities that get snow EVERY YEAR!!!! You know it's coming, prepare for it!!!! Conditions won't be "dangerous" if you prepare for it. President Obama KNOWS what he's talking about.

Chicago merely consumes most of the rock salt because it can afford to buy it---giving its flabby, overfed and complacent citizens free water but charging outside towns for it, flushing its sewers into the chicago river and then cynically paying less capitalized Indiana coffers for the privilege of ruining their waterways.
Ah, yes. Membership in 'the club' has its privileges.
Obama is right. But if we had a REAL mass transit system nationwide--if GM and General Tire hadn't been allowed to ruin our mass transit system in the 50s, most of us would never need buy an automobile--imagine the savings we'd all have now.

Easy for him to say when he doesn't have to drive in it. Tell this to the school bus driver and the parents after the bus gets stuck on a neighborhood street with 30 kids inside.

I love this guy. I'd rather hear something a little edgy like this than some blather from George Bush about -- well, about anything.

You Go Barack!

Yes we can get to school, yes we can get to work!
and for anyone who disagrees no problem you can stay home. Because there is no challenge we can not meet, not even ice.

Thanks for your time,

Erik

Firstly, in response to "Muffet" - it's not that serious. I'm a Chicago native in DC for school. We got 2 inches of snow, most of which melted. President Obama was absolutely correct in making such a comment. 40 degree weather isn't exactly a winter storm.

Most schools in the area either opened late, or didn't open at all! All I have to say is: tell it like it is, Mr. President!

WARM regards.

Muffet don't be so disappointed, have a sense of humor. We are all well aware people have died in all types of weather. My goodness, you just want to have something to complain about. Get a life.

Yeah, and in Chicago, they scream heat-wave when it's above 90 degrees for two days. The fact is that in different areas people are accustomed to different things. There aren't reports of people dying from heat in the south.

KUDOs To Mr. Obama. I'm from Chicago, have dealt with 45 winters and know what it's like to get up before work, shovel a driveway in 15 degree weather and go about our daily lives . Oh yea, while I was shoveling, my daughter walks by on the way to her bus stop.
HELLO?

Time for DC to get some salt trucks, and shovel on with their day..anyone who ever lived in Chicago(or Alaska)knows life goes on-warm it up, dress it up and shovel on..be safe out there, everyone....it was 40-60 below in Alaska-we still went to school....

Settle down Muffet. It seems the only person naive enough to think someone would even THINK that's a good idea is you. Can't you take a joke?

what a true leader working hard to fix this mess we are in

obama seems like you are working 24/7 hope you are resting

Who gives a rats ass if Obama agrres or disagrees with the way we run things? If he doesn't like it, he can pack his 5hit up and move back to Chi(corrupt) town.

Why is it a problem with having schools open? Face it, some of our children do not come from home with running water, heat or food-school maybe the only place where for 6 hours out of their day it's available.

If the infrastructure to the city calls off work what happens? Think about IT... doctors, nurses, paramedics, delivery trucks- not just any delivery medical supplies, BP, Mobil, etc; public transportation- bus and cab drivers; road crew, and firefighters shut down/call off due to ice storm what will be the end results? What if the storm runs its course for days or weeks?

What happens when parents can not afford to take off work but are without a back up plan for baby sitting? Bad weather is nothing new to any of us who live in areas where this is the norm.

Pause and think about that the next time your cable goes out because of bad weather and your service may not be restored for a week. Think about that the next time you need to pick up your prescription and the order can not be filled because pharmesutical delivery can't make the trip.

Life is tough, let's be realisitic, we expect certain services to be in place fully operational regardless of circumstances. Thank God for the indivisuals who brave the elements and provide the above mentioned services that we rely on.

I guess we should just go right ahead and send our kids to school since there is no Electric. Oh hey maybe the 870,000 people without Electric here in the Midwest are just big wimps.

IT'S NOT ABOUT PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, THE ICE STORM
SHUT DOWN ALL THE SCHOOLS!
THE ELECTION IS OVER, AND THE OBAMA FAMILY HAS
MADE THEIR DECISION ON WHERE THEY SEND THEIR
CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, FOCUS MORE ON THE BLOG, NOT
YOUR PETTY IDEAS, AND WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT
YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM EITHER!
YOU WERE WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS!
THOSE 3 MILLION PEOPLE ON THE MALL VALIDATED THE
WINNER OF THE ELECTION!
GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE!

Muffet, are you out of your mind? He's not going to propose a law to mandate schools stay open during inclement weather. Talk about jumping to conclusions. Do you really believe that, or did you just want to try to stir the pot with your irrational rantings?

If he thinks Washingtonians are weak I hope he never gets caught in an Atlanta snow storm. Everything closes when flurries come. If there is an inch of snow no one goes to work. We love if because snow means no work.

