Obama: This is a good-looking bolt

Jason Sandefur

As production manager Brandon “Smokey” Delafosse introduced U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to the crowd of workers, relatives and reporters gathered at Cardinal Fastener, he presented Obama with a 2 1/4 – 4.5 x 17 A193 B7 heavy hex bolt with 2H heavy hex nut.
“This is a good-looking bolt,” Obama stated, gripping the polished seventeen-inch fastener used in wind turbines.
The inscription reads: Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co. welcomes President Barack Obama and his support of a New Energy for America, January 16, 2009.
Two identical hex bolts were onstage. Cardinal president John Grabner gave one to Obama and asked him to sign the second bolt for Cardinal to keep. Grabner pronounced the autographed Cardinal bolt “the most valuable bolt in the world.”
Obama embraced the lighthearted moment, saying “I want to thank Smokey for not dropping that bolt on my toe.”
On the verge of leaving the factory following his remarks about Cardinal Fastener and the U.S. economy, Obama pivoted suddenly and jogged back to the podium, saying “I almost forgot my bolt.”
Lifting it from the floor, Obama gripped the twenty-five pound fastener like a dumbbell, performing a few biceps curls to laughter and applause.
Obama handed the bolt off to an assistant before clasping Delafosse’s hand at chest level and giving the production manager a “shoulder bump” as he left the room. �2009 FastenerNews.com