Restaurant “Saved” By Obama’s Stimulus Plan Goes Out Of Business

In an ironic twist, a restaurant referenced by President Obama last week as being "saved" buy his stimulus plan is going out of business.

New Chet's Restaurant will shutter it's doors Sunday, ending a 70 plus year history of serving patrons in Toledo, including workers at the nearby Chrysler plant.  During Obama's visit to the Jeep plant in Toledo Obama referenced the restaurant as being indrectly saved by the auto bailout saying without the auto workers, who would eat at New Chets and patronize local businesses?  Restaurant c0-owner Richard Lawrence said he used to deliver over $300 worth of food to workers at the plant each week; now that number is below $100.  The owners say the establishment was hurt by the economy as well as an Ohio voter-approved smoking ban that passed in 2006.  The Toledo Blade newspaper online noted that Obama did not stop in to New Chet's during his visit, but over 100 people packed the place hoping he would.  Instead he ate lunch at a different establishment across town.  Cynics believe Obama was name dropping when he mentioned New Chet's as well as several other local eateries.  Critics believe on many of these "local" visits to what Obama perceives as America's heartland, he simply has his people ask about or picks out local establishments to mention so the citizens will think he actually knows or cares something about the region.  The White House did not comment when asked by the Toledo Blade about the closing of New Chets.