What will the Obamas do with their Chicago residence?

[TeamJordan23]

Bill and Hillary came from the AK Governor Mansion. Chimpy kept ownership of his ranch. Do you guys know what most Presidents do with their original residence? Do they sell them or keep ownership of them?

[Muttocracy]

1. I read that the Obamas are keeping it - why wouldn't they? nt

[davidinalameda]

2. keep them

why wouldn't they?

[mwei924]

3. They'll probably return after 2016.

[dysfunctional press]

4. they may even use it as a 'midwestern white house'...

in the same way that captain stupid uses the pig farm.

it could be a nice little boost for chicago's prestige as a world-class city.

[GoesTo11]

5. Crash pad in Chicago

Obama's only going to get more book royalties now, and president pays fairly well. Why not keep the house.

[firedupdem]

6. I was born and raised in chicago and I've always gone back for

my pizza fix. They have to keep it just to go home for Pizza!

[Mira]

7. They're giving it to John McMansions N/T.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Harry Truman went back to Independence

and lived in his house there until he died. LBJ went back to his ranch. (think the Chimp is selling his ranch in Crawford and buying some fortress in the Dallas area--the pig farm was always a sham, anyway. ) I expect the Obamas to keep their house and to return to it in 2016. May even go back home for some r&r during his terms of office.

[WI_DEM]

24. And Jimmy Carter went back to Plains.

[galaxy21]

9. I'm not sure what Biden's going to do with his house

He's got less money than Obama, so keeping it might not be an option.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. He could rent it out

Maybe to one of his kids.

[ShadowLiberal]

14. Biden shouldn't have any financial trouble

Biden makes like $200,000 dollars a year as a senator, while a lot to most it's low in the senate where I think most of them are millionaires. I'm not sure how much a VP makes in a year, but it's probably more.

And who knows, maybe Biden will commute back home fairly often, he commuted daily to the senate.

And I don't see any reason why Obama would sell his house. I mean presidents often take vacations back home.

[flvegan]

20. VP makes around $220k/yr.

[LiberalFighter]

23. Receives the same as the Chief Justice and Speaker of the House

[Hippo_Tron]

18. If Biden can afford his house now he will be able to afford it after

The VP gets paid more than a Senator and he gets a free residence at the Naval Observatory plus all sorts of other expenses paid for. I'm sure he will sell his DC house but he will probably keep the Delaware house.

[cali]

25. uh, he's getting a pay raise and it's not like he's going to be paying rent

at the Obervatory Mansion. Your post makes no sense.

[az chela]

11. It's the girls home so i think they will keep it

[mucifer]

12. Chicago, the new Crawford.

[rurallib]

13. Lots of people like to go to Chicago for the weekend

This way they have a place to stay.

[Princess Turandot]

15. I read recently that they are one of the only modern First Couples whose only existing home..

was in a high-density major city. (Clinton of course was very much an oddball in this regard.) Nixon apparently lived in NYC when he was elected but gave up his apartment right afterwards. Many 20th/21st C. Presidents also have had 'retreats'.

It wouldn't surprise me if they gave the house up. It sounds like it's already creating understandable hassles for their neighbors. It gives the Secret Service agita, no doubt. The mother of the FLOTUS-in-waiting is moving to DC. Given that they haven't lived there all that long, they may not have a great sentimental attachment to the place. (Their girls are so young that the White House will be the place where they grew up!)

[customerserviceguy]

17. I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to sell in this market

but I would imagine that the home would have some special interest for Obama fans.

Yes, the Secret Service would have a much easier time protecting a residence that was fairly isolated. Given the amount of threats Obama has received, I'd hope that he'd take that option, it will make it easier for him (and his family) to be protected after they leave the White House.

[SoxFan]

19. That's an interesting point

While Nixon was living in NYC, he also had properties in California and Florida. Reagan and Carter lived in relatively secluded areas, Clinton hadn't had a home since the early 1980s, and Poppy Bush was a DC lifer.

The closest we've come was Dukakis in 1988. While Brookline is described as a "suburb" of Boston, don't be fooled. It's wedged in along side the city, and one of Boston's subway lines (actuall, an aboveground section of the Green Line) ran through Dukakis' neighborhood. That neighborhood is really pretty comparable to Obama's.

[Captain Hilts]

16. Keep it for holidays. nt

[JI7]

21. misunderstanding about the Ranch

it was bought in around 1999 to be used as a campaign prop. i think Laura Bush said they will be selling it now.

[bertman]

22. I heard that John McCain is going to buy it so he can pal around with William Ayers. Just to piss

Sarah off.

Laptoprepairguy, I doubt that the "down" market would slow down a sale of that home one iota. Someday it's going to be a landmark of American history.