I can't remember the landscape in D.C. its been a while since I was in that area. If its hilly I can understand why they close, buses cannot navigate properly with ice on hilly terrain.

Federal employees: of course they're going to plan the day off as often as possible. A little cold weather is a great opportunity to avoid work.

Federal employees: of course they're going to plan the day off as often as possible. A little cold weather is a great opportunity to avoid work.

PLEASE, WILL SOMEONE REPORT THIS ALSO:

1. THE DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE OPEN ON THAT DAY.

2. THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTERS ATTEND A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT IS NOT LOCATED IN WASHINGTON DC, BUT RATHER IN AN ADJOINING STATE.

You don't see us dropping like flies in the summer heat, so next time you get a heat wave try some flinty *Washingtonian* toughness!

I moved out here from the Chicago area a few years ago. They got a category 1 twister that tore up a shopping center- and I kid you not, look the clip up- the weather man on a local DC station was hopping around telling people to "tie down your lawn chairs". He knew hurricane warnings, but had no clue about tornados. We rarely get thunderstorms, and none like the ones I grew up with on the plains. On the flip side, hurricanes, while rare, are trippy and like nothing you get in Chicago.

This comment is for the posting made by Muffet.
Stop be so sensitive about the comment made by the President. He was just merely suggesting that you have to keep things moving and a little snow should not stop business.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention - I am from the Chi and we make it happen through blizzards and storms. So toughen up Muffet - like the President said.

I can't believe that people like Muffet think that Obama wants to pass a law keeping schools open after reading this article... he never mentioned ANYTHING about trying to change the way the DC school systems work, and he was CLEARLY joking. Besides, let's not forget our basic middle school social studies -- the President can't just "pass" a law because he feels like it -- Congress would have to consider any change in federal law before the President even sees it, and I'm sure that any "weather related school closing policy changes" that Muffet is worried about would incite great debate among our Congressmen -- who apparently have nothing else better to do right now!

Being a Norwegian, I find this story a bit funny and I do agree with your president. It's entertaining because it reminds me an episode a few years ago when authorities of a certain city in Norway were taken aback by one harsh winter that they had not budgeted for, or so they claimed. They assumed the Gulf Stream, which usually keeps the North Sea relatively "warm" and therefore ice-free, will be strictly following the calendar. It didn't. There were too much snow and ice, even for a Norwegian standard. Some fine old ladies and a couple of postmen were taken to the local E.R. for broken arms and legs. But closing the schools? Nei da!

I with the president..DC is going to have to "man up" in more ways that one....ICE?? Come on people its winter Geez, be prepared, get prepared, stay prepared and function in spite of. We know he was most certainly JOKING...but They are lucky he didn't say what he was really thinking..."closed...for some ice...you are f****** kidding me right??..If yall don't put your boots on, grab a shovel, spread some salt and get your trifling, pampered fair weathered behinds to work...I'll find someone without a job who would be glad to!"

Folks are getting on his nerves up there..he is a hard straight up worker and DC is SO not used to that....all he is saying is there is was too much mess left behind to clean up to let a little snow and ice hamper business that needs to be managed.

He didn't make this mess people! But he is in charge of cleaning it up. Whining no longer works.

New Yorkers complain 30 degrees is cold.
Chicagoans think 30 degrees is a heatwave

Washington closes schools and shuts down.
Chicago is the city that Works, literally.

Surprise - Its Winter and its cold and snowing.

Get It Done!!!

Actually, I think Chicago schools are much too conservative in their attitude towards "snow days." It amazes me how, even in bone-chilling temps. and almost-impassible snowdrifts, the CPS folks have to display their "macho toughness" or whatever and insist that kids brave the elements - risking illnes, injury, etc.

This is not good. We can always make up the "snow days" during spring break.

Give President Obama a break. Anything he says is taken out of context!!! I live in Wisconsin and the snow has to almost be up to the top of your front door before anything closes!!! Please some of you, stop being so sensitive! The President can not even make a simple statement!!!! Good Grief!!! I agree with you Mr. President.

I live in South Carolina and people shuts down everything on the bare mention of snow. I still haven't understand why bread and milk is the first to go.

The Prez's comments remind me of a story my brother, Chicago born and bred, told me about the first winter he spent in Raleigh, North Carolina. He works for IBM and during the first winter "storm" he got in his car and drove to work as usual. Upon arriving he discovered that he was the only person who came to work that day! Not even the security guards showed up. Now, keep in mind Big Blue employs thousands of people at their campus in Raleigh. He called his manager and she was stunned that he had ventured out in the "terrible weather" and told him to go straight back home. I don't understand cities like Raleigh or DC either - every year they have some kind of winter event - just buy the plows and salt and be done with it. Raleigh really needs to becasue they have ice storms much more frequently than we do, and the plows could be used during hurricane season to move the trees that fall on the roads. DC needs to get plows as well - we're at war and the people running it cannot get around when the city is shut down.

