Chicago, August 14: Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, running for office of the Illinois Comptroller in 2010, has got a piece of advice from “close friend and mentor” President Barack Obama– to “campaign honourably” for the post!
Mr, Krishnamoorthi met Mr. Obama a fortnight ago in the Oval Office and informed him about his decision to run for the office of Comptroller, the state’s chief fiscal officer.
“The President was very happy to learn of my plans to run for the post and advised me to campaign honourably in all parts of the state. He told me to keep in mind the substance of the office and not take it as a popularity contest,” Mr. Krishnamoorthi said here.
Mr. Krishnamoorthi, a former campaign adviser for Mr. Obama, was told by the President that “the office of the Comptroller is an important one, which cannot be taken lightly and I need to take a stand on policy matters”.
The former Deputy Illinois State Treasurer recalls that as he reached the Oval Office, the President “called out my name ‘Raja’ and gave me a hug”. The one-on-one meeting lasted about 15-20 minutes. Mr. Krishnamoorthi said he felt “encouraged” that Obama “made time” to meet him.
The meeting reminded Mr. Krishnamoorthi of the “talks he used to have with Mr, Obama at his dining table in his house in Peoria almost a decade ago”.
–PTI