Even a trailing Barack Obama needs to eat sometimes
SCRANTON, Pa. -- Candidates put up with a lot of indignities in a campaign, almost anything for a vote. Of course, no one made them run, but even while they're eating in public the media or public hovers for a chance to ask questions or snap that ugly photo of their mouth open with cole slaw hanging out.
Which is why many candidates don't eat in public, but prefer the fare back in their hotel room or a quick snack in the Secret Service SUV en route to the next stop.
As Sen. Hillary Clinton was preparing to campaign here today, Sen. Barack Obama was meeting with voters at a diner and apparently pretty hungry.
He was preparing to down a late breakfast at the Glider Diner when a reporter caught him in one place and asked a foreign policy question. "Why can't I just eat my waffle?" he said.
On the day before the important Pennsylvania primary, the Obama campaign, behind in the latest state polls, chose to work the populous Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas, avoiding the middle so-called "T" section of the state dominated by rural and more conservative Democrats, who may be feeling bitter about Obama's recent bitter smalltown remark.
At the diner, Obama also listened to a trumpet solo from a high school student. A waitress said the 17-year-old had been waiting outside the diner for several hours before Obama arrived.
On the other side of the diner, two high school seniors had skipped school to meet Obama and got him to sign passes saying "Excuse Colin!" and "Excuse Joey!"
--John McCormick
John McCormick writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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Just like Marie Antoinette, let them eat cake. Typical Aristocrat.
Its better for him if he doesn't speak right now, he might stick his foot in his mouth again.
Posted by: Anee | April 21, 2008 at 09:31 PM
Oh, come on. The man should be able to eat in peace. And while it's fair for the gaggle around Obama to get a little miffed that he doesn't spend more time talking to them, at the same time it's obvious that he's got no real incentive to do so when these are the stories that get written. John McCain is a media darling because he's happy to talk to the press, but his ability to answer to the American people leaves a lot to be desired. Obama would rather spend time on the ground with actual voters, and the press excoriate him for wanting to eat his breakfast without interruption for a catch-22 type question. Nice.
Posted by: thisniss | April 22, 2008 at 04:18 AM
It would be rude of any reporter to ask a question of anyone when they are eating. That is just tacky. Some people just aren't raised with any table manners these days. I know these people are in the public eye, but there are just some things that should be off limits.
Posted by: Mary Lee | April 22, 2008 at 06:51 AM
This is one thing the ObamaBabies just can't seem to grasp.
This guy is trying to be the President of the United States. It is, if not the #1 most powerful position for a single person in the world, it's in the top 5.
This is not kindergarten, or the grade school playground. You can't get "do overs". You can't blame it on the dog or say "well, Johnny did it, too" (which is something I read a lot from ObamaBaby posters).
MAN UP.
Grow up and be Adults for crissake.
If this guy OR HIS SUPPORTERS can't take tough questions, or the constant pressure, then they should repack their Hannah Montana lunchboxes and go home.
Jeez!
Posted by: RoBoTech | April 22, 2008 at 07:38 AM