And according to Axelrod, "Dear Leader" keeps the thermostat in the Oval Office high enough to "grow orchids" - because he is from Hawaii!

Typical Lib, do as I say, not as I do.

Going to be a long four years.

Um-I think everyone is missing the fact that he said this toungue-in-cheek. He wasn't dead serious. I mean come on people-you need to get used to the fact that we finally have a President who is HUMAN and has a sense of humor!

I am from North Texas but have lived in other climates. It takes a complete cycle of seasons, one year to climatize your body and start to relate to the locals when it comes to weather. That would be a good place to start instead of jumping to judgement.
Every region has there own strengths and weakness according to their weather patterns. To say that this is done just to get a day off is rediculous. In North Texas, we aren't used to dealing with icy conditions. We get ice, not snow which would be much safer for driving. We don't have enough sand/salt trucks for the roads. I am guessing that DC might have the same problem. For us, it is a scary thought to put your kids on a bus on ice. When people die in car accidents in these areas, may be it is a bigger deal to us because we aren't used to it and not equipped for it. In our case, a school may shut down 1 to 2 days over a 2 or 3 year period. Big deal! A few lives are saved and we get snow day. Life isn't just about work...has nothing to being lazy or getting out of work.
And to Phil Smith Jr, living in Dallas, I know MANY people from Chicago or who have lived there. Of all of the wonderful things they may say about Chicago, they all have one thing in commom...they don't miss the weather.

To the great and powerful wiz comment..."welcome to the real world"???? Sounds more like "your world".

Just curious about where exactly that is because I definitely don't want to live there. Just fine having warm caulk.

I'm beginning to think Obama has a self-esteem problem. He seems to have a bad habit of demeaning others.

I totally agree with him I am from Rochester NY and now live in Maryland and work in DC. By no means was it bad out. I have seen bad the roads were not icy they were better than most days. Although maybe it is a driving issue and not a weather one because I have noticed no one in the area seems to be able to drive.

Americans are week these days they want to be given everything and hqve poor work ethics. He is right toughen up America its going to get worse

I agree with the President on the fact that Washington isnt as tough weather wise as Chicago.
But,I live in Weastern N.C, and last years little ice storm on trees didn`t look to bad. My daughter missed the bus for the two hour delay.
I had errands also, so I figured if school was running all was well.RIGHT?
On a main busy road traveling 40 mph a top limb of a pine tree dropped from High above. Slamming our windshield flying into my driver seat, my husbands passenger seat striking him in the chest.
Our new born in the back luckly covered was safe,my two other children fine as well.
My husband and I covered from head to toe with glass.But,not one scratch on us.No one Can`t tell me thats not God.The car totalled.My family,the people around us were in absolute shock.
So,one should be very careful what one says in public. even when well intended.
President Obama help us with better road ideas for these rare winters that most must live in. Thank you

Hey "Anonymous", I have experience up in UpState NY as well, but the D.C. area WAS bad, so I have no idea where you live. We had 4 Inches of Snow with Packed Ice on Top, and yeah, everything was Slipping and Sliding.

What most of you Chi-town clowns fail to understand is that you live in a PANCAKE FLAT environment, whereas in the Washington, D.C. Area there are HILLS. I would like to see you use some of your Brittle "Flint" to make tracks up a 20 Plus Degree Incline in Solid Ice. Not to mention how you drive 30-40 Miles outside of Downtown, and you have Mountains within the D.C. Metro Area, with Small Back Roads, No Surface Treatments, and Double the Precip. Half of the District's Employees commute from these areas everyday. You can drive 100 Miles from Chicago and still be on level ground, so you shouldn't really be talking. If anything, you go ahead and try to Drive around in the Winters up in NH, and I guarantee that you will fail.

Yeah, I have experience in Minnesota as well, and you folks don't drive any better than those in the D.C. Area. So don't act so special.

And "Phil Smith JR", yeah, you fools are "So Tough". Try dealing with 110 Degree Fahrenheit + Heatwaves, Two Months of Straight Rain, Flash Floods, Tropical Storms, Hurricanes, Winters where it can go from 70 Degrees Fahrenheit and Sunny One Day, to 10 Degrees Fahrenheit with Sub-Zero Wind Chills, and a Foot of Snow the Next, and Inches Of Solid Ice, all while you Dodge Terrorist Attacks. Chicago might be the City of "Big Shoulders", but with yours comes a Narrow Mind.

D.C. is the City of Heavy Hitters, and Power Players. I know some str8 Folks in Chi-town, but you're Ignorant.