By GEOFF EARLE, Post Correspondent, AP
June 24, 2008
WASHINGTON - Barack Obama trounced Hillary Rodham Clinton with the help of the Monkey King, an American eagle and a poker chip.
Obama, campaigning in New Mexico, revealed to a group of voters in a cafe the pocket full of charms that he carries with him.
He said he keeps a "lucky poker chip" given to him by a voter, and an American eagle pin that was given to him by a Native American woman, saying they remind him of the people he meets along the campaign trail.
"They'll hand it to you and they'll say, 'I want you to be well, but I want you to fight for me,' " Obama said, pulling some of the items from his pocket.
"And they'll talk about not having health care for their family, or they'll talk about being laid off.
"If you've been talking to somebody like that, then you want to work harder if you're asking them to vote for you."
Obama has also carried a small gold statue of the Monkey King, revered in India because Hindus believe monkeys are descendants of the monkey god, Hanuman.
Meanwhile, Obama's campaign said yesterday a presidential seal graphically altered with symbols representing his campaign of change was just for one-time use and will not be used again.
The seal was similar to the official presidential version, but had been altered with a new Latin phrase, instead of the original "E pluribus unum," which means, "Out of many, one."
Obama's campaign changed the phrase to "Vero possumus," which can be roughly translated to his "Yes, we can" slogan.
