With Henry Gomez

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chicken vendor Terry Leu gave a straight answer when President Barack Obama asked him how business was Friday at his

stand.

"Terrible since you got here," he quipped.

Within an hour, Leu's bold response made national headlines.

The president's impromptu visit after a campaign stop at Cleveland State University forced the market to shut down for about an hour, and the habitually smiling Leu lost business.

"I have no problem with that man," the 56-year-old Medina man said in an interview soon after the president had left. "I was happy to meet him and happy to shake his hand, but I lost business."

New story: Chicken vendor's repsonse to Obama visit garners GOP fans

Leu's phone at his stand, Rolston Poulty, unceasingly rang for hours after the Internet caught wind of the exchange. He stopped answering it after too many requests for interviews.

"I don't want to be 'Joe the Plumber'," said Leu, who has owned the stand since 1992. "I want to be 'Terry the chicken man.' I just want to sell chicken. I was not making a political statement."

Some have inferred that Leu's response to Obama was a stab at the president's term in office, but the tell-it-like-it-is vendor was being literal.

"I meant things were terrible since 3 o'clock when his guys came through the door," he said. "I really didn't want to lie. I had no reason to."

The consummate businessman, Leu used his moment to push his products.

"Take one home with you," he said to a member of the traveling entourage. "I haven't sold anything in 40 minutes."

The president patronized other vendors at the market.

"I think I'll have a smokie while I'm here," Obama said as he browsed at a meat stand.

He also bought some baked goods at Michelle's Bakery.

"It is no coincidence I'm stopping at Michelle's Bakery," he said, alluding to the first lady's name.

The president spent about $40 on the shopping spree, buying: 20 smokies, a half pound of BBQ jerky, a half pound of mild jerky, one piece pumpkin cheesecake, one Danish butternut loaf and one loaf zucchini bread.

Some vendors snapped photos. Shoppers and other guests were held behind rope lines, but Obama chatted them up, hugging at least one baby as he worked his way through the market.

Vincent Bertonaschi of Vince's Meats, President of the West Side Market Tenants Association, said he and other vendors took issue with Leu's quip.

"I want everybody to know that Ralston's Poultry's remarks do not represent the feelings of the tenants of the west side market," said Bertonaschi, who's had a stand at the market for 28 years. "The other tenants were very excited that he (the president) came."

The Friday afternoon stop was an unexpected kickoff to centennial West Side Market festivities this weekend. A traffic-stopping street festival is planned for Sunday -- a rare Sunday when the market will be open -- and will include food by local restaurants and celebrated food trucks.

The market's actual birthday is Nov. 2, a Friday. The gala event will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 3 (billed as the first day of the market's next century).

Leu's family has been part of the market since it opened in 1912. His grandfather ran a meat stand from the beginning and his father followed in those footsteps.

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