In the spirit of the season, I offer one of those moments on the campaign trail that'll make some of you grin:
Winterset, IA -- Obama was serenaded at a town hall in Winterset, Iowa yesterday, but it wasn't with Christmas carols.
Jerry Triplet, 73, took the microphone to ask a question about the rationale for building a $550 million embassy in
Baghdad. But before Obama answered, Triplet said he had a song to sing for Obama "Of course!" Obama replied.
"Don't we all want to hear a song -- is it a Christmas song? How long is it?"
That was all the permission Triplett needed. In a rich baritone, Triplett burst into "God Bless Barack Obama," retooling
the lyrics from the Irving Berlin classic to cater to the senator from Illinois.
Wildly gesticulating while he sang Triplett warbled the lyrics:
God Bless Barack Obama
He's a fellow we all love
Stand beside him and guide him
Through the night with the light from above...
And so on...
Obama roared with laughter during the refrain, and burst into applause along with the rest of the audience when
Triplett finished with a grand bow. "Wow! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Obama shouted. "I just want you to know
he is not a plant!"
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/23/532185.aspxThe Balitmore Sun's version of the story adds to the ending:
Happy Holidays. :-)