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Mother Gets Friendly Note - From the President of the United States
Filed under: In The News

Stamped signature? Not on this letter. Credit: Courtesy of clickondetroit.com
What?!
Tiffany Smith did a double take. The last thing the Detroit mother expected when she went to the mailbox last week was a personal note from President Obama.Sure, she wrote to him, but he's the leader of the free world. She really wasn't expecting him to reply. But she could tell from return address this was special.
"And that's when I said, 'Oh, my God. This is from the White House'," she tells WDVIV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit.
It wasn't written by some flunky either.
"It's his actual signature at the bottom. It's not a stamped signature. It's his actual signature," Smith tells WDIV. "So, I was like, 'Wow'."
Smith wrote to Obama during the health care debate to share her 7-year-old daughter Tania's struggles with cystic fibrosis. Smith tells WDIV she explained how Tania's already been admitted to Children's Hospital in Detroit 28 times.
Smith added that she and her husband both have jobs, but are constantly strapped for cash because of costly co-pays for her daughter's 10 monthly prescriptions.
"It's a struggle, day by day," Smith wrote.
She tells WDIV the president wrote about his own struggles with his grandmother's costly medical expenses. He referred Smith to a Web site and phone number where Smith could get some help with the co-pays.
Smith tells WDIV she's grateful she even got a response.
"Thank you, Mr. president, for writing back and responding," she adds.
Related: The Obamas on Fitness and Health Care











ReaderComments (Page 2 of 3)
3-16-2010 @ 10:02AM
peggy said...Well said Melanie
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3-16-2010 @ 10:05AM
peggy said...Wake up folks, the healthcare crisis is alive and rearing its ugly head somewhere near you. Insurance companies and drug companies have held court over our very being for much too long now. In many cases , randomly denying coverage to those that need it the most. I am tired of it, I applaud our President for having the guts to see this through. Thanks Barack! Oh, and I agree, the person who said, "I speak Ibonic", is a moron.
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3-16-2010 @ 10:08AM
Rambo said...Jessica, You are correct about J.L.Webb's spelling, however, yours is also incorrect ! It's spelled, you are, or you're, NOT your !
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3-16-2010 @ 5:38PM
Anna said...You know what people? I'm sick of subsidizing corporate welfare while jobs go overseas. I'm sick of higher property taxes for schools I don't use (no children in this household). I'm tired of people complaining about how they don't want "their" tax money to go for this that or the other thing - all they while they are taking "my" tax money, just fine, thank you very much.
Idiots.
Instead of subsidizing you, I'd rather give my tax money to my brother's family who needs it for health costs. Not going to school isn't going to kill you. But lack of healthcare can.
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3-16-2010 @ 10:27AM
RU KIDDING ME said...It amazes me that people actually believe b-day cards, letters, and such are really from the person that is "supposed" to be sending them. For those that want a card from the White House, all you have to do is send your name to them or go into their website and you too can receive one. Real Special, huh? You don't really think that the President himself, sits down and sends these cards and letters out to people. If he did, it would really scare me that this is how he uses his time, rather than trying to make our country a better place. This could be extremely time consuming. Mrs. Smith is excited that it is a "personal" letter to her. The thing was "Typed"...how personal is that? I had worked for a company at one time where we had a stamp of the Manager's hand written name. A special ink pad was used and looked just like he had hand written it himself and he never saw the letter and in many cases, never even knew anything about a letter received, let alone one going out. If a smaller business can do this to save time, wouldn't you think the White House would have the same thing, only on a higher scale? Wake up people, is this how you want your Presidents to spend his time....I sure do not. Who is minding the store while he is addressing B-day cards? Such cards are good will to buffalo people that they are special. It's "Promotion/Good Will", no different that other companies sending you one, which of course would not be coming from the owner/president. Some gal Friday is hired to do these things.
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3-16-2010 @ 2:03PM
SB said...LOL Obama is too busy making appearances on tv or going to NCAA games, or oh yeah, date night with the wife and vacations. Maybe he really is signing these letters, since he has so much time traveling between shows.
3-16-2010 @ 10:43AM
lindxxl29 said...what a joke1 How much did he pay her for the letter "he" wrote her?? how about publishing the letters from the AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT THIS HEALTH CARE REFORM!! HOW ABOUT PRINTING THOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS THE USA & OUR TROOPS!!
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3-16-2010 @ 10:53AM
Tracie Smith said...I don't know if you people completely understand what this healthcare bill is REALLY about. It's about taking away YOUR choice of doctor and treatment.
This bill is a socialist healthcare system...The president doesn't care, nor does congress, it's not going to affect them, they have the best healthcare. Did you know they only pay about $400 dollars a year, and they get the BEST medical care with the BEST doctors.
The healthcare bill...you will wait 3-6 months
for an appointment, and GOD FORBID you need surgery, IF they deem it a NECESSARY surgery, you'll have to wait most likely up to a year. If you have gall stones or something, you'll be dead in a year, therefore you won't need the surgery...more money for them.
The libs are SO busy trying to make us like Europe or Canada with this healthcare bill...MY history books say, the Pilgrims fled Europe to come HERE and get away from the government. Have you people forgotten that? Read a history book, learn what communism and socialism TRULY is. Hopefully your eyes will be opened.
By the way, just in case you all have forgotten the MOST important thing in all this...THIS IS AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE, AND HOME OF THE BRAVE, or are all of you cowards who will just do what you're told and not think for yourselves and reasearch things to find the answers.
I pray to God this healthcare bill fails, COMPLETELY!!!!!!
IT IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE OTHER THAN MY FAMILY HAS HEALTH INSURANCE, NOT MY PROBLEM.
