Obama campaign volunteer lifts his speech binder, offers it on EBay

As the 2008 presidential campaign neared its final week, Democrat hopeful Barack Obama breezed through Las Vegas to give a speech at Bonanza High School. (See photo above.)

It was the usual ready-for-change-we-need stump speech, one he'd given dozens of times before and he probably hardly needed the text for reference. And the crowd was enthusiastic and eager, as usual.

At the end of the speech, the candidate, who would go on to be elected the 44th president of the United States, left the podium to greet supporters nearby.

Someone identifying himself or herself as "a volunteer staff member" very thoughtfully "retrieved" the speech binder. And is now kindly offering the packet for sale on EBay.

Starting price: $2,500. Deadline: Nov. 25. Bids: 0.

The unidentified seller calls the item "Rare Sen. Obama authored speech," which may be what Mark Twain would call "a stretcher."

Obama is said to have written last winter's seminal speech on race by himself, but most of the others are authored by staff and "given" by the candidate.

And, in fact, the Democratic candidate gave the same speech the same day in Reno, presumably with another binder.

Because of the seller's professed fear of copying, the text's individual pages, encased in plastic covers, are not shown up close. (See photo.)

But the seller suggests the plastic covers do contain the now president-elect's fingerprints, something that might also interest the Secret Service.

Oh, and shipping would be an extra $25.

-- Andrew Malcolm

No cost, however, to have electronically authored alerts of each new Ticket item sent to your cellphone by registering here. (No fingerprints either.)

Photo credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images (Barack Obama).

Hat Tip: Jon Ralston.

Comments

[Anne W.]

Does Ebay allow sale of stolen items?

[Mary Dudasik]

Clearly this is stolen property. Shouldn't Ebay remove the listing?

[pitbullstew]

creep

[IslandGyal]

That should be easy to trace. The Secret Service, FBI or whatever agency involved just needs to follow the merchandise.

[dc]

Seems the auction has been removed. Good.

[Steve]

Looks like the binder's gone. Maybe the feds confiscated it.

[Parrothead]

GIVE IT BACK! It's part of History IF it's real! You don't Own it the people do............................

[Debbie in Phoenix]

This is to the person who did this.. You belong in JAIL!!! What a low life!!! You steal something from the future President of the United States and then attempt to sell it on Ebay? Are you completely OUT of YOUR ever lovin' Mind? And in addition to being a complete idiot you are apparently, completely MORALLY DEFICIT!! What could you have been thinking?? What slime.

I hope they lock you up and throw away the key... I am however looking forwarding to seeing your moronic face blanching for the cameras was you are perp walked in your lovely new orange jumpsuit to your arraignment though... so congrats on that.

[Jake]

So this person admits stealing Obama's binder and is now trying to sell it on eBay? What a maroon!

[BlackYowe]

I guess we still live in the land of the greedy and the Republicans are not the only greedy ones! Sick, this is.! What is wrong with people?

[Mick Finn]

Hmmm, simple (despicable) theft made a felony by the thief's asking price - hope eBay is cooperating with Treasury on finding and arresting the thief.

[Linday]

I would mail the binder back to Obama fast before the FBI and Secret Service arrive at his doorstep and arrest him for theft. What on earth is he thinking??

[a realist]

The authour of this article is not quite correct.
Obama not only wrote his speech on race, he also wrote his acceptance speech all by himself. I heard Michelle say this.

[Caroline]

Probably needed the money and is young and dumb. Times are tough. I hope it was confiscated.

[Elizabeth]

Two things:

E-bay needs to nip this in the bud. Kick that seller off... now and forever, for unethical behavior.

Investigation and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law needs to proceed IMMEDIATELY.

[Sue from Pasadena CA]

Looks like eBay has removed that item

[Marj]

The only people with lower ratings than Congress and Bush are some of the citizens of this country.
How pathetic!

[Michelle Laird]

I was at that rally. Obama used a telepromter like he did with all his speeches late in the compaign. This is a hoax.

[Frankie]

WHAT A NUMB NUT!!!... just like those VERIZON employees that looked into obama's old phone records, INSANITY!!!... What in GEORGE W. BUSH'S HELL are this people thinking??... Times are tough, but so damn tough to make you lose your damn mind lol.

[Reggie]

The Secret Service should force Ebay to submit that sellers identity (usually name, address w/zip code is required for signing up for ebay). What an idiot? You should have kept it for about 50 years and then sold it Moron.

[SMAC25]

This is no different from, perhaps, thousands of Obama "Yard" Signs that were stolen from the yards of citizens all over this Nation before the Election. No doubt, some were motivated by racism, but many, if not most, were motivated by the idea of selling them at a later date.

[Barb M.]

President-Elect Obama's speech that day in Reno would have been with the very same binder and text as he was in Reno first and spoke here before traveling to Las Vegas where the volunteer obtained the binder.

[Rosie]

THIEF, CREEP, LOW LIFE

Hardly an Obama supporter - more like a thief.

Catch and jail.

[blkbtrfly1]

These are stolen goods and should not be sold on ebay and the seller should be prosecuted. Ebay should be fined for accepting stolen property.

However, not likely to happen. If I remember correctly, the Ebay head honcho is/was a McCain supporter. Is that right?

[Jake]

I have to say, holding comments for moderation really leads to a lot of identical nonsense. I say either publish comments right away or just post the best-of. This is my last comment until the system is changed.