Opinion: Barack Obama adds a little something to his spaghetti

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In the minds of anyone involved in political campaigns, especially major presidential ones, the stops made by candidates are so many, day after day, and usually so hurried that they merge into a blur, even for the reporters traveling along around the state keeping notes like The Times’ Maria LaGanga.

Wednesday, when Sen. Barack Obama visited the St. James United Methodist Church in Darlington, S.C., he spoke for only five minutes in front of an overflow congregation gathered for its weekly family spaghetti dinner. You’d never know from his calm remarks what’s at stake in Saturday’s Democratic South Carolina primary vote, which is virtually a must-win for the freshman Illinois senator.

It was a short version of his usual remarks plus a special addition: ‘Keep Michelle and Malia and Sasha and me in your prayers,’ the candidate requested. ‘This is....

a stressful thing on the family. I miss my kids so bad sometimes I just, I can’t stand it almost.

‘And you know, Michelle has really carried a big load trying to keep the family going while I’m away all the time. Plus she’s doing some campaigning herself. And anybody who’s heard her speak [applause]. So we’ve got a lot of stresses and strains on the family. But I believe in the power of prayer.’

After the service there was much handshaking and posing for pictures with the famous person they’ve seen on TV before Obama merged with the crowd and made his way to the basement too.

More picture-posing with children to capture the moment and provide proof for later that they were once in the presence of fame and, who knows, maybe a president.

Finally, Obama got to hit the food table like everyone else and served himself a helping of spaghetti. ‘I’ll take a little sample,’ he said.

Then, as he was downing the food, Obama looked up at the folks gathered around. And the possible next commander-in-chief asked them an intriguing question. ‘Do you all,’ he asked, ‘ever put hot sauce on spaghetti?’

And many nodded.

-- Andrew Malcolm