THERE are crazy days in every campaign and one of them just struck the 2008 US presidential election trail. Barack Obama's campaign spent Wednesday dealing with a small crisis after the politico.com website reported that two overzealous volunteers asked two young women in Muslim headscarves to move out of camera-shot at a Detroit rally.
Obama's team spent most of the day apologising and assuring everyone this was not official campaign policy, while at the same time keeping an eye on another circus unfolding in Washington. There, Larry Sinclair, a gay man from Minnesota who alleges he snorted cocaine and had sex with the Democratic nominee, held a news conference.
His allegations have been sloshing around on the internet for six months, ever since he posted a YouTube video. But after he took a polygraph test and failed, he has struggled to get mainstream media interest in a story he said began in the back of a limousine in Chicago in 1999.
On Wednesday Sinclair booked a room at the National Press Club to produce the evidence and try to capture the national spotlight for his claims. But he spent much of the time answering questions about himself. He has what is called a colourful background: a 27-year criminal career which includes convictions for fraud, forging cheques, and stealing credit card numbers.
Sinclair was accompanied by his kilt-clad lawyer, Montgomery Blair Sibley. Sibley has had his own problems: a Florida court struck him off for vexatious litigation, most of it directed against his former wife.
"I don't mean to be impudent," said one reporter, "but why are you wearing a kilt?"
Sibley explained: "It has to do with genitalia. If you are on the smaller side, then pants are not uncomfortable."
As for the evidence, it was scant. Sinclair named the limousine driver, but wasn't sure where he was. The limousine company appears to have folded. Phone records are being sought from Sinclair's provider, but the search has been hampered by the fact that he changed his number four times in two months in late 2007.
Those wanting to talk to Sinclair knew where to find him on Wednesday, however. At the end of the news conference two police officers arrived and arrested him on an outstanding warrant.
On top of that, Obama's wife, Michelle, appeared on the popular daytime talk show The View. After a few serious questions about her patriotism, they got down to real business: whether sleeveless dresses, favoured by Mrs Obama, are for everyone, and whether she wears pantyhose. Answer: pantyhose is uncomfortable if you are 1.8 metres tall.
We did learn one thing about Michelle Obama: she admires Laura Bush's "calm, rational approach" and is taking cues from her: "She doesn't fuel the fire."
>"I don't mean to be impudent," said one reporter, "but why are you wearing a kilt?"
>Sibley explained: "It has to do with genitalia. If you are on the smaller side, then pants are not uncomfortable."