Laundromat Owner Takes Stand Against Obama

From Douglas Avenue, the patriotic red, white and blue sign that hangs in the window at , looks like another innocuous campaign sign around town.

But, wait. Look closer. It contains a strong message to the president:

"I built this business without gov't help: Obama Can Kiss My Ass."

Owner Karen Rogers said she is just saying what a lot of people and small business owners want to say, but don't for fear of retribution.

She said anyone can order the signs online and customize the message.

"You can have 'butt,' 'fanny' ... but I prefer 'ass,' " she said.

"He had no right to say that," she said, referring to President Barack Obama's controversial "You Didn't Build That" speech in July. ("If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen," Obama said during a campaign speech in Roanoke, VA, citing investments in roads and bridges and saying "somebody along the line gave you some help.")

Rogers knows exactly who built her laundromat and linen rental service business.

"I built this business," she said, adding that she's never gotten government help of any kind, not even from the city of Dunedin, in the 26 years she's owned it.

Obama has a  on Saturday morning. About 1,500 people are expected to attend. Obama gave a campaign speech at , which is across the street from her business, in 2008. Rogers wore her McCain-Palin shirt that day.

Since putting the sign on display two weeks ago, Rogers said she's received mostly support. Some cops have even stopped to have their photo taken with it, she said. A few people have joked with her about it, including the U.S. Postal Service worker on his route.

"It's misspelled," he yelled jokingly from his truck in the parking lot on Friday morning. "It's supposed to say 'I'd kiss Obama's ass.' "

"Get outta here, you Democrat," she hollered, then walked over to give him a high five.