Obama Makes Buffett Go Weak In The Knees

By Amy Hart in News on Nov 21, 2005 5:22PM

It seems that whenever anybody meets Senator Obama they act like a smitten schoolboy who just discovered he has “special feelings” for the girl sitting next to him in class. Heck, it even happened to America’s second richest man, investor extraordinaire Warren Buffett.

The Tribune delivers the set-up:

Warren Buffett sits on the edge of a soft brown sofa, closely watching as Barack Obama navigates the well-appointed living room. He moves his square glasses closer to his face, unfolds his arms and springs to his feet when the time comes to welcome his guest to Nebraska.

"There he is," Buffett says with a wide grin, pulling Obama toward him with a hearty handshake. "You're the hottest ticket in town today."

Chicagoist is pretty sure it doesn’t take much to be the “hottest ticket” anywhere in Nebraska, but Obama seems to be hot everywhere he goes, which is resulting in a fundraising windfall for his political action committee, Hopefund, which aims to raise money for Democratic Senate candidates and train minorities to work on political campaigns. Hopefund could collect $1.2 million by year’s end.

Upon meeting Obama, Buffett said, “I've got a conviction about him that I don't get very often…He has as much potential as anyone I've seen to have an important impact over his lifetime on the course that America takes.”

The Trib seems to agree, as they devoted a special love note to Obama and columnist Eric Zorn is still convinced he may run for president in 2008.

Chicagoist isn’t convinced that a presidential campaign is right around the corner. But what do you think? Will he run for president in 2008? Is Obama the real deal or is he just another politician whose popularity will fade?