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    Obama's pen pals: When you write to the president he might write you back

    (Photo by AP)(Photo by AP)Every night before he goes to sleep, the president of the United States reads 10 letters from the pile of 20,000 sent to him by Americans every day. Sometimes, he writes back. He's even, on occasion, included a check.

    "It's not something I should advertise, but it has happened," President Barack Obama told reporter Eli Saslow, author of the new book, "Ten Letters: The Stories Americans Tell Their President."

    Saslow has spent a year poring over the presidential mail, sent from Americans weathering the desperate economic climate. There's Natoma Canfield, the cleaning woman battling cancer who can't afford to pay her medical bills.

    "I live in the house my mother and father built in 1958 and I am so afraid of the possibility I might lose this family heirloom as a result of being forced to drop my health care insurance."

    Then there's Laura Strong, the small-business owner whose son suffers from a rare illness. "I am writing to tell you our family story so that during this time of planning for health care reform my concerns will be considered."

    It's hard enough to get a response from the phone company about a bad bill, but when you write to the president you don't assume you'll be hearing back from him directly. But Obama does write back.

    "You have such a positive spirit," Obama wrote to Destiny Mathis, a single mother, whose letter to the president described how she lost job after a complicated pregnancy and how she feared she'd lose her home. "Please know that things will get better for you and your family," he added. When things didn't get better and she faced eviction, Mathis put the letter up for auction after it was estimated to be worth $11,000. For Mathis, the president's letter might really make a difference, even if it's in a more practical sense.

    "There are times when I'm reading the letters and I feel pained that I can't do more, faster, to make a difference in their lives," Obama admitted in an interview with Saslow.

    On rare occasions, Obama's correspondences have been moved from paper to boardrooms. Natoma's letter was read by the president during a meeting on healthcare at the White House and she was again mentioned by the president at a Democratic fundraiser.

    Obama isn't the only president with a tendency to take on pen pals. During Reagan's time in the White House, he developed a close writing relationship with 6-year-old Rudy Hines, a Washington D.C. elementary student. What started as a kind of an educational stunt- when Reagan selected the strong writing student out of hundreds at his school to be his pen pal- turned into an incredible friendship.

    Throughout Reagan's presidency, from 1984 to 1989, Rudy exchanged hundreds of missives with the world leader, amassing postcards from presidential travels, advice on literature and doodles from the Oval Office.
    "There was one incident where he gave me advice [after] I had a falling-out with a friend. He gave me advice on how to reconcile with my friend and the advice did work. So I will always remember and thank him for that," Hines told CBS News in 2007.

    Another presidential pen pal is 7-year-old Nicholas Malesh. But he's not writing to the current commander-in-chief. Nicholas became fascinated with former president Jimmy Carter, and wrote asking his age when he first took office. Amazingly, Carter wrote back.

    "Thanks for your letter. I was 52 years old when I was elected president. Best wishes, Jimmy Carter."

    Sometimes even the simplest questions deserve a response.

    Related:
    15 things you never noticed on a dollar
    Found: sympathy cards for Jackie Kennedy
    Secrets health insurers won't tell you
    Letters from a mom to herself


     
     
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    2,033 comments

    • Sam  •  Cedar Rapids, Iowa  •  4 months ago
      I have had a stroke/heart attck at 55 yrs old. I have no insurance and no one will help me. I have no food.
      God bless president Obama but he does not understand hard times or will help people having one. My home is paid for but without insurance I can't get better. If I can't get better I cannot vote.
      • salika 3 months ago
        Dear Sir,
        I have faced a big problem, I have Invested my Husband Money in Sri Lanka share market in year 2010. at this moment it went down . I trading in stock market get profit but i didn'nt any get any profit instead of loss. Day by day get loss. Now Accounts is zero balance. How Ii say My husband to this situation. he worked in abord. his salaries only invested in share market to get vehicle to do business when is coming back to sri lanka. Now he doen't this loss. HE IS COMMING BACK TO SRI LANKA END OF FEBRUARY 2012. Please help me to give that lost amount 30,000 US$. Please help me . I know presidnt Obama is kind herted help full president. My favorite president in the world. I wish by e-mail when you appointed as America President. God Bless You. I know President Obama will definely help me escape from husband , Now I feel Life less. Please help me. God bless you and your family.
        My e-mail - sjeevanthi@yahoo
    • Dawn  •  6 months ago
      YAH WE DON'T REMEMBER THOUGH! WAIT TILL THE REPUBLI-CONS GET BACK IN OFFICE!!
    • Rebecca  •  6 months ago
      Many of you seem to be real bitter at this president, why? besides this political game that is going on. Aren't you concern about the millions who are homeless, and can't feed their children because they have any money or jobs. I feel he is trying to assist those individuals. And for those of you who are thinking, I am an Republican, but to think how bills that we have passed in the present has been denied for this presidency to assist the poor. I shall not be going to HELL for something that is not in the eye of the LORD, of not helping the needy. Were are our VALUES people, we must stop the hate. Many of use may not be here to see our childrens future we must live for today!

