Obama’s low-key master strategist David Plouffe sat alongside Barack on the recent flight to the Middle East and said, “Barack I have a Wailing Wall of an idea.  Now with all that you have on your plate for this trip, I don’t want you to take your eye off the ball, but believe me this little side trip to the Wall will pay off big time.”

“What’s the idea,” Obama asked.

“Well one evening while you are in Israel, you make an early morning visit to the Wailing Wall.  There will be few people around and you pray and leave your handwritten prayer at the wall.  We will see to it that a picture of you wearing a yamakai is taken.  We will also see to it that a local newspaper picks up your prayer.  Beieve me, it will make the A wires of the Associated Press and be seen worldwide.”

“But what would I say in my prayer?” Obama asks.

“Here it is.  Very brief, says Plouffe, ‘Lord - Protect my family and me.’  We will put this on stationery from the King David hotel where you will be staying . . . it will look like an impromptu thing.  The prayer will close with, ‘Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair.  Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just.  And make me an instrument of your will.’ “

“Gee’s,” David, “that sounds great.  Do you think we could ask God for a little help in becoming President of the United States?”

“Well, Barack, that’s what we are doing but in a bit more subtle way.”

“Oh, I see, we don’t want to be blatant about it.”

“Now let’s think this through.  As I understand this, the Wall which the Jews call the Western Wall, is the most sacred of places, because the temple itself was thought to be the place where God resides on earth. Praying here signifies being in the presence of the Divine.  And as I understand, revealing your prayer is a sin? ”

“That’s right,” Barack, “but that only applies to the Jews.  And being that the world doesn’t know whether you’re a Christian, Muslim or Baptist, you get a free ride and we can get away with this.”

“But, But you don’t think we should ask God to make me President?  After all Jews from all countries, and as well as tourists of other religious backgrounds, come to pray at the Wall, where it is said one immediately has the ‘ear of God.’  I would love to have the ear of God; perhaps we could make a TV commercial out of the event.”

“Well, I don’t think we should go that far.”

“David, I understand there is a charge for slipping a prayer in-between the cracks of the Wall.  Do you think our campaign can afford this?”