Press release: Nora endorses Obama

SEATTLE: Nora Bee, author of the virtually unknown "mommy" weblog, Whopping Cornbread, announced her endorsement of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama today. She and her 14 month old son attended the political rally in support of Obama's candidacy at the Key Arena in Seattle today, which filled to its 20,000 person capacity for the event. Thousands were turned away and waited outside the stadium to listen Obama's speech in the bitter cold and rain.

Thanks to Nora's much more organized, childless friends who arrived at 8:30am to queue for the 11am rally, she joined them close to the front of the line at 10:15am, shamelessly using her baby for sympathy points. "We were all set to glare at her for cutting in line until we saw that she was carrying a baby. Then we stepped aside," said one woman nearby. "And that baby--what a cutie! I bet Senator Obama would love to plant a big smooch on that round pink cheek."

Another bystander commented, "I think she was kind of insane, bringing a baby to this event. What an idiot."

Nora, thrilled at the field of hopefuls competing for the Democratic nomination, generally felt that it was a win-win situation and that it would all just be okay. "I am in the midst of finishing my dissertation so don't have a lot of spare energy for following the political race," she said. If pressed, she would say she had been leaning toward supporting Obama but remained undecided, intending fully to leave the political process to everyone else, whom she assumes are reasonable, nice people who will do the right thing.

But with the virtual tie between Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton after "Super Tuesday," Nora decided it was time to endorse a candidate. "I can read about the candidates' positions on the Internet," said Nora. "But I wanted to be in the same room with Senator Obama to get a sense of him before making my final decision. I felt it. He is the real deal."

Nora announced her endorsement today at a press conference held at her kitchen table attended by her baby and husband. Following her endorsement, her baby threw banana slices onto the floor. Her husband asked if UPS had delivered his new printer today.

Nora left the rally before the end of Obama's speech because her baby was tired and she had run out of snacks. "I thought that if it started at 11, I would be out of there by 12:30," she said. "I didn't know that Obama wouldn't arrive until 12:45."

"That lady was kind of crazy to bring a baby to this event with no toys and not enough snacks," according to the guy staffing the entrance to the block of seats occupied by Nora and her friends. "What an idiot."

However, Nora said the enormous crowd and Obama's real-deal-ness have restored her faith in the political process. "It's like living in a real country, where people care about what happens and who they want to be their leader," she said as she chased her baby as he ran after a police dog at Key Arena.

"Obama has made it okay for me to be proud to be American again," said Nora's organized childless friend.

Senator Obama did not kiss Nora's baby.

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