Obama Gets Asked About Hot Dogs, Unleashes Some Fighting Words

Whoa there.

The usually tolerant President Barack Obama has no patience for how some people choose to eat a hot dog.

During Obama’s recent trip to southeast Asia, the president had a bowl of bún chả with “Parts Unknown” host Anthony Bourdain. After Obama slurped some noodles and waxed poetic about one of his all-time favorite meals, Bourdain asked him a loaded question.

“Is ketchup on a hot dog ever acceptable?” Bourdain asked.

“No,” the president responded. “I mean that ... It’s not acceptable past the age of 8.”

Them’s fightin’ words, Mr. President.

So where do Chicagoans’ disdain for ketchup on hot dogs come from? According to the Chicago Tribune, Vienna Beef executive Bob Schwartz may have the answer. The executive wrote a book about the city’s love affair with the street food and aptly titled it Never Put Ketchup On A Hot Dog.

“Schwartz theorized that Chicago’s aversion to ketchup dates back nearly a century, when the ‘dragged-through-the-garden’ style of hot dogs made additional condiments unnecessary,” Tribute writer Kevin Pang noted.

You do you, Chicago.

Head over to CNN’s website to watch more of Obama and Bourdain’s culinary adventure.

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