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Marc Malkin

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Ruby to President Obama: Can We Talk?

Thu., Jun. 4, 2009 11:08 AM PDT by Marc Malkin

Jemal Countess/Getty Images for AWRT, Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Ruby Gettinger is hopin' for a word with President Obama.

"I've written a letter to him," the Style Network reality star tells me. "It's my dream to have the president and first lady come out and walk and talk to me."

Gettinger, whose self-titled reality series has been following her journey to trim down from nearly 500 pounds, will be in Washington, D.C. on June 13 for a stop on her Ruby's Walk Across America tour to promote healthy living.

What does she want to talk to the prez about?

"I have so many ideas," she says. "I have a program in my head that I want to go over with the president, because they talk about money and cost of things and that has a lot to do with obesity and health issues. I have to get to him. It will save the economy. It will save the American people. People are dying from this."

Last night, Gettinger was in New York City at her first red carpet event: The 34th Annual American Women in Radio & Television's Gracie Awards, where Ruby was named Outstanding Reality Show.

Kathy Griffin gave her tips on posing for photographers. "She goes, 'You turn sideways, and you put your foot like this,' " Gettinger says. "She was, like, taking care of me."

Then Griffin and personal-finance queen Suze Orman insisted they take pictures together. "They were like, 'Come with us. We're getting a picture of the strongest women!' " Gettinger says. "And then Rachael Ray and Niecy Nash came over, too. It was amazing."

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