Greg Jaffe, a Washington Post reporter who is part of the White House press pool during the Obama family vacation, has co-authored a piece titled Hawaii can’t seem to name anything after native son Obama.

It observes how former Honolulu City Councilmember Stanley Chang failed in his plant to re-name Sandy Beach “Barack Obama Beach.”

The article explains:

Obama’s return to the place of his birth also calls to mind an embarrassing record of legislative stumbles: Since 2009, Hawaii’s politicos have sought to name two schools, an abandoned lot, a scenic overlook and two state holidays after Obama. An effort to put the 1960s-era cinder-block apartment building — where he lived — on the National Historic registry also fell short.

For now, the most famous thing that bears Obama’s name here is the “Snowbama,” a shaved ice that’s a mix of lemon, lime, cherry and passion guava flavors and sells for $4 at Island Snow, one of the president’s favorite vacation haunts.

President Barack Obama enjoys 'Snowbama' shave ice (CQ) at Island Snow hawaii located in Kailua, hawaii. January 1, 2010. photo Cory Lum
President Obama enjoys shave ice at Island Snow in Kailua during a 2010 visit. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Mayor Kirk Caldwell has suggested that Lanai Lookout, where Obama scattered the ashes of his mother and grandmother, might someday bear Obama’s name.

“But he cautioned that nothing was certain,” WaPo reports.

Other states have named some places for the current president.

 

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