Okay, so knowing sign language should not be the reason anyone should vote for a candidate. But the fact that a sitting President can actually communicate with a deaf person is humanizing. He comes off a bit more worldly than a stuffy politician that has only known a sheltered, wealthy life. Dunno, I'd like to see Newt, Romney, Paul do this. But they probably will after this video, so nevermind.

President Obama was shaking hands with supporters after an energy policy event on March 15 with Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley when he had an impromptu sign language exchange with a deaf man that was caught on video.

The website Distriction was first to report on the candid exchange, which was captured on video by a 26-year-old Prince George's Community College student named Stephon, who is deaf. As Obama made his way down the line of supporters, Stephon used American Sign Language to tell the president, "I am proud of you." In the video, you can see Obama momentarily pause at the unexpected greeting. But he quickly responds by signing, "Thank you." A second deaf student then signs, "I love you." Obama smiles back at the student and shakes her hand before continuing down the line.

"When I shook his hand it did not feel like he was superior to me," Stephon said. "He was just a humble man," Stephon told Distriction. As H. Hoover writes on the site, the rare exchange was a humanizing moment for the office of the president and would have been so regardless if the signing commander-in-chief had been a Republican or a Democrat.

In a follow-up video, Stephon recounted his experience. He even wrote up a transcript for those of us not versed in American Sign Language. I've included some excerpts from his remarks after the jump.

Back during his first presidential campaign in 2008, President Obama also signed "Thank you" to another deaf campaign supporter. You can learn some of the 100 basic American Sign Language gestures.

http://news.yahoo.com/blo...01719.html

I'm just surprised that Bush Jr. hadn't mastered sign language, ...what with his difficulty handling the english language and everything...

That was really cool, and the young man's reaction was priceless.

other than clinton obama

seem one of the most down

to earth of the last 10 presidents.

havin the ability to interact with

people on a level of equality.

Epitome of cool You have to respect President Obama even if you don't like him.

KingBAD said:

other than clinton obama

seem one of the most down

to earth of the last 10 presidents.

havin the ability to interact with

people on a level of equality.

No one was/is more down to earth than Jimmy Carter.

His stands on principle and character however made him unpopular. Go figure.

SUPRMAN said:

KingBAD said:

other than clinton obama

seem one of the most down

to earth of the last 10 presidents.

havin the ability to interact with

people on a level of equality.

No one was/is more down to earth than Jimmy Carter.

His stands on principle and character however made him unpopular. Go figure.

i think carter's homeieness became

more evedent after his presidency,

may at his time in office he was more

taken in rectifyin other issues therefore

not that public, of i was just high as fuck

and wasn't payin to much attention,

but as far as that goes 'tricky' was cool

in public and a hellova piano player

(was that over ten ago?)

nursev said:

Epitome of cool You have to respect President Obama even if you don't like him.

You are absolutely correct.

As the Republicans reminded us over & over again after Bush "won" the 2000 election, whether or not you like him, he IS the president of the United States of America.

...funny how that's no longer relevant when a Democrat of color is in office, huh?