This is a short diary, but I hope it will prove telling about the sort of man Barack Obama is, and the sort of president he'd be.
Barack Obama was scheduled to have a rally in Salt Lake City on Saturday morning - but Gordon Hinckley, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died earlier this week. His funeral is set for Saturday.
Rather than hold the rally, Obama adjusted his plans and scheduled an event in Boise, Idaho, instead.
More below the flip ...
According to this story on the Idaho Statesman's website:
Obama likely would have skipped Idaho were it not for the death of LDS Church President Gordon Hinckley. Obama was to have visited Utah on Saturday, but canceled out of respect for Hinckley's funeral services.
Obama issued a statement saying, "Last night I spoke with President Thomas Monson and expressed my deepest sympathies to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley."
Obama's wife, Michelle, will campaign in Utah on Monday, but the campaign said the candidate would not be able to reschedule before Super Tuesday.
Utah's political loss is Idaho's gain, though - with a campaign that's been going strong here since last spring - Boise has been Obama country for months, and Idaho may well give Obama one of his biggest margins of victory next Tuesday. Also, Utah had a visit from the candidate last August, but this will be his first trip to Idaho.
Bottom line: I believe this incident shows that, for Barack Obama, it isn't all just about politics. I also like the way it signals the fact that he respects other faiths, not just his own.
And take heart, Utahns: Boise is a great weekend destination. If you aren't staying for the Hinckley funeral, why not make the five-hour drive up I-84 after work Friday and join us in line at Boise State on Saturday morning? Just check the road report before you go ... and be sure to get back in time to see Michelle!