It’s one thing to play hookey and get caught, but finagling a way to get the President of the United States to write your teacher a note excusing your absence, now that’s something to tell your kids about.
Not only can 10-year-old Kennedy Corpus tell her future children about the day she skipped the last day of school to try to get a glimpse of President Barack Obama, she can show them the personal note he scribbled pardoning her truancy.
The shy girl from Green Bay, Wisconsin made history yesterday when she attended a presidential town hall meeting with her father. Kennedy’s dad, John, was one of a handful of people given the opportunity to ask President Obama a question during the public forum designed to address health care reform.
When John Corpus stood to ask President Obama his question, he shared that his daughter was missing her last day of school to attend the event and hoped she wouldn’t get in trouble.
“Oh no,” exclaimed Obama.
“Do you need me to write a note?” the president asked, as the crowd erupted in laughter.
“I’ll take you up on that, Mr. President,” Corpus answered.
“Go ahead. I’ll start writing. What’s her name?”
“John Corpus.”
“No, her,” President Obama insisted as the crowd laughed and cheered loudly again.
Corpus continued, “Oh, well, considering I have some people from work that are very interested…”
“No, I’m serious,” President Obama interrupted him. “What’s your daughter’s name?”
“Her name is Kennedy,” Corpus replied.
“Kennedy,” the president grinned. “Okay, that’s a cool name.”
Obama then leafed through papers on the podium, uncapped his pen, and proceeded to write the girl a “Get Out of School Free” card, which he then handed to her before answering her father’s question.
The note read: “To Kennedy’s teacher, please excuse Kennedy’s absence. She’s with me. Barack Obama.”
The stunned fourth grader says she plans to frame the handwritten note from the president along with her ticket to the event.
Oh, and she says she plans to make a copy of the note… for her teacher.
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