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3-16-2010 @ 11:01AM
Joe said...I don't like being called a constituent, I think the proper term should be( your employer.)
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3-16-2010 @ 2:37PM
Michele said...On health care and the President's letter to this lady, I think it's very nice but does it solve her problems?.
Secondly, Congress is incredibly slow in this matter, it's either yes or no. Debates for months are ridiculous in my opinion.
And finally don't forget to fill out your Census 2010 and send it back.
Thank you,
Michele
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3-16-2010 @ 2:14PM
JAMES said...And let's not forget the wasted money that was spent by our Government to send us a letter to tell us the Census was coming in a week. I would think that most of us knew it was coming, unless we were living under a rock and certainly would have found out about it when it arrived.
3-16-2010 @ 11:31AM
Mary Scirdinsky said...I am sick and tired of Obama using children to ask him questions or tell sob stories. Like the time a young girl got up at a Town Hall and asked Obama why people hated him. He asked the girl her name and said very nice to meet you. But in checking is turns out the girls mother is a Democratic organizer and mother and daughter have met Obama before and been to the WH and met the familly. Yesterday in Ohio a young boy talked about his mother not having Healthcare and went to hospital 2 times and was treated, she was also told to return if anything developed. She started to cough up blood but did not go back to hospital and had died. I feel sorry for the boy and his mother, but they found out that the grandmother works for a progressive liberal group, so where was she to advise. They flew the boy from someplace to speak to the crowd and his airfare was paid for Healthcare Now a group funded by George Soros. So Obama you are acting just like a terriorist HIDING BEHIND CHILDREN. Wise up.
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3-16-2010 @ 11:44AM
Richard said...That woman is very naive. Obama has a staff that reads hundreds of mail and responds to them on behalf of the president. They often set aside several reply letters of special significance for his signature. Its all part of his public relations campaign.
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3-16-2010 @ 11:48AM
jow said...You won't hear from him unless you agree with him or he can use what you send for his benefit.
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3-16-2010 @ 11:51AM
dani said...i respect our president, but i dont have to agree w/ everything he says/does. i feel like i should mention the fact that shortly after he was elected, my local news channel (i live in GA) interviewed a black woman crying hysterically because she "wont have to pay anymore bills" wtf. THATS ignorance, people.
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3-19-2010 @ 6:14PM
Joesph said...I'm a physician and for over 20 years I took care of people who abused, misused, and overused the health care system.
I also administered care to the indigent about 40% of the time.
Recently, my spine collapsed and I was forced to get procedures done to help me walk again. My employer laid me off and I was denied insurance coverage by my carrier - drop dead I was told. I applied for other insurance and was denied because my condition was "pre-existing". Faced with thousands in bills, I recently sold my home and am now renting. I am slowly getting back on my feet and beginning to seeing patients again - about six out of ten don't pay. Still, someone has to tend to those who could not fend for themselves. I'm not Dem or Rep, I'm just a doctor who can identify with pain and suffering.
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3-16-2010 @ 12:20PM
joe said...I do not respect this President. I respect the office but not the man in it. The far left made a statement like that regarding the war. Obama said I hate the war the war is wrong but I support the troops. He made that statement for one reason-----votes. One good thing that came out of Obamas victory, and that is, his wife is now proud of her country. That gives us one more proud American-----not.
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3-16-2010 @ 12:22PM
Walt Giuffrida said...THIS MONKEY MUSLIM THAT THIS COUNTRY IS STUCK WITH IS NOTHING BUT A CORRUPT,LYING,THUG, WHO CAN NO WAY BE COMPARED TO WHAT BUSH DID. YOU DIDN'T SEE BUSH GOING AROUND THE WORLD SAYING HOW BAD:
NOW, DOES THIS RESPONCE SHOW YOU WHAT HATE IS, THIS IS NOT NEW IT GOES BACK AS LONG AS THERE ARE TWO HUMMAN BEING. HATE IS ANGER AND IGORANCE, TO MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THIS IS AMAZING. GW BUSH WAS THE ANTI CHRIST, HE LEFT THIS COUNTRY IN RUINS AS HE DID HARKIN OIL AND THE TEXAS RANGERS ---BANKRUP. THIS PRESIDENT NOT ONLY IS REFINED BUT EDUCATED AND HAS THIS COUNTRY AT HEART. IF YOU THINK THOSE FROWING REPUBLICANS REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU AND NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND BIG OIL COMPANIES, I HAVE SOME SWAMP LAND IN SEATTLE FOR YOU TO PURCHASE.
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3-16-2010 @ 12:25PM
Joe said...Here is another letter to President Obama from another mom:
Step down you dishonest crooked fool. Your letters from sick people all over the country don't fool us. Why haven't you addressed tort reform and capping lawsuits initiated by malpractice lawyers? If you support this bill, why aren't you mandating that every politician in this country and their family go on it? Who do you think you're kidding?
Mommy
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3-17-2010 @ 1:18PM
MLH said...Actually the majority of this country's citizens do not approve of the job Obama or the rest of the government is doing. If we continue to go forward as we are we will no longer be a free nation. We have the government condeming news stations that have views that oppose their own, bailing out businesses that fail, and now they want control of our healthcare. So unless you want the government telling you what to say, what books to read, what news to watch, how to run your business, what foods to eat; I suggest you realize that the man we thought would help move this country back to it's foundation is only pulling things apart even more. I wanted Obama to be that monumental president that turned our country around, I now see he is only running us into the ground. It's not about race or political party....it's about knowing in your gut that we shouldn't be depending on someone else to take care of our social freedoms.
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