Obama Pens a Notable Excuse for 10-Year-Old Student

Source: The Wall Street Journal

June 11, 2009

Laura Meckler reports on President Obama’s trip to Green Bay, Wis.

One 10-year-old was lucky enough to skip school Thursday, see President Barack Obama speak in Green Bay, Wis.—and get a note from the president himself excusing her absence.

At a town hall meeting, Obama took a question from a man who said the he was there with his daughter who was “missing her last day of school for this.”

“I hope she doesn’t get in trouble,” her dad said.

“Oh no,” Obama said to laughter. “Do you need me to write a note?”

Dad said he would take him up on that, and the president asked for her name. Dad gave his own name again—John Corpus. “No, her,” Obama said.

Dad went on to begin his question, prompting Obama to break in.

“No, no, I’m serious. What’s your daughter’s name?”

“Her name is Kennedy,” he said.

“Kennedy. All right, that’s a cool name.”

And, as the dad asked his question, which dealt with how long it will take the U.S. to implement changes to the health care system, the president wrote out a note. And as he began to answer, Obama walked over to the little girl and said, “Here you go, Kennedy.”

“To Kennedy’s teacher–Please excuse Kennedy’s absence… She’s with me,” he wrote, and signed his name.

No doubt, she was excused without penalty.