KBTV

KBTV::Barack Obama Got My Tongue!

After taking a shower with the former South Carolina governor at the FBO in Charleston, I wasn’t quite sure how I could top that this evening, the evening of the Democratic Presidential Debates — vis-à-vis storytelling later on. Or blog writing, even.

But just when I thought I’d faint from stimuli overload, I heard a shout. “Barack is coming! Barack is here!”

A few of us in the Google/YouTube entourage were making our way up the stairs to have some processed cheese and warm diet coke with the candidates. Suddenly, I plastered my back against the wall on the side of the stairwell and sucked in my stomach. I had to make way for the throng of Barack aides, handlers and advance team members!

Then I saw the top of the dapper candidates perfectly coiffed head as he bobbed up the stairs. Obama turned, grabbed the rail in the stairway and kind of hoisted himself around the bend. Then, all of a sudden, he was perched right in front of me. He stuck out his beautifully manicured, café-au-lait hand. “Hello,” he boomed in his purring baritone. “Barack Obama.”

The cat got my tongue. I couldn’t speak. I’ve met Clinton and both Bushes in my journeys on years and years of campaign trails. But for some reason — in this hot, humid, sticky stairwell at The Citadel — I couldn’t utter one word.

I took a deep breath and nearly said, “Hi, I’m Kate Bohner!”

Don’t worry, I didn’t. I just shook his hand and pumped it furiously while my face remained paralyzed. He moved on easily, but not without a quick, charming wink!

He stepped up one stair and shook the hand of the gentleman to my left. “Congratulations, Senator.” My date then turned to me and said: “What happened honey?”

NOT to be continued. I’m not sure I can take much more of this :-D

posted by rjoyner @ 8:46 PM