'McDonald's guy' Julio Osegueda gets broadcast gig; Henrietta Hughes gets a house

At President Barack Obama's town hall event Tuesday in Florida, the final question for the president came from a young man who is now receiving a lot of attention as "the McDonald's guy." The questioner, a student at Edison State College named Julio Osegueda, was so pumped he got to ask a question of the president, he blurted out: "Oh, it is such a blessing to see you Mr. President, thank you for taking time out of your day! Oh, gracious God, thank you!"

Obama seemed a bit taken aback and asked Osegueda to ask his question. When Osegueda had gathered himself a bit better, he explained that he is a second-semester student and has worked at McDonald's for four-and-a-half years. He asked this question: "Do you have any plan or any idea for making one who has worked a long time receive any better benefits than what they have already received?"

Now, Obama handled the question very well. He started by explaining that a job at McDonald's, although it doesn't pay much better than minmum wage, is a "source of pride for you." He then explained how his tax cuts would offset payroll taxes and how he wants to reform healthcare to give the man coverage through his employer.

Obama asked Osegueda about his studies and what he wants to do for a career, to which Osegueda replied that he is studying communications and wants to become a broadcaster. Now, MLB.com is reporting [note the well-placed McDonald's ad at the site], a local minor league baseball team has offered Osegueda a job as an announcer for the Class A Fort Myers Miracle, the Twins' affiliate in the Florida State League.

Miracle promotions director Gary Sharp said he immediately reacted when he heard Osegueda's comment:

"I contacted some people who I knew who were at the event, and said 'Find this guy, and get his phone number,'" explained Sharp. "I gave [Julio] a call, and he was as excited talking to me as he was talking to the President. I offered Julio the chance to do color commentary during our home opener [on April 10], and he was like 'This is incredible! This is great!' There was no negotiating."

But commentators on the right, including Boston radio talker and columnist Howie Carr, had a field day with McDonald's guy yesterday afternoon. With his usual flair for derision and mockery, Carr blasted this young man for daring to ask the president for help. Somehow, even in this economy, asking for help is akin to selling your soul to the devil.

Carr made news last week when he helped to talk a woman down who had called his radio show and began saying she would like to commit suicide. It was a humane and compassionate act that Carr helped this woman through a severe crisis. But Carr's compassion is limited, apparently. When he starts bashing "McDonald's guy" as nothing more than a welfare case looking for a handout, he is overlooking this young man's struggles and his personal virtues. So what if the guy wants some help with better benefits? Don't we all deserve health insurance, even if we work a crap job at a fast food joint?

Update: It seems that right wingers like Rush Limbaugh really don't like the idea that people like Julio want health insurance. After all, that's expensive. Government serves no purpose, no common goal, other than to stay out of the way of business, the argument goes. Government is bad, greed is good.

Here's Rush yesterday, excerpted from his transcript, taking his whacks at Osegueda.

All right, now that's a totally incoherent question. I don't know how the guy got in college. I do know how he got in college. Hell, high school graduates who can't read get in college, particularly if they can play football or baseball. But this guy, what does he want here? Here, play it again.

You heard right. I don't know what his question is, he just wants more benefits, just wants more benefits, he's been working at McDonald's for four years, wants more benefits. Benefits, benefits, benefits, benefits, benefits, benefits, he wants more benefits, and he's a little bit frustrated, when's Obama going to come through.

Rush also bashed a woman at the event, Henrietta Hughes, who told Obama about her economic struggles--she told the president she is homeless and living in a car with her son. (Update: Someone later gave her a house!) Together with Osegueda, this is just too much for the likes of Rush. How dare these people ask for help? They must be morally inferior beings, right?

Here's Rush from yesterday:

I will bet you that inside of two weeks, Henrietta Hughes will be on Oprah, at which time she will get all of that stuff. Oprah's company will buy it. Oprah and Obama will share the credit, and we will see how the new America works together to solve problems. And then we will be told, "All you have to do is ask. All you have to do is ask."

Now if you're poor old Julio, Julio's probably saying, "What the hell did I take the day off for? This is all I get? I show up, I'm at McDonald's for four-and-a-half years, and I'm getting screwed on benefits. I asked the president for more benefits and he tells me, the president of the United States tells me, 'Hang on, pal. I'm going to cut your payroll tax so you'll have a little bit more to spend.'" Julio said, "That's exactly what I need. I need enough money for another Happy Meal every month. Yippee yippee yippee yippee." Oh! If you don't laugh at this stuff, folks, you get depressed. You get really depressed.

Later update: Since I didn't watch the town hall meeting as it happened, I'm piecing this together after the fact. But Julio Osegueda and Henrietta Hughes were tearing up the right-wing Web yesterday. Michelle Malkin, of Pajamas Media (new home to Joe the Plumber/Media Star), blogged about how Henrietta Hughes, a homeless woman who spoke at the event, was told by Obama that his staff would help her find housing.

Hughes broke down in front of thousands when she told the president that she and her son have been homeless for more than a year and living in a pickup truck. Obama hugged her after she asked her question and said his staff would help. A staffer later gave her a card to the head of the housing authority and she was told he would help her.

Apparently, Hughes was later offered a home by Chene Thompson, wife of Florida State Representative Nick Thompson, who heard the homeless woman’s pleas. She told Hughes, “Just give me the opportunity to help you.”

This is all very upsetting to the right. They think people have to earn everything through hard work, and when that doesn't work, family connections, tax-free inheritance, pyramid schemes, and selling self-help videos and books like The Secret.

Right wingers like Rush, Malkin, and their legions of fans despise charity as handouts; they belittle the working poor as welfare cheats; and they really hate Barack Obama because these poor people see in him a savior. Now, I don't think everybody should get a free house, mind you. But free health care sounds about right.

Here's video of Osegueda's question: