corrente

This story is so amazing I almost didn't know what to do with it. The Bubble Boy, it seems, actually risked contagation and admitted others into the Presence. He had contact with real life, at least a tiny dose.

An LA Times story, although this link is via Ohio.com:

CANTON - As President Bush's campaign bus headed down Interstate 77 from Fairlawn to Canton a few weeks ago, an unusual focus group with 10 Timken Co. workers convened inside. Conducting the session was the president himself.

``There was a lot of anxiety'' over the economy, said participant Vince Martino, describing the meeting later. ``The president said he could feel the tension there and understood.''

At one point, as Bush was talking about his efforts to make health insurance more widely available, a gruff steelworker named Tom Miller, who described himself as a loyal supporter, all but interrupted to say, ``Insurance is important, but it doesn't mean a lot if you don't have a job.''

At the next campaign stop, Bush made a point of expressing empathy with the region, telling 5,000 raucous supporters, ``I just traveled on the bus with workers who told me they are nervous about their future. They're concerned. I am, too.''

The Timken workers live under the threat of plant closings. Details of their July 31 session were provided by seven of the 10 participants in interviews, and the White House and the president's campaign aides generally confirmed the accounts. The Timken group included Democrats as well as Republicans, white-collar workers as well as union members.

The participants all cited Bush's charm, and his ability to put them at ease and encourage candor.

Timken has been in the news in this campaign because Bush visited one of its Stark County facilities in 2003 and said his tax cuts would create jobs. But in May, the company announced it plans to close three Stark County ball-bearing plants that employ 1,300.

Miller told the president that he would not be getting many votes from steelworkers. Miller, a Bush supporter, drove home his point by describing the grief he caught from co-workers when he wore a ``Steelworkers for Bush'' T-shirt to the plant.

``You're a brave soul,'' Bush replied, touching off laughter.

Okay, if you thought THAT was weird, now getta loada this. Akron cut the story short. For the rest, you have to go to the original which nobody else seems to have picked up--LATimes:

At the end of the meeting, Bush turned to his reelection prospects. Although he expressed his belief that he would win on Nov. 2, Bush said he would be at peace with himself "if people elect to send me home."

"He said he wanted to be remembered as being effective and he was not worried about trying to be popular," said Chancelor Wyatt, a marketing manager at Timken.

John Grogg quoted the president as saying: "You know, if I should lose this reelection for president of the United States, I know that I've done as good a job as I can do. And God would say, 'Good servant, take a break.' "

From your lips to the Higher Father's ears, George. Nice of you not to mention the word "Diebold" which would have undercut the whole faux-humility moment.