Bill Clinton and Barack Obama got together for lunch today in Harlem. (I believe I was in midtown NYC about then, working on this Vietnamese banh mi, a sandwich full of tuna, daikon, carrots, a sweet/hot sauce, cilantro and other stuff on crusty french bread.)

Clinton predicts an Obama win.

Advertisement

Q: “What do you think of the state of the race?”

President Clinton: “I predict that Sen. Obama will win and win handily.’’

Advertisement

Sen. Obama: “There you go. You can take it from the President of the United States. He knows a little something about politics.”

They had sandwiches and flatbread pizza from Cosi, according to the pool report.

Advertisement

My personal pool report: It’s cloudy, but no rain yet for tonight’s “Hair” performance. People began lining up at 6 a.m, blocks from the ticket office, for the free tickets. I note that an Arkansas native, Christopher J. Hanke (son of familiar home improvement products merchant Kim Hanke) is listed in tonight’s cast. If snapshots are allowed,  I’ll try to get one, but I’m not sure how far back I’ll be from the outdoor stage. I read in the Times today, playgoers, that the show has been such a hit that it will be revived for a regular Broadway run after the first of the year. The Age of Aquarius is upon us.

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius!  Aquarius!

Advertisement

Oh, wait. It’s an election year.

THEATER UPDATE: For the handful who might be interested: Arkansas’s Christopher Hanke starred as Claude, the character whose draft call is at the core of “Hair’s” story line. His singing is competent — a strong voice if not a rich and nuanced one — but he bounced over the grass stage like a supercharged spring. He was a winning, energetic player. The crowd loudly cheered his work. The play was a smash, its anti-war message resonant today, even if the cultural references are quaintly dated –.

Advertisement

50 years of fearless reporting and still going strong

Be a part of something bigger and join the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been tackling powerful forces through our tough, determined, and feisty journalism. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 email subscribers, it's clear that our readers value our commitment to great journalism. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating – as little as $1 –, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Take a stand with the Arkansas Times and make a difference with your subscription or donation today.

Previous article Easy money not so easy Next article Open line time