The picture of him grilling the hamburgers alone with everyone staring from behind a barricade looks like it would be pretty uncomfortable.

While Obama was having fun on the 4th, Republicans were giving odes to a bitter racist. From the decider:

"Laura and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our good friend and a great American: Senator Jesse Helms. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Dot, and all the members of the Helms family.
Throughout his long public career, Senator Jesse Helms was a tireless advocate for the people of North Carolina, a stalwart defender of limited government and free enterprise, a fearless defender of a culture of life, and an unwavering champion of those struggling for liberty. Under his leadership, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a powerful force for freedom. And today, from Central America to Central Europe and beyond, people remember: in the dark days when the forces of tyranny seemed on the rise, Jesse Helms took their side."

The Decider's "good friend" Jesse Helms single-handedly filibustered the passage of a MLK Jr. holiday. I bet Marion is especially sad today.
Helms also made sure whistled Dixie when he passed by colleague and black woman Carol Moselely-Braun when they passed each other in the Senate Chambers.
Stay classy Republicans.

"Class"...not a description/word usually associated with Democrats other than fostering "class warfare." Not voting for Obama indicates a racist attitude...right! Maybe old Bob Byrd is about to reactivate his KKK membership...ooops, forgot, he's on your team, given a "clean slate" regarding his past. Read this morning, an upcoming Obama fundraising event, only "asking" $30,000 per, for those wanting to meet this "man for change"! Then the recent Maureen Dowd column (NYT), concerned about all the money going to his campaign from China & Saudi Arabia...we don't need no "public financing"...according to "this man for change."

The difference between Robert Byrd and Jesse Helms is Byrd repented. Helms never did, he was a racist and homophobe right till the day he went to hell.
Republicans all the way from the bigshots like the Decider and McSame all the way down to the foot soldiers like the National Review are honoring the little bigot.
Why would anyone listen to Maureen Dowd? She has issues you know. And the first is that foreigners can't donate to campaigns, so she is full of it.

Alexia, Great pictures! Regardless of political affiliation, it must have been a thrill to take these pictures! I almost drove down to Butte from Missoula... to do the same.

Hey Ben Barack was far from uncomfortable "flipping ground rounds" in Butte. He was at ease and enjoying the hassle free environment. He stated that this is one reason he and his family chose Butte to celebrate his 4th and daughter's b-day.