Eyes on the Street, Presidential Campaign Edition

The Associated Press reports that Senator Barack Obama, taking a brief respite before launching his general election bid, enjoyed a bike ride with his family this weekend:

The Illinois senator and his wife, Michelle, rode to a neighbor’s house with their daughters, Malia and Sasha, on Sunday and the group then headed out for the ride along the scenic lake shore. But the outing was cut short by a downpour.

After the 2004 presidential campaign, in which both candidates attracted attention for riding bikes (and falling off them), it’s refreshing to see a nominee on two wheels who is neither A) biking in the woods, nor B) straddling an $8000 Serotta while clad in spandex. Obama stayed upright and apparently rode with one of his daughters in tow (none of the AP photos actually show who or what is attached to his trailer).

And who knows, a president familiar with what it’s like to ride in a city might indeed act on his pro-bike campaign rhetoric.

Photo: Associated Press