      Furthermore, the president promised he would have the troops home by 2012 when he was elected. Why should the troops stay over in other countries and die for a bunch of old farts, who are not protecting their families here at home while they serve. We should ALL be ashame of ourselves.
    • Rebecca  •  6 months ago
      I believe the president is a man with honor and dignity to the human society, we must all be that passionate to one another at all times. I think if we get back to the HOLY BIBLE, we can restore that humanitary honor to our neighbors and place the childish behaviors in our little toy chest. I wonder if any members of congress will be going out to their communities personally and hand out food and other goodies to their constintuients, they do realize many will not have foods to eat this holiday.
    • venita  •  6 months ago
      this is good to know
    • Bonnie  •  6 months ago
      This is a response to Happy's blog. Just so you know, the President has been responding to people's emails and letters before he was president. And regarding bringing the troops home, he had said that if he was elected he would bring the troops home and end the war in Iraq. Now that he is doing just that, you are being critical of that as well. I have met him and he comes across as a very down to earth person. According to your logic, if a person does what they say they will do, you criticize that and if they don't fulfill a promise, you criticize that too. Get your facts straight before making comments.
    • ZENA W  •  6 months ago
      With all of the things going on in his life, he runs the country, he is a devoted loving father and husband and he's human! I love Pesident Obama, I always have! Thank you Mr. President, you rock on! Love Me!
    • Kenneth  •  6 months ago
      What is good is good. The closer we are towards doing good, the better irrespective of the intentions. With a wrong intention of doing good, time will tell and such persons will be exposed.
      In a nutshell, our responsibility is not to judge, but to encourage those that propagate goodness.

      So welldone Obama ...
    • Doreen  •  6 months ago
      i wonder will he help me get out of debt after my husband pass it bend down hill for me .
    • Kevin  •  7 months ago
      He wrote checks to people he didn't know who needed money. That's decent and honorable, period. Proof of a dignified version of a human, and the other commenters here obviate the need for that proof pretty big time.
    • Marie  •  7 months ago
      I am an American citizen and I love this country. I strongly believe the President is doing a great job .People just don't want to work together as a country.It is all political. Don't think of as parties, think of your families,friends and what will work for all.
    • virginia  •  7 months ago
      what a shame Duck that you have to down grade a usa president no mater who he is the people voted for him and he should be honor as long as he is in office. As far as the first lady she does do a lot and maybe you need to read all the news about how she helps people and loves to do for the children. I personaly think he has done a great job with the condition The last President left our country in . If you dont like him vote for someone you do like and good luck if its a for one of those that are trying to get in . I will vote for him again because i believe in him and i love the USA and god bless it and all our people even you . Iam 75 and i have voted many many times .
    • galadrial  •  7 months ago
      Maybe all you cynics should get a life and if you wanted to write to the President when you were a kid, why didn't you? Sometimes to write to someone who can do nothing but let you speak your mind to them is all you really need. You can be as disrespectful of anyone that you want to... I wrote to Mrs. Dole and congratulated her on her on her appointment to the head of the American Red Cross and received a very nice response from her. I'm a Democrat and have written to many important people, some I hear nothing from but others I don't. Like anyone, you have the right to curse and call anyone names that you want and say that it is all for self gratification...you might be wrong though. Even the most close-minded person has an opinion, and you have expressed yours.
    • Annette  •  7 months ago
      You know everyone sits around and puts negative post about our president. But I dont see any of you help fixing our country. You know its not only the Obamas problem its ours also. We as a nation need to fix it we can just sit around and exspect one man to do this. (Hello) In stead of feedinf negativity get off your butt and see what you can do to fix your country. Hate only grows but if we all came together as a nation and helped eachother boy would we have a much better place to live. But everyone wants to sit down and talk about it but I dont see those complainers doing to much about change. And another is alot think the goverment is to fix everything and give us hand outs. No folks get off the rump and fix what you can and stop complaining. If we dont come together as a nations we havent seen the worse yet. I pray for all our leaders that they do the best of thier abilty and that they come together as leaders and fix whatever is in their power. And as for us Americans I pray that we stop complaining and help our leaders make these changes.
    • Annette  •  7 months ago
      You know everyone sits around and puts negative post about our president. But I dont see any of you help fixing our country. You know its not only the Obamas problem its ours also. We as a nation need to fix it we can just sit around and exspect one man to do this. (Hello) In stead of feedinf negativity get off your butt and see what you can do to fix your country. Hate only grows but if we all came together as a nation and helped eachother boy would we have a much better place to live. But everyone wants to sit down and talk about it but I dont see those complainers doing to much about change. And another is alot think the goverment is to fix everything and give us hand outs. No folks get off the rump and fix what you can and stop complaining. If we dont come together as a nations we havent seen the worse yet. I pray for all our leaders that they do the best of thier abilty and that they come together as leaders and fix whatever is in their power. And as for us Americans I pray that we stop complaining and help our leaders make these changes.
    • edmond  •  7 months ago
      oh, thats amazing if u some one in the highest ranks answers such simple qns! lets hope Mr President is not doing this for elections :)
    • chris  •  7 months ago
      I believe Obama is a good President with a good heart.
    • FrancesH  •  7 months ago
      He can write??? Next you will tell me he can read!!
    • Jaik  •  7 months ago
      Republicans will invent a way to attack him for anything
    • sister love  •  6 months ago
      Dear Mr. President!!!!! THANK GOD for sending us a GREAT MAN like you,and JOE, IN MY LIFE TIME I'VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT GOD WILL SEND YOU GUYZ!!!!! i'm 52yrs.old and seen alot of things in my life. Due to the fact I was a Working SINGLE MOTHER and choose too GET OFF WELFARE IN 1986,caus i knew the day was coming.when the CONGRESS WAS GOING TO SHUT PEOPLE DOWN!! Since that happen I GOT OFF MY** and did the right thing to better my life and my family life. Under the Bush PRESIDENCY WE GOT LOST AGAIN ,IT TAKES YEARS TO CLEAN-UP HIS ACT ,AND IF IT TAKES YOU MORE I AM DOWN WITH YOU AND BIDEN THE REST CAN GO TO THEY UNHAPPY WORLD,AND BE HAPPY CAUS WE DON'T NEED THEM. STOP HATING ON OUR PREZ,GET UP OFF YOUR A****!!!!!